March 31, 2004 Representatives from the MOFTB recently reaffirmed the agency's commitment to supporting producers and actors with disabilities. At an event held at HBO, the agency honored dynamic, progressive documentaries produced by disabled producers at the Downtown Community Television Center. The project, known as ConnectTV, brings aspiring filmmakers with disabilities together to receive training and produce documentaries about the challenges they face. Matthew Sapolin of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, read a letter of encouragement from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. "The filmmakers participating in this event are making positive contributions to the industry,” Mayor Bloomberg said in the letter. “On behalf of the City of New York, I commend them for overcoming obstacles and challenges to share their artistic endeavors." Dean McCann of the MOFTB reminded producers that the agency is willing to help. "The film business in New York City is a five billion dollar a year industry that employs one hundred thousand people, and we are proud to have all of the exhibitors this evening as a part of this community," he said. Disabled producers were thrilled by the recognition they received. "There's a lot of very intelligent, hard working people in the disabled community, but they need help to reach their full ability," Lei Chang said. "I think it's great that the Mayor's Office is willing to assist us." Another producer agreed. "It was great that the Mayor gave us that support and energy," Zazel O-Garra said. "That was mammoth." Since 1999, Downtown Community Television Center has trained 20 disabled producers in documentary filmmaking, as part of their Media Instruction for Disabled Class. The Television Center was founded to provide students, minority groups and economically disadvantaged individuals with access to the media, and since then the staff and students of the Center have worked on 12 national Emmy award-winning productions in categories including investigative reporting, special achievement, continuous coverage of a news story, camera work, editing and sports. This was their first exhibition of work by disabled producers, but they hope to be ready to broadcast these productions by May 2005. For more information on the Downtown Community Television Center's project, visit www.ConnecTV.org . The Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting is also poised to assist. We have a TTY machine to communicate with hearing impaired individuals: the number is (212) 307-9453. For more information on working with disabled people and the assistance available for disabled producers, click here, or click on the link below. more information on working with performers with disabilities visit the ConnecTV website design by    The City of New York Mayor's Office of Film Theatre & Broadcasting 1697 Broadway Suite 602, New York, New York 10019.
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