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Nonfiction Media Makers with Disabilities Survey

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NAI survey is currently closed. If you have any questions please contact access@documentary.org or call (213) 232-1660 ext 213.

What is this Research?

Context & Purpose

The purpose of this survey is to identify data points about media makers from the disability community: where makers are in their practice, what hurdles they experience, and how best to support their work. When we define someone with a disability, we mean physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental health, blindness, low vision, D/deaf, and/or neurodiverse.

Our Goals

  1. To identify the needs of disabled nonfiction media makers
  2. To think collectively and creatively about how best to support the community and the work
  3. To use this information to create a report that will be shared publicly, which can support further research and help others advocate for their communities

Time Required

Participation in the survey will take approximately 60- 90 minutes. The survey contains 23 open-ended questions and 28 checkbox questions. 

Survey Timeline/ Activities

Definitions of Terms

This survey recognizes that language is fluid and definition meaning is different based on experience and zip code. Please review the NAI Definition of Terms resource for how terms are defined in conjunction with this survey.

How the Survey Was Created

IDA assembled an advisory committee that guided the research and development process along with our survey co-design partners Research Action Design. The advisors are organizations from different sectors of the mediasphere working for disability justice and supporting practitioners from the disability community. 

We would like to recognize and thank our individual Advisory Committee members for their support and expertise in designing questions for this survey:

  • Dr. Grishma Shah, Artist, 1IN4 Coalition
  • Stephen Letnes, 1IN4 Coalition
  • Olivia Dreisinger, Artist
  • Jason DaSilva, AXS Lab/AXS Film Fund
  • Naomi Middleton, AXS Lab/AXS Film Fund
  • Reveca Torres, BACKBONES
  • Lawrence Carter-Long, Co-Director, DisArt
  • Haya Fatima Iqbal, Documentary Association of Pakistan
  • Jim LeBrecht, FWD-Doc
  • Lindsey Dryden, FWD-Doc
  • Amena El-Saie, Helm Consulting
  • Judith Heumman, The Heumann Perspective Podcast
  • Tameka Citchen-Spruce, Independent Filmmaker
  • Dr. Lindsey Felt, Leonardo/ISAST
  • Vanessa Chang, Leonardo/ISAST
  • Joanna Wright, MIT Open Documentary Lab / Co-Creation Studio
  • Ren Putz, Morpheyes Studio
  • Darian Slattery, Morpheyes Studio
  • Liam Coleman, Morpheyes Studio
  • Ernest Roszkowski, Morpheyes Studio
  • Ezra Benus, United States Artists / Disability Futures
  • Lee Heinemann, United States Artists / Disability Futures
  • Lu Zhang, United States Artists / Disability Futures
  • Dr. Shweta Ghosh, University of Reading