WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.092 --> 00:00:03.960 (gentle instrumental music) 2 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:06.126 Welcome to Hadley Presents. 3 00:00:06.126 --> 00:00:07.776 I'm your host Ricky Enger, 4 00:00:07.776 --> 00:00:09.870 inviting you to sit back, relax 5 00:00:09.870 --> 00:00:12.930 and enjoy a conversation with the experts. 6 00:00:12.930 --> 00:00:16.770 In this episode we talk with associate producer Joe Strechay 7 00:00:16.770 --> 00:00:20.610 about his work on the Apple TV+ series, "See." 8 00:00:20.610 --> 00:00:22.500 Welcome to the show Joe. 9 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:24.420 Hey, thank you so much for having me on. 10 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:28.080 It's a great pleasure, I believe in what Hadley does. 11 00:00:28.080 --> 00:00:29.670 The Hadley Institute for the Blind 12 00:00:29.670 --> 00:00:31.830 has been a part of my life 13 00:00:31.830 --> 00:00:34.560 and also my family's life as well. 14 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:36.300 Awesome, that's always great to hear. 15 00:00:36.300 --> 00:00:39.960 We love hearing from our learners, past, present, 16 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:41.460 and future. 17 00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:46.460 So before we jump into a pretty much spoiler-free discussion 18 00:00:47.160 --> 00:00:48.450 of the new series, 19 00:00:48.450 --> 00:00:49.890 tell us a little about you 20 00:00:49.890 --> 00:00:53.310 and kind of how you came to be a part of the show. 21 00:00:53.310 --> 00:00:55.800 It's been a roundabout way, I guess. 22 00:00:55.800 --> 00:00:58.290 I've worked in entertainment really, part-time 23 00:00:58.290 --> 00:01:01.590 and full-time for little pieces of time. 24 00:01:01.590 --> 00:01:03.570 When I was working for the American Foundation 25 00:01:03.570 --> 00:01:05.430 for the Blind, I worked there like seven years, 26 00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:06.780 once in a while we'd get requests 27 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:08.970 from different entertainment pieces, 28 00:01:08.970 --> 00:01:11.280 like I helped on some documentaries, 29 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.050 helped find some people who are blind 30 00:01:13.050 --> 00:01:14.250 or low vision for them, 31 00:01:14.250 --> 00:01:16.740 and then for casting for some shows 32 00:01:16.740 --> 00:01:19.710 when they were looking for actors who are blind 33 00:01:19.710 --> 00:01:22.170 or low vision or commercials or something like that. 34 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:24.480 And then I worked with the writer's room 35 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:27.540 on a show for the USA Network called "Royal Pains" 36 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:29.790 for three episodes, giving them ideas 37 00:01:29.790 --> 00:01:32.040 and slang as a person who is blind 38 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.350 and things that they could write into the story 39 00:01:34.350 --> 00:01:37.500 about the movements of the character or whatever, 40 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:40.200 and later on we got this request from a production 41 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:41.370 and it was very vague, 42 00:01:41.370 --> 00:01:43.590 and we didn't know whether it was a reality show 43 00:01:43.590 --> 00:01:46.140 and there was a person who was blind on the reality show 44 00:01:46.140 --> 00:01:48.180 or if it was a character, 45 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:50.520 and they sent it to me because I was an orientation 46 00:01:50.520 --> 00:01:51.690 and mobility instructor 47 00:01:51.690 --> 00:01:54.480 and I'd worked on a lot of the entertainment and stuff 48 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.400 and written about it as well, 49 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.380 and so I reached out to them 50 00:01:58.380 --> 00:02:00.030 and they didn't know what they really needed. 51 00:02:00.030 --> 00:02:02.967 So I helped them design the job description 52 00:02:02.967 --> 00:02:05.520 and it turned out to be Marvel's "Daredevil" on Netflix. 53 00:02:05.520 --> 00:02:08.010 So I worked on season one of that, 54 00:02:08.010 --> 00:02:09.690 you know, working on scripts and props, 55 00:02:09.690 --> 00:02:12.870 and so I also helped, you know, train the actors 56 00:02:12.870 --> 00:02:14.340 and some background 57 00:02:14.340 --> 00:02:17.370 and later on I left the American Foundation 58 00:02:17.370 --> 00:02:19.050 for the Blind and... 59 00:02:19.050 --> 00:02:23.190 Funny story, I moved on a Thursday to Pennsylvania. 60 00:02:23.190 --> 00:02:24.570 I was going to start on Monday 61 00:02:24.570 --> 00:02:26.280 as the director of the Bureau of Blindness 62 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:28.440 and Visual Services for Pennsylvania. 63 00:02:28.440 --> 00:02:32.220 I arrived on Thursday, Friday morning I get a phone call. 64 00:02:32.220 --> 00:02:35.610 This individual says, you know, "I'm a producer on a show 65 00:02:35.610 --> 00:02:38.010 and one of our other producers worked with you 66 00:02:38.010 --> 00:02:39.660 on Marvel's "Daredevil." 67 00:02:39.660 --> 00:02:43.290 We have this character in our show who's the lead character 68 00:02:43.290 --> 00:02:46.440 and actually the show has been created by that lead actor 69 00:02:46.440 --> 00:02:48.360 and we want you to work with her 70 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:50.130 and we were wondering what your schedule is like 71 00:02:50.130 --> 00:02:51.000 over the next month. 72 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.460 If you could come in and spend that time with her." 73 00:02:53.460 --> 00:02:56.490 And I'm like, "Well, I'm starting a new job 74 00:02:56.490 --> 00:02:57.930 on Monday, full time." 75 00:02:57.930 --> 00:03:01.440 And to leave a full-time job, it's a big deal. 76 00:03:01.440 --> 00:03:04.620 But Apple, I guess I seemed to be one of the top people, 77 00:03:04.620 --> 00:03:06.690 but they interviewed apparently other people 78 00:03:06.690 --> 00:03:08.610 and they said they learned quickly 79 00:03:08.610 --> 00:03:10.140 that I was the person they wanted. 80 00:03:10.140 --> 00:03:12.120 And I met with the head of the studio, 81 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.330 Jenno Topping and Steven Knight, the creator of the show, 82 00:03:15.330 --> 00:03:17.310 and they told me I had the job. 83 00:03:17.310 --> 00:03:19.560 So I started reviewing scripts. 84 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:21.480 It turned out the job was going to be full-time, 85 00:03:21.480 --> 00:03:22.980 after a while we realized. 86 00:03:22.980 --> 00:03:26.220 So I left my job on July 27th, 87 00:03:26.220 --> 00:03:29.610 started on July 30th in British Columbia, 88 00:03:29.610 --> 00:03:32.460 where we filmed for nine months and then another month, 89 00:03:32.460 --> 00:03:33.990 so about 10 months. 90 00:03:33.990 --> 00:03:34.948 So for people 91 00:03:34.948 --> 00:03:38.220 that have not really heard about the show 92 00:03:38.220 --> 00:03:42.216 or just have a very basic familiarity with it, 93 00:03:42.216 --> 00:03:43.680 what's a synopsis? 94 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:45.240 What is this thing about? 95 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:46.170 What I would tell you, 96 00:03:46.170 --> 00:03:49.620 a viral apocalypse happens somewhere between now 97 00:03:49.620 --> 00:03:52.110 and maybe a 100 or 200 years from now. 98 00:03:52.110 --> 00:03:54.690 Most of the population of the Earth is killed off. 99 00:03:54.690 --> 00:03:57.510 So we're down to a few million people left on Earth 100 00:03:57.510 --> 00:03:59.310 and those emerge blind. 101 00:03:59.310 --> 00:04:02.040 And then our show takes place like, 102 00:04:02.040 --> 00:04:04.770 probably four or 500 years later than that. 103 00:04:04.770 --> 00:04:07.410 And so the civilizations and societies 104 00:04:07.410 --> 00:04:09.990 have built out small groups and tribal, 105 00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:12.120 where infrastructure has been destroyed, 106 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:16.044 but it's rebounding, and you see the plant life 107 00:04:16.044 --> 00:04:18.600 and the beauty of this landscape 108 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:21.510 that's rebounding from that abuse earlier on, 109 00:04:21.510 --> 00:04:23.970 but these populations are isolated areas, 110 00:04:23.970 --> 00:04:26.520 living off what is available in those areas, 111 00:04:26.520 --> 00:04:29.550 so they all have different aspects to their societies. 112 00:04:29.550 --> 00:04:31.890 You know, our main group or the Alkenny, 113 00:04:31.890 --> 00:04:34.770 you'll see, is in a mountain area 114 00:04:34.770 --> 00:04:37.020 and so they have access to their... 115 00:04:37.020 --> 00:04:38.670 Have a lot of rope stuff. 116 00:04:38.670 --> 00:04:39.990 They have a lot of rock 117 00:04:39.990 --> 00:04:43.050 and some limited metal and other supplies, 118 00:04:43.050 --> 00:04:45.630 but you'll see how they build their civilization 119 00:04:45.630 --> 00:04:48.870 is due to what surrounds them, what they have access to. 120 00:04:48.870 --> 00:04:52.320 But really the story is not really about blindness. 121 00:04:52.320 --> 00:04:54.840 It's about a family trying to protect their own, 122 00:04:54.840 --> 00:04:57.540 and vision is seen as a heresy, 123 00:04:57.540 --> 00:04:58.560 like something that's... 124 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:00.210 Maybe it caused some problems, 125 00:05:00.210 --> 00:05:02.460 like helped destroy the Earth, they feel. 126 00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:05.280 And the world seems to be doing better in some ways. 127 00:05:05.280 --> 00:05:08.820 So there's these people that believe that vision is a heresy 128 00:05:08.820 --> 00:05:11.100 and they're searching out where are these twins 129 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:12.810 who are born with vision. 130 00:05:12.810 --> 00:05:14.850 So the family's trying to protect them, 131 00:05:14.850 --> 00:05:16.980 and you see their journey as a family, 132 00:05:16.980 --> 00:05:19.110 and I would tell you that it was kind of like 133 00:05:19.110 --> 00:05:20.820 building a plane while you're flying it 134 00:05:20.820 --> 00:05:22.980 and figuring all the different aspects out, 135 00:05:22.980 --> 00:05:25.590 but it was exciting to work on. 136 00:05:25.590 --> 00:05:27.480 And as an associate producer, 137 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:29.190 you probably had a hand 138 00:05:29.190 --> 00:05:32.520 in a number of these aspects of the show. 139 00:05:32.520 --> 00:05:37.260 So which parts of the machinery of producing a show 140 00:05:37.260 --> 00:05:39.370 were you able to work on? 141 00:05:39.370 --> 00:05:41.745 So I worked on scripts early on 142 00:05:41.745 --> 00:05:43.800 and providing suggestions. 143 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.200 In the script wise, you see aspects, 144 00:05:46.200 --> 00:05:49.590 I had lists of suggestions, little things around blindness. 145 00:05:49.590 --> 00:05:52.410 I became more and more involved in the show as we shot. 146 00:05:52.410 --> 00:05:54.960 But even before, in the prep, 147 00:05:54.960 --> 00:05:57.840 we spent couple months prepping in-person, 148 00:05:57.840 --> 00:06:00.558 you know, working with a movement team, a movement director, 149 00:06:00.558 --> 00:06:02.730 and these people specialize 150 00:06:02.730 --> 00:06:04.590 in looking at the little movements 151 00:06:04.590 --> 00:06:06.720 that most people don't pay attention to. 152 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:10.560 We helped create postures for the different groups 153 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:13.170 that have been in these, you know, isolation. 154 00:06:13.170 --> 00:06:15.720 We created different types of movement, 155 00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:18.870 how they would move, what they use, their tools. 156 00:06:18.870 --> 00:06:20.356 Really in the blindness stuff, 157 00:06:20.356 --> 00:06:21.780 you know, I worked with the lead actors, 158 00:06:21.780 --> 00:06:23.460 I worked with the other actors, 159 00:06:23.460 --> 00:06:26.040 I worked with the production designers, 160 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.530 working with the stunt team as well. 161 00:06:28.530 --> 00:06:30.450 I got to touch everything. 162 00:06:30.450 --> 00:06:33.510 You see pieces throughout, like figuring out, 163 00:06:33.510 --> 00:06:36.360 working with the fight coordinator to figure out fighting 164 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:38.280 and how we could do it. 165 00:06:38.280 --> 00:06:40.080 We did some experimenting 166 00:06:40.080 --> 00:06:42.658 and I've been in a few fights in my day and... 167 00:06:42.658 --> 00:06:45.360 (Rickey laughs) But we just played 168 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:46.193 around a bit, 169 00:06:46.193 --> 00:06:47.670 and how are you sounding, 170 00:06:47.670 --> 00:06:49.200 and you know, it's a sensitive thing 171 00:06:49.200 --> 00:06:50.730 talking about the portrayal of blindness. 172 00:06:50.730 --> 00:06:52.830 And we start out, I met with every person 173 00:06:52.830 --> 00:06:54.180 that came onto the production, 174 00:06:54.180 --> 00:06:57.090 whether they're cast or production crew, 175 00:06:57.090 --> 00:06:58.020 and talked to them 176 00:06:58.020 --> 00:07:00.090 about the misconceptions around blindness. 177 00:07:00.090 --> 00:07:02.850 And there've been a lot of comical portrayals of blindness 178 00:07:02.850 --> 00:07:05.100 and disability, and this is not one of them. 179 00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:07.770 Apple and our production "See," 180 00:07:07.770 --> 00:07:09.990 are committed to respect around blindness 181 00:07:09.990 --> 00:07:12.570 and really, Dan Shotz, who was our show runner 182 00:07:12.570 --> 00:07:14.040 really emphasized that. 183 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:16.710 And him and I worked really closely together 184 00:07:16.710 --> 00:07:18.780 to make sure we built a community 185 00:07:18.780 --> 00:07:21.870 and built a culture that respected blindness 186 00:07:21.870 --> 00:07:23.970 and disability in a different way. 187 00:07:23.970 --> 00:07:26.160 And I think for a lot of people, 188 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:30.300 this is their first experience with blindness 189 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:34.650 in kind of a non-stereotyped way. 190 00:07:34.650 --> 00:07:37.470 And yet they're tasked with creating this world 191 00:07:37.470 --> 00:07:40.380 where everybody's blind and it has to be believable, 192 00:07:40.380 --> 00:07:42.360 it has to be authentic. 193 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:45.960 And so what was that process like 194 00:07:45.960 --> 00:07:50.490 in training people to kind of think blind? 195 00:07:50.490 --> 00:07:54.810 And did you have any surprises during that whole process? 196 00:07:54.810 --> 00:07:57.750 You know, I learned as much as our cast did 197 00:07:57.750 --> 00:08:00.750 and when working with the actors, 198 00:08:00.750 --> 00:08:03.600 I always start with that conversation of education 199 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:04.500 and awareness. 200 00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:06.420 And I moved to training them in the skills 201 00:08:06.420 --> 00:08:08.550 that people who are blind use every day. 202 00:08:08.550 --> 00:08:10.110 I used sleep shades for training 203 00:08:10.110 --> 00:08:12.300 just as I've trained thousands of people who are blind 204 00:08:12.300 --> 00:08:13.590 or low vision in the US, 205 00:08:13.590 --> 00:08:16.350 and making sure that they're concentrating on their senses, 206 00:08:16.350 --> 00:08:18.360 not so they know what it's like to be blind, 207 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:19.920 but it's so they get those skills 208 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.730 and they focus on those senses and how sound changes. 209 00:08:23.730 --> 00:08:26.220 And it was interesting to see how actors, 210 00:08:26.220 --> 00:08:30.330 their skill with hearing or how able they are to hear things 211 00:08:30.330 --> 00:08:32.400 or to feel things was different, 212 00:08:32.400 --> 00:08:34.170 and our show's science fiction. 213 00:08:34.170 --> 00:08:38.160 So we play on some of that with these expanded senses 214 00:08:38.160 --> 00:08:40.710 in this future time period 215 00:08:40.710 --> 00:08:42.630 where people have been blind for hundreds 216 00:08:42.630 --> 00:08:43.650 and hundreds of years, 217 00:08:43.650 --> 00:08:45.540 and so we brought in these actors 218 00:08:45.540 --> 00:08:47.730 who are blind or low vision. 219 00:08:47.730 --> 00:08:49.620 Who are extremely talented 220 00:08:49.620 --> 00:08:51.990 and beat out people with sight for those roles. 221 00:08:51.990 --> 00:08:54.660 They weren't chosen for their blindness or their low vision, 222 00:08:54.660 --> 00:08:56.310 they were chosen for their talent. 223 00:08:56.310 --> 00:08:57.900 And throughout the process 224 00:08:57.900 --> 00:08:59.940 I had an orientation around blindness, 225 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:01.830 10 pages that each person got, 226 00:09:01.830 --> 00:09:04.860 everyone in the production talking about blindness 227 00:09:04.860 --> 00:09:07.710 and misconceptions, but also about our world. 228 00:09:07.710 --> 00:09:11.880 And then also shared videos about successful people 229 00:09:11.880 --> 00:09:13.440 who are blind or low vision. 230 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:15.360 Friends that recorded five minutes 231 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.760 or less videos about themselves and their path, 232 00:09:17.760 --> 00:09:21.900 and how different each person is and their experiences, 233 00:09:21.900 --> 00:09:23.460 and being able to bring people 234 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:26.910 and to help them understand that each person is different, 235 00:09:26.910 --> 00:09:28.170 and their skills are different, 236 00:09:28.170 --> 00:09:30.390 their life has been different. 237 00:09:30.390 --> 00:09:33.450 And I think that's the greater awareness that cast 238 00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:34.680 and our production had, 239 00:09:34.680 --> 00:09:37.740 and you saw that every day when these actors who are blind 240 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:40.170 or low vision, or background who are blind or low vision, 241 00:09:40.170 --> 00:09:43.675 or stunt performers who are blind or low vision, came, 242 00:09:43.675 --> 00:09:46.740 and the crew embraced it and learned from them. 243 00:09:46.740 --> 00:09:48.330 The cast learned from the other cast 244 00:09:48.330 --> 00:09:49.950 who are blind or low vision. 245 00:09:49.950 --> 00:09:52.950 It was kind of a very cool and unique thing. 246 00:09:52.950 --> 00:09:55.050 Something I've never seen in my life. 247 00:09:55.050 --> 00:09:58.380 Yeah, no doubt it helped to kind of put a face 248 00:09:58.380 --> 00:10:02.070 on blindness, because it's not just one representative, 249 00:10:02.070 --> 00:10:04.500 we're all human and we're all different, 250 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:08.370 and being able to show that in an authentic way 251 00:10:08.370 --> 00:10:12.600 probably went a long way toward bringing this all together 252 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:16.110 and making it an inclusive place to be. 253 00:10:16.110 --> 00:10:21.110 So how about the cast who are blind or low vision? 254 00:10:23.280 --> 00:10:26.100 You know, was the casting process any different? 255 00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:31.100 Were there differences in how filming was done 256 00:10:31.260 --> 00:10:35.160 just with these cast members as opposed to other people, 257 00:10:35.160 --> 00:10:39.150 or things that helped to create a more inclusive environment 258 00:10:39.150 --> 00:10:42.117 for everyone with cast members who were blind 259 00:10:42.117 --> 00:10:43.263 and those who weren't? 260 00:10:44.370 --> 00:10:45.648 I like to talk about our show as, 261 00:10:45.648 --> 00:10:47.940 you know, we were building the plane while flying it. 262 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:49.680 I came on and I ended up... 263 00:10:49.680 --> 00:10:52.140 You know, part of my job became, you know, 264 00:10:52.140 --> 00:10:55.380 making sure we accommodated the actors who are blind 265 00:10:55.380 --> 00:10:57.900 or low vision or other disabilities as well. 266 00:10:57.900 --> 00:11:01.980 And making sure that what they had needed to do their jobs 267 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:04.620 so they could focus on the day on acting, 268 00:11:04.620 --> 00:11:06.990 so they don't have to be an advocate all the time. 269 00:11:06.990 --> 00:11:09.510 But in the beginning, you know, it was a work in progress. 270 00:11:09.510 --> 00:11:14.460 A lot of people are used to having to really seek out 271 00:11:14.460 --> 00:11:16.980 and advocate for themselves constantly. 272 00:11:16.980 --> 00:11:19.260 And when you're offering that assistance, 273 00:11:19.260 --> 00:11:21.600 sometimes they feel that you're treating them differently, 274 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.150 but we're just trying to make their job easier 275 00:11:24.150 --> 00:11:25.470 and make sure that they're able 276 00:11:25.470 --> 00:11:27.390 to just focus on why they're there. 277 00:11:27.390 --> 00:11:28.680 A lot of people embraced it, 278 00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:32.700 and Marilee Talkington is a fantastic talent, 279 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:36.000 and she has been on "NCIS" and "New Amsterdam" 280 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.010 and you have Bree Klauser, 281 00:11:38.010 --> 00:11:41.880 who's in the low 20s, like 21 or 23 or something. 282 00:11:41.880 --> 00:11:44.520 And these people are amazing. 283 00:11:44.520 --> 00:11:46.530 Pretty cool stuff, talented people. 284 00:11:46.530 --> 00:11:48.450 We had a Canadian para-Olympian 285 00:11:48.450 --> 00:11:51.000 who has world records in swimming in our show. 286 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.730 You know, we did change the casting process. 287 00:11:53.730 --> 00:11:55.620 We learned from it as we went, 288 00:11:55.620 --> 00:11:59.160 and our casting team really changed how they did things. 289 00:11:59.160 --> 00:12:02.700 We looked for people that had some experience in acting 290 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:07.050 or theater or some kind of training or interest around it, 291 00:12:07.050 --> 00:12:10.050 so when they came in, the casting team would work with them 292 00:12:10.050 --> 00:12:11.820 and also give them feedback they could take 293 00:12:11.820 --> 00:12:13.710 to other auditions in the future, 294 00:12:13.710 --> 00:12:16.890 whether they made it for our show or some other show. 295 00:12:16.890 --> 00:12:21.480 Plus we used a self-tape method, which is not uncommon, 296 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:23.490 but where people can record their videos. 297 00:12:23.490 --> 00:12:25.320 But most of these people who are blind 298 00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:27.240 or low vision hadn't done that. 299 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:28.560 They hadn't had that opportunity, 300 00:12:28.560 --> 00:12:31.620 and maybe they've been cast for theater or something else, 301 00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:34.170 but we would coach them, our casting team, 302 00:12:34.170 --> 00:12:36.780 and give them tips and advice on how to do it 303 00:12:36.780 --> 00:12:38.400 and what they're looking for, 304 00:12:38.400 --> 00:12:40.920 and then even feedback after the fact. 305 00:12:40.920 --> 00:12:42.360 Typically you put in an audition 306 00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:44.490 and you might not hear back at all. 307 00:12:44.490 --> 00:12:46.560 And so they changed the process 308 00:12:46.560 --> 00:12:48.390 and I think we're better for it, 309 00:12:48.390 --> 00:12:53.070 and maybe that'll be something new for other productions. 310 00:12:53.070 --> 00:12:54.900 And were there differences in blocking 311 00:12:54.900 --> 00:12:57.090 or differences in helping people 312 00:12:57.090 --> 00:13:00.240 to kind of hit their mark during filming 313 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.400 that might've been different from say, 314 00:13:02.400 --> 00:13:06.270 if you're doing something on a stage in the theater 315 00:13:06.270 --> 00:13:07.590 and you have that experience. 316 00:13:07.590 --> 00:13:11.040 What was different about filming, do you think? 317 00:13:11.040 --> 00:13:13.830 That was one of my initial questions and points. 318 00:13:13.830 --> 00:13:16.350 You know, first mark and last mark we call it, right? 319 00:13:16.350 --> 00:13:20.100 So making sure that there are visible marks sometimes 320 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:21.840 that you can use or tactile. 321 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:24.420 And so we made sure that we had marks 322 00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:25.920 that the people could access 323 00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:27.930 and until they get it down, the movements, 324 00:13:27.930 --> 00:13:30.840 and it could be just as simple as putting down 325 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:34.290 some kind of surface in that spot and the last spot, 326 00:13:34.290 --> 00:13:36.540 or it could have been moving some rocks around 327 00:13:36.540 --> 00:13:38.460 so you can feel it with your feet. 328 00:13:38.460 --> 00:13:40.650 Every actor who is blind or low vision, 329 00:13:40.650 --> 00:13:42.480 especially as we moved on, 330 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.000 we gave them that opportunity to go and explore 331 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.800 and figure out what works best 332 00:13:46.800 --> 00:13:50.250 and make sure that we met their needs, whatever that was. 333 00:13:50.250 --> 00:13:51.083 One of the actors, 334 00:13:51.083 --> 00:13:54.030 who's a prominent actor who lost vision later in life 335 00:13:54.030 --> 00:13:57.607 and she said she's never had anyone contact them and ask, 336 00:13:57.607 --> 00:13:59.430 "What format do you want your script in? 337 00:13:59.430 --> 00:14:03.120 Do you want a PDF? Do you want a Word document? 338 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:04.490 Do you want that? 339 00:14:04.490 --> 00:14:08.700 Do you also want your lines cut out specifically by scene 340 00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.980 to have that separate as well?" 341 00:14:10.980 --> 00:14:14.190 All that we asked ahead of time as we went on. 342 00:14:14.190 --> 00:14:17.850 We learned what we were doing and made it better and better. 343 00:14:17.850 --> 00:14:19.080 It was a continual process, 344 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:22.920 and we'll continue to learn from what we did in season one 345 00:14:22.920 --> 00:14:24.870 if we have the opportunity in season two 346 00:14:24.870 --> 00:14:26.830 to take it there and build on it. 347 00:14:26.830 --> 00:14:28.470 And I think that's super cool, 348 00:14:28.470 --> 00:14:31.140 that you're inclusive to the point 349 00:14:31.140 --> 00:14:34.050 that you want everyone to be able to use the tools 350 00:14:34.050 --> 00:14:37.890 that they're accustomed to be able to, as you say, 351 00:14:37.890 --> 00:14:39.780 concentrate on acting 352 00:14:39.780 --> 00:14:44.250 rather than having to think about learning a new tool 353 00:14:44.250 --> 00:14:48.060 or using a new tool and doing what they're there for, 354 00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:49.950 which is to act. 355 00:14:49.950 --> 00:14:52.080 The addition to that is though, 356 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:54.420 what I really thought about is, 357 00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:57.900 every actor prepares differently, whether they're sighted, 358 00:14:57.900 --> 00:15:01.350 blind or low vision, and you're just meeting their needs, 359 00:15:01.350 --> 00:15:02.700 and you would do it for anyone else. 360 00:15:02.700 --> 00:15:04.890 It's just asking a few different questions 361 00:15:04.890 --> 00:15:07.410 that you might not ask another actor. 362 00:15:07.410 --> 00:15:10.260 Some of the things that we used with the actors 363 00:15:10.260 --> 00:15:12.930 who are blind or low vision, or I use in my life, 364 00:15:12.930 --> 00:15:17.130 I showed the actors with sight or the directors or producers 365 00:15:17.130 --> 00:15:18.690 and they started using those tools. 366 00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:23.370 Like Voice Dream Reader, you know, that app to read scripts, 367 00:15:23.370 --> 00:15:24.930 to go over them initially. 368 00:15:24.930 --> 00:15:26.970 If you have low vision you can highlight stuff too, 369 00:15:26.970 --> 00:15:28.680 but you can cut stuff. 370 00:15:28.680 --> 00:15:31.440 And so a lot of the people who are not blind 371 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:34.380 or low vision started using some of the technology, 372 00:15:34.380 --> 00:15:36.360 and they all learned about VoiceOver 373 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:38.160 and how it works on an iPhone, 374 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:41.970 and actually VoiceOver inspired one of the pieces 375 00:15:41.970 --> 00:15:43.290 in episode one, 376 00:15:43.290 --> 00:15:46.290 Jason Momoa and I spent a lot of time together 377 00:15:46.290 --> 00:15:48.720 and everyone was pretty much like, 378 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:51.090 I use VoiceOver on my iPhone 379 00:15:51.090 --> 00:15:53.550 and I use it at the fastest speed you can. 380 00:15:53.550 --> 00:15:55.620 So he was listening to the speech 381 00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:58.380 and he listens to some metal music, 382 00:15:58.380 --> 00:16:00.420 like speed metal and other things. 383 00:16:00.420 --> 00:16:03.750 And he heard this band, I think they're called Archspire 384 00:16:03.750 --> 00:16:05.010 or something like that. 385 00:16:05.010 --> 00:16:07.770 And they're one of the fastest drummers 386 00:16:07.770 --> 00:16:12.770 and the fastest lyrics out there and he's native Hawaiian. 387 00:16:12.870 --> 00:16:16.770 He does this Haka, and he brought in that band 388 00:16:16.770 --> 00:16:19.080 because it sounded like VoiceOver to him. 389 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:21.870 He's like, "I think I want to do something like that. 390 00:16:21.870 --> 00:16:23.340 That sounds like VoiceOver, 391 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:26.700 but in a Haka, in my world, to get people pumped up." 392 00:16:26.700 --> 00:16:29.100 And so that's what inspired that. 393 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:30.690 That's an interesting story, 394 00:16:30.690 --> 00:16:34.740 and just one way that technology that you use just 395 00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:37.890 in your daily life ended up influencing people 396 00:16:37.890 --> 00:16:39.540 who aren't blind or low vision, 397 00:16:39.540 --> 00:16:41.520 and that happens a lot, I think. 398 00:16:41.520 --> 00:16:44.400 So do you think that, "See," 399 00:16:44.400 --> 00:16:47.250 even though we never really thought about, "Well, hmm, 400 00:16:47.250 --> 00:16:51.480 let's go live in a dystopian world where everyone's blind 401 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:53.580 and there is no technology," 402 00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:55.650 do you think that "See" 403 00:16:55.650 --> 00:16:57.150 even if you hadn't thought about that, 404 00:16:57.150 --> 00:17:01.680 have they done a nice job of creating a believable world? 405 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:04.350 Like this is how things could have played out 406 00:17:04.350 --> 00:17:06.030 if this actually happened? 407 00:17:06.030 --> 00:17:08.970 I do. I think the show's a big what if, you know? 408 00:17:08.970 --> 00:17:12.840 Like Steven Knight would say, "What if this happened? 409 00:17:12.840 --> 00:17:14.520 What if this was the case?" 410 00:17:14.520 --> 00:17:16.020 Because you have to think, 411 00:17:16.020 --> 00:17:19.770 like if you look how the ropes are in the Alkenny village, 412 00:17:19.770 --> 00:17:22.710 in a world where you don't have to worry about people 413 00:17:22.710 --> 00:17:24.450 with sight, designed for them. 414 00:17:24.450 --> 00:17:27.660 It's designed to make your life easier and simpler. 415 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:29.250 If you go to Europe or Asia, 416 00:17:29.250 --> 00:17:33.300 they have raised lines in the sidewalks in different places 417 00:17:33.300 --> 00:17:34.350 that help guide people, 418 00:17:34.350 --> 00:17:36.330 or if you walk into a train station 419 00:17:36.330 --> 00:17:37.500 in certain parts of Europe, 420 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:39.720 there'll be different lines going in different directions 421 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:41.910 to guide you to different points. 422 00:17:41.910 --> 00:17:43.860 Going off of something like that, 423 00:17:43.860 --> 00:17:46.500 this world, our production designer, Caroline, 424 00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:51.030 and also our costume designer, Trish Somerville, who... 425 00:17:51.030 --> 00:17:54.240 You'll never experience what those costumes were. 426 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.640 They had scents soaked into them 427 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.670 or kind of dyed into the clothing like, 428 00:17:59.670 --> 00:18:01.470 so it would be specific. 429 00:18:01.470 --> 00:18:03.060 They have sounds to them. 430 00:18:03.060 --> 00:18:05.100 It's all meant to be something 431 00:18:05.100 --> 00:18:08.340 that you would appreciate as a person who is blind 432 00:18:08.340 --> 00:18:10.740 versus, you know, the sighted world. 433 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:12.780 Production design, it was so talented. 434 00:18:12.780 --> 00:18:15.000 They had amazing teams thinking about this 435 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:17.550 and I would meet with them and they would bounce off ideas. 436 00:18:17.550 --> 00:18:21.450 One of my mentees, his name's Kai and he's from Georgia, 437 00:18:21.450 --> 00:18:23.430 he came up to visit and we brought him to set 438 00:18:23.430 --> 00:18:28.290 and he spent a day with me and seeing some of the work I did 439 00:18:28.290 --> 00:18:30.180 and we went to meetings, 440 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:32.370 we bounced around ideas for future sets, 441 00:18:32.370 --> 00:18:34.200 and they got to participate in that 442 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:37.380 and see how we think about things, 443 00:18:37.380 --> 00:18:39.090 but it was great to bring him up 444 00:18:39.090 --> 00:18:40.710 and show him that world too 445 00:18:40.710 --> 00:18:43.440 and show what's possible, you know? 446 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:46.680 I'm a person who's blind and I'm getting to help guide 447 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.710 and work with an amazing team like that. 448 00:18:49.710 --> 00:18:51.120 Was there ever a point 449 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:53.190 where either something that he suggested 450 00:18:53.190 --> 00:18:55.020 or something that you suggested, 451 00:18:55.020 --> 00:18:57.090 maybe the designers 452 00:18:57.090 --> 00:18:59.910 or a script writer had this really cool thing in mind 453 00:18:59.910 --> 00:19:03.297 and you all went, "Yeah, no that's not going to work." 454 00:19:03.297 --> 00:19:05.580 And the direction really had to change. 455 00:19:05.580 --> 00:19:06.718 Definitely. Definitely. 456 00:19:06.718 --> 00:19:08.760 And you see more and more, 457 00:19:08.760 --> 00:19:11.280 episodes four through seven especially, 458 00:19:11.280 --> 00:19:16.280 of my suggestions around what could be in the scripts 459 00:19:16.470 --> 00:19:20.070 and little aspects and things from my life. 460 00:19:20.070 --> 00:19:22.800 Our movement director brought in these experts, 461 00:19:22.800 --> 00:19:26.430 like a guy on wilderness survival, a whip master. 462 00:19:26.430 --> 00:19:28.470 So I spent time with all these people. 463 00:19:28.470 --> 00:19:30.750 Little things like wilderness survival 464 00:19:30.750 --> 00:19:32.940 and blindness have some similarities. 465 00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:34.920 You know, wilderness survival, 466 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:36.450 as you enter a new environment, 467 00:19:36.450 --> 00:19:40.740 you stop and you plant your feet and you start to breathe, 468 00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:43.170 take some deep breaths and slow down your breathing 469 00:19:43.170 --> 00:19:44.310 and try to bring your body 470 00:19:44.310 --> 00:19:48.030 to the pulse of the environment you're entering. 471 00:19:48.030 --> 00:19:50.040 When I teach orientation and mobility, 472 00:19:50.040 --> 00:19:52.440 I would tell people to plant their feet 473 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:54.690 when they're unsure and become a tree. 474 00:19:54.690 --> 00:19:56.130 Listen, stop and listen, 475 00:19:56.130 --> 00:19:57.810 and listen to the environment, 476 00:19:57.810 --> 00:19:59.520 whether it's listening to an intersection 477 00:19:59.520 --> 00:20:02.610 or just listening to where the traffic is, 478 00:20:02.610 --> 00:20:05.760 what direction the traffic's going in or what's around you? 479 00:20:05.760 --> 00:20:07.440 What are the sounds you hear? 480 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:10.080 And the layers of sound and peel them back. 481 00:20:10.080 --> 00:20:12.020 And that's a lot of wilderness survival 482 00:20:12.020 --> 00:20:14.310 and you'll see that in our world, 483 00:20:14.310 --> 00:20:15.720 in the scripts because of it. 484 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:17.910 Episodes one through three, I was on set, 485 00:20:17.910 --> 00:20:19.590 but as we got further in, 486 00:20:19.590 --> 00:20:22.590 I got closer and closer to the director, Francis Lawrence, 487 00:20:22.590 --> 00:20:24.270 who's a genius. 488 00:20:24.270 --> 00:20:27.480 Into the episodes I was like, start in the video village, 489 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:29.370 then get closer to set, closer to set. 490 00:20:29.370 --> 00:20:31.500 By episode three I was close to him, 491 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:35.310 by episode four and five, where Anders was the director, 492 00:20:35.310 --> 00:20:37.650 I had been bringing these suggestions here and there 493 00:20:37.650 --> 00:20:39.540 and he said, made this announcement, 494 00:20:39.540 --> 00:20:41.197 stopped everyone at set. 495 00:20:41.197 --> 00:20:43.140 "I want you every day, 496 00:20:43.140 --> 00:20:45.960 standing right next to me as we're directing." 497 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:49.410 And so I was involved in all the blocking of the scenes. 498 00:20:49.410 --> 00:20:51.750 And then from then on that was the norm 499 00:20:51.750 --> 00:20:53.790 for the rest of the episodes, 500 00:20:53.790 --> 00:20:55.650 and even later on in scenes 501 00:20:55.650 --> 00:20:58.350 where there's no character who's blind in it, 502 00:20:58.350 --> 00:21:00.000 I had input on stuff. 503 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.500 I think about things differently, 504 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:04.110 sound or the study of behaviors, 505 00:21:04.110 --> 00:21:06.840 or how people might react to something. 506 00:21:06.840 --> 00:21:09.060 And I brought that to our show, 507 00:21:09.060 --> 00:21:12.930 and they allowed me to do that, so I just feel so lucky. 508 00:21:12.930 --> 00:21:14.460 As we wrap up here, 509 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:18.300 I just have one last thing that I'm really curious about 510 00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:19.770 and that is, 511 00:21:19.770 --> 00:21:23.250 obviously this show is not, you know, 512 00:21:23.250 --> 00:21:25.890 here's your reference manual for what it's like to be blind 513 00:21:25.890 --> 00:21:27.630 or whatever, it's fantasy. 514 00:21:27.630 --> 00:21:32.160 But up to now we really haven't seen blindness portrayed 515 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:37.160 in the media in any way other than, as you say, comic relief 516 00:21:37.260 --> 00:21:40.050 or something that's really stereotypical or whatever. 517 00:21:40.050 --> 00:21:42.180 And so this is pretty unique. 518 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:45.660 Are there things, outside the story, 519 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:47.970 that you're hoping sighted 520 00:21:47.970 --> 00:21:49.800 and blind viewers for that matter, 521 00:21:49.800 --> 00:21:53.316 will take away from the show about blindness? 522 00:21:53.316 --> 00:21:56.100 I will tell you that I think showing people 523 00:21:56.100 --> 00:21:59.850 living everyday lives as people who are blind, 524 00:21:59.850 --> 00:22:01.740 they're warriors, they're lovers, 525 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.570 they're typically portrayals of blindness, 526 00:22:03.570 --> 00:22:05.250 they're showing a person with a disability, 527 00:22:05.250 --> 00:22:07.890 you need help or something else, you're in the corner, 528 00:22:07.890 --> 00:22:09.600 whatever, you're walking by. 529 00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:11.910 In this world, we're lovers, we're heroes, 530 00:22:11.910 --> 00:22:15.090 we're villains, we're warriors cutting people up, (laughs) 531 00:22:15.090 --> 00:22:17.490 deeper than that, we're family, parents, 532 00:22:17.490 --> 00:22:18.660 we're all of the above. 533 00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:21.930 And I think that takes what has been done in the past 534 00:22:21.930 --> 00:22:23.490 and throws it up on its head. 535 00:22:23.490 --> 00:22:25.650 You know, it's science fiction for sure, like you said, 536 00:22:25.650 --> 00:22:28.770 and fantasy and expanded on in that vein. 537 00:22:28.770 --> 00:22:30.870 It's meant to be science fiction and fantasy. 538 00:22:30.870 --> 00:22:33.870 It's the world of "See," it's not our current world. 539 00:22:33.870 --> 00:22:35.640 I think that's the big thing, 540 00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:36.700 and I would say the actors learn that, 541 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:39.930 you know, that so many differences in people 542 00:22:39.930 --> 00:22:42.960 and in blindness and how we do things, 543 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:45.240 but we're just people. 544 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:48.360 Embracing disability and differences 545 00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:50.730 and I think the world of entertainment 546 00:22:50.730 --> 00:22:52.230 hasn't done a lot of that. 547 00:22:52.230 --> 00:22:55.830 I think, this is just a start, a stepping stone, 548 00:22:55.830 --> 00:22:58.620 and I think we're just going to continue to move forward. 549 00:22:58.620 --> 00:23:01.560 You know, we work with such an amazing talented team 550 00:23:01.560 --> 00:23:04.260 who care so much and really... 551 00:23:04.260 --> 00:23:05.617 And making an entertainment show. 552 00:23:05.617 --> 00:23:08.890 You know, it is entertainment when it comes down to it 553 00:23:08.890 --> 00:23:11.940 and we hope you enjoy it on Apple TV+, 554 00:23:11.940 --> 00:23:15.810 which is accessible and it offers audio description 555 00:23:15.810 --> 00:23:18.300 in eight or nine languages 556 00:23:18.300 --> 00:23:20.670 and you can access all eight or nine languages 557 00:23:20.670 --> 00:23:21.900 no matter where you are. 558 00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:24.060 Also with closed captioning. 559 00:23:24.060 --> 00:23:26.790 You have access to some ridiculous number 560 00:23:26.790 --> 00:23:30.120 of closed captioning languages too, like it's unheard of. 561 00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:31.920 You know, Apple does it in all their products 562 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:34.710 and then why wouldn't they do it in Apple TV+? 563 00:23:34.710 --> 00:23:37.050 Because Sarah Herrlinger works so hard 564 00:23:37.050 --> 00:23:40.740 to make sure Apple's eye is on it and Tim Cook believes it. 565 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:42.210 You know, Tim Cook visited set 566 00:23:42.210 --> 00:23:43.980 and I got to spend time with him, 567 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:46.200 and he spent time with some of our actors, 568 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:48.117 who are legally blind and our actors who are not, 569 00:23:48.117 --> 00:23:49.920 and you know, there was more security 570 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:53.250 than if he was the president, when Tim Cook comes. (laughs) 571 00:23:53.250 --> 00:23:54.270 At the end of our time, 572 00:23:54.270 --> 00:23:56.850 and we spent a lot of time talking about all the stuff 573 00:23:56.850 --> 00:23:59.850 and the accessibility and how we thought about things, 574 00:23:59.850 --> 00:24:01.530 and at the end of that time 575 00:24:01.530 --> 00:24:04.350 we went up for kind of like a handshake thing 576 00:24:04.350 --> 00:24:07.380 and I pulled him into the bro hug 577 00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:11.040 and at first he was stiff and uncomfortable, 578 00:24:11.040 --> 00:24:12.510 and then he went into it. 579 00:24:12.510 --> 00:24:15.330 And then later on, end of March, 580 00:24:15.330 --> 00:24:17.340 I was at the launch for when they talked about 581 00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:20.640 the different shows with all these Hollywood folks. 582 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:24.030 And I was there as one of the producers of the show 583 00:24:24.030 --> 00:24:26.700 and I think I was talking to Jennifer Garner at the time, 584 00:24:26.700 --> 00:24:28.500 but he comes up from behind me 585 00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:30.990 and hugs me from behind. (laughs) 586 00:24:30.990 --> 00:24:32.280 And then I got to talk to him, 587 00:24:32.280 --> 00:24:36.540 and he thanked me for being there and just excited. 588 00:24:36.540 --> 00:24:39.000 You know, Tim Cook believes in diversity and inclusion, 589 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:39.990 and he believes in... 590 00:24:39.990 --> 00:24:41.640 He's very passionate about it. 591 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:43.410 So this is the first step. 592 00:24:43.410 --> 00:24:45.840 This is just Apple's brand, right? 593 00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:47.920 It just carries forward to the production 594 00:24:48.870 --> 00:24:50.970 and making sure their entertainment world 595 00:24:50.970 --> 00:24:51.930 is doing the same thing 596 00:24:51.930 --> 00:24:54.540 that their company's been doing for years. 597 00:24:54.540 --> 00:24:56.790 And it's definitely a welcome change 598 00:24:56.790 --> 00:24:58.950 and I hope we see more of that where, 599 00:24:58.950 --> 00:25:02.580 in entertainment and in casting and so on, 600 00:25:02.580 --> 00:25:07.140 blind people are seen as people who are complex 601 00:25:07.140 --> 00:25:08.310 and some of us are great 602 00:25:08.310 --> 00:25:10.800 and some of us maybe have a lot of work to do, 603 00:25:10.800 --> 00:25:11.820 but we're people, 604 00:25:11.820 --> 00:25:14.100 and I think that should be showcased 605 00:25:14.100 --> 00:25:18.780 in anything that's going to portray blindness realistically. 606 00:25:18.780 --> 00:25:20.073 Very, very cool. 607 00:25:21.390 --> 00:25:25.710 Those of you listening, if you haven't watched "See" yet, 608 00:25:25.710 --> 00:25:28.620 Apple TV+, five bucks a month. 609 00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:31.530 I mean, that's kind of a bargain I'd say. 610 00:25:31.530 --> 00:25:33.300 I think the first two episodes 611 00:25:33.300 --> 00:25:36.360 you can watch without doing anything. 612 00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:37.285 I think one episode. 613 00:25:37.285 --> 00:25:38.670 One episode, yeah, okay, 614 00:25:38.670 --> 00:25:40.500 and then- One episode's free 615 00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:41.333 and then you could... 616 00:25:41.333 --> 00:25:43.800 There are people that you can get a week free I think, 617 00:25:43.800 --> 00:25:46.230 depending on, I guess your Apple products. 618 00:25:46.230 --> 00:25:49.170 If you buy a new Apple product, you get a year free. 619 00:25:49.170 --> 00:25:51.930 Your subscription 4.99 a month, 620 00:25:51.930 --> 00:25:54.120 you can access it through your iOS devices, 621 00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:57.510 through the TV app, or else you can access it... 622 00:25:57.510 --> 00:26:00.420 You can download the app on your other types of devices, 623 00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:05.420 whether Amazon Fire or through Roku and so on. 624 00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:07.441 Yeah, you can Airplay to your TV 625 00:26:07.441 --> 00:26:08.700 if it supports that. 626 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:10.380 So a lot of different ways to do that. 627 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:14.490 And again, all of the original content on Apple TV+ 628 00:26:14.490 --> 00:26:17.340 does have audio description, which is also nice. 629 00:26:17.340 --> 00:26:18.750 And a little note about that 630 00:26:18.750 --> 00:26:21.390 is something that Apple did differently, 631 00:26:21.390 --> 00:26:24.390 and Apple accessibility, typically when you listen 632 00:26:24.390 --> 00:26:28.020 to audio description on a show and you have it enabled, 633 00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:30.990 you don't get the same sound that everyone else does. 634 00:26:30.990 --> 00:26:32.700 It moves to a different type of track, 635 00:26:32.700 --> 00:26:34.950 like more of a mono track, 636 00:26:34.950 --> 00:26:36.600 and you don't get the same sound, 637 00:26:36.600 --> 00:26:40.200 but Apple TV+, when you're listening to the show, 638 00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:43.110 whether it's with audio description or without, 639 00:26:43.110 --> 00:26:46.770 you get up to Dolby Atmos sound 640 00:26:46.770 --> 00:26:49.320 and whatever the best sound quality you can get 641 00:26:49.320 --> 00:26:50.820 on your system. 642 00:26:50.820 --> 00:26:53.130 So that audio description doesn't mean 643 00:26:53.130 --> 00:26:55.530 you're getting less of the sound experience 644 00:26:55.530 --> 00:26:58.890 and our show has an amazing sound experience. 645 00:26:58.890 --> 00:26:59.760 It really does. 646 00:26:59.760 --> 00:27:04.170 And there were design choices deliberately made 647 00:27:04.170 --> 00:27:06.150 where sound is super important, 648 00:27:06.150 --> 00:27:08.610 so you don't want to be missing any of that. 649 00:27:08.610 --> 00:27:11.040 Well Joe, I want to thank you so much 650 00:27:11.040 --> 00:27:14.310 for taking the time to tell us a few stories 651 00:27:14.310 --> 00:27:17.970 and join us and kind of tell us about your experiences 652 00:27:17.970 --> 00:27:18.960 on the show. 653 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:22.530 If people want to ask you additional questions 654 00:27:22.530 --> 00:27:25.020 or they just want to say, "Hey, thanks for what you do," 655 00:27:25.020 --> 00:27:26.913 or whatever, how can they contact you? 656 00:27:26.913 --> 00:27:29.010 They can reach out to me, you know, 657 00:27:29.010 --> 00:27:30.900 and if we have actors who are blind 658 00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:32.100 or low vision out there, 659 00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:34.410 who are interested in... 660 00:27:34.410 --> 00:27:36.990 Hear about when we're putting out information, 661 00:27:36.990 --> 00:27:39.840 we'll be sending information out about auditions 662 00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:41.580 if we have a season two. 663 00:27:41.580 --> 00:27:45.360 It'll go through like the American Council of the Blind, 664 00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:47.160 and National Federation of the Blind. 665 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:48.840 It'll go through different groups. 666 00:27:48.840 --> 00:27:50.430 We'll probably send it to Hadley, 667 00:27:50.430 --> 00:27:52.980 whomever can get the information out. 668 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:54.900 But you can also reach out to me. 669 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:59.900 My email address is J-S-T-R-E-C-H-A-Y@gmail.com, 670 00:28:02.490 --> 00:28:06.360 and so it's like my first initial, last name at gmail.com. 671 00:28:06.360 --> 00:28:07.920 You can find me on YouTube. 672 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.170 I have a YouTube channel where I talk about blindness 673 00:28:10.170 --> 00:28:12.390 and many different aspects of my life, 674 00:28:12.390 --> 00:28:15.210 but also about transitioning to employment 675 00:28:15.210 --> 00:28:16.800 and all those fun things. 676 00:28:16.800 --> 00:28:19.590 Joe Strechay, if you search on YouTube you'll find it. 677 00:28:19.590 --> 00:28:21.570 Also, you can find me on Instagram, 678 00:28:21.570 --> 00:28:23.370 similarly, Joe Strechay, 679 00:28:23.370 --> 00:28:27.900 and on Twitter I think @JStrechay, think it's @JStrechay. 680 00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:30.570 It might be @Joe, but something like that. 681 00:28:30.570 --> 00:28:33.600 You can find me on there with a little search 682 00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:36.030 and look for me on LinkedIn as well. 683 00:28:36.030 --> 00:28:37.471 And we'll have all of those things 684 00:28:37.471 --> 00:28:38.370 in the show notes. 685 00:28:38.370 --> 00:28:41.070 So for those who don't want to go looking for it, 686 00:28:41.070 --> 00:28:42.270 we'll take care of that 687 00:28:42.270 --> 00:28:46.860 and you'll be able to find Joe pretty much wherever he is, 688 00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:48.390 which is nice. 689 00:28:48.390 --> 00:28:50.400 Thank you again, Joe, for joining us. 690 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.930 Thank you all for listening. 691 00:28:51.930 --> 00:28:53.850 Once you're done here with the podcast, 692 00:28:53.850 --> 00:28:56.760 go check out "See" if you haven't already. 693 00:28:56.760 --> 00:28:57.734 Thanks for joining. 694 00:28:57.734 --> 00:28:59.670 (gentle instrumental music) Got something to say? 695 00:28:59.670 --> 00:29:03.450 Share your thoughts about this episode of Hadley Presents 696 00:29:03.450 --> 00:29:06.270 or make suggestions for future episodes. 697 00:29:06.270 --> 00:29:08.010 We'd love to hear from you. 698 00:29:08.010 --> 00:29:12.450 Send us an email at podcast@hadley.edu, 699 00:29:12.450 --> 00:29:17.450 that's P-O-D-C-A-S-T@hadley.edu. 700 00:29:17.520 --> 00:29:20.463 Or, leave us a message at 8477842870. 701 00:29:24.330 --> 00:29:25.383 Thanks for listening.