Rebecca A Withey: Deaf characters and deaf issues – my venture into scriptwriting!

I recently decided to sign up to training in a new area of writing – script writing.

About ten years ago I actually participated in a filmmaking course at a well known film festival, ‘Deaffest’ and it was there that I first dabbled in script writing. I wrote and produced a short film – which I loved doing- but my enthusiasm for writing dwindled when my acting career took off at the time.

Nowadays, as much as I love performing, the creative process that goes on behind scenes really intrigues me.

As an avid ‘people watcher’ and closet impersonator, I particularly love creating character dialogue. Honest yet hilarious interactions between characters are my favourite things to watch.

Think along the lines of Only Fools and Horses and The Royle Family and you’ll begin to understand the type of flawed and simple yet very funny characters I’m especially fond of.

Yet delving into the pot of screen writing, I feel as though I’ve opened up a can of worms for myself. I have questions. And many of them!

Firstly, I found it interesting to note that all of my favourite dramas and comedies are based around people who don’t use sign language and/or aren’t deaf. Does this mean there aren’t enough mainstream deaf characters I can relate to? Do I not enjoy watching deaf-led productions as much?

Secondly, I realised that I don’t want to write about deaf issues. Sure, deaf issues can naturally crop up in people’s lives but I don’t want to create a script that’s All About Being Deaf. Is that a bad thing? Am I being a rebel?

Because the fact of the matter is – and I’m sure it’s the same for many of you – I’m not just a deaf person. I’m a person with many interests and can hold a conversation about several things. My life and personality is varied.

This is why I groan internally when new people approach me just to talk about ‘signs they know from Mr Tumble’ but I cheer if someone hearing asks me what I think about current politics. There is so much more to me – and to you, I’m sure – than just being deaf.

Assuming that I’m only all about deafness is not just daft, it’s boring.

Delving deeper into this matter with my script writing mentor, I found it incredibly liberating to consider the possibility of writing an ‘adult’ script featuring bad language, violence and criminal activity. Deaf characters don’t have to always be nice, eh?

I’m not sure why previously I subconsciously felt that deaf-led films always had to focus on deaf topics. Perhaps this assumption reflects a practice commonly seen by mainstream producers. In their productions there always seems to be some kind of identity crisis, a communication struggle or a relationship breakdown.

We never see a deaf person that’s a charming, manipulating narcissist. We never see loud, opinionated, deaf couples who get on their neighbours nerves. We never see deaf guys fighting in gangs either. Imagine that in Peaky Blinders!

I also want my characters to converse in a way that’s so much more ‘real.’ Hearing characters should naturally speak a bit more slower or clearer or with more focus to the deaf character. They should never lose sight of that and expect the deaf character to blend in with the rest of the cast. The deaf character should always be able to throw in a ‘pardon?’ a ‘huh?!’ or a ‘fow what she said.’

Similarly, I’d love to write dialogue for a deaf character who communicates much more naturally. Just as not all hearing people speak the Queens English, not every deaf person uses pure, grammatically correct BSL. I’d love to see much more variety on screen. More realism.

So on the whole, my script writing intention can be summed into two parts. I want to write a script that:

A. Has a lead deaf character and
B. Is about so much more than deafness.

Is that even possible? Shall I give it a go?

Wish me luck!

Rebecca

Rebecca Anne Withey is a freelance writer with a background in Performing Arts & Holistic health. She is also profoundly deaf, a sign language user and pretty great lipreader.

https://www.facebook.com/Rebecca-A-Withey-198730846959276