ON A ROLL: Family, Disability and The American Dream
A JOANNE CAPUTO FILM
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Joanne Caputo
Nov. 1, 2002
E-mail: beanyhead@woh.rr.com

Filmmaker Follows Disabled Subject as His Personal Attendant

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio - Independent filmmakers often run into funding problems that require creative solutions to keep their films in production. Filmmaker Joanne Caputo broke new ground last month when she agreed to be her disabled main subject's personal care attendant during a one-week trip to Sapporo, Japan.

Caputo's film subject is Greg Smith, host and founder of a disability talk radio show in the United States, who was invited to speak at the Disabled Peoples' International 6th World Assembly. The global speaking opportunity - as well as the notion of international travel - was a first for Smith, who is severely disabled and operates a power wheelchair with his foot.

Caputo recognized the importance of capturing the events on film, but was out of funding for a camera crew or herself to travel with Smith. Two years of production had used up the project's modest start-up funds and she had been unable to raise completion funds after a year of grant writing efforts.

Opportunity arose when Smith learned that travel and accommodation expenses for a personal attendant would be covered by the DPI organization. He posed the question to Caputo: Would she be willing to be his attendant for bathing and dressing and bring her camera along? Caputo asked Smith how comfortable he was with her wiping his ass? Smith said he didn't mind at all, so Caputo agreed to the dual role.

Caputo (a recent breast cancer survivor) was delighted with the footage of Smith she acquired in Japan, including two scenes she believes may be the most powerful ones in "On A Roll" - her bathing Smith (recorded by the camera placed on the bathroom sink) and Smith turning out his bedside light.