Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2013
Capstone Advisor
David Coryell
Capstone Major
Television-Radio-Film
Capstone College
Public Communications
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Creative
Subject Categories
Communication | Creative Writing | Film and Media Studies
Abstract
A Mother’s Love is a sixty-eight page feature-length dramatic screenplay. The story attempts to answer the following question: How far should a mother go to ensure her child’s overall happiness and acceptance in the world? In the screenplay, Emily is the mother of Aden, a child with autism. Aden’s autistic condition is about in the middle of the autistic spectrum. When a new doctor recommends putting Aden on an experimental treatment that promises to eliminate Aden’s autistic symptoms, Emily agrees to follow the program. Although the revolutionary treatment begins to radically ease Aden’s autistic symptoms, the drug comes with severe side effects that almost kill Emily’s son. To write this screenplay, I used Celtx, a freeware pre-production software that automatically formats scene headers, descriptions and dialogue to the generally accepted screenplay format. If produced, the screenplay’s length is meant to translate into a ninety-minute live-action film. Although the screenplay and characters are not based on anyone or anything in real life, the idea of a new drug that affects a certain part of the brain in children and adults with autism is currently being discussed ins scientific circles. Although no drug has yet been produced, this screenplay plays out one what-if scenario. The screenplay is meant to analyze the possibility of a potential cure for autism. A Mother’s Love does not provide a definite answer to the main question it leaves with its readers. Instead, it is meant to open a dialogue about autism, it’s place in today’s society, and the new research into autism’s biological causes. These topics of conversation include discussions about the potential overuse of drugs to treat psychological disorders, the lack of research that goes into certain “miracle cures” and how children and adults with autism are still fighting to be accepted into mainstream society. Autism is becoming a hot button topic in the media today, and A Mother’s Love is meant to add to the current discussions
Recommended Citation
Hankinson, Marie, "A Mother's Love: A Screenplay" (2013). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 105.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/105
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