What’s a Filmmaker To Do?

Over the last several days, I (Spring) have been asking autistics what they’d like to see out of a show about an autistic character? As you all know by now, The Atticus McLaren Mysteries isn’t really about solving mysteries, per se, but neither is it a show specifically about autism. Like the show just happens to be an amateur detective series, Atticus just happens to be autistic. It is not a show about his autism, but it is a show about a man who’s different from the majority of people, trying to find his way in a world dominated by those who aren’t like him, and who he often doesn’t understand.

What many of you might not know is that Atticus is about 75% me. Most of his traits are mine, and his reactions and thoughts are based on my own experiences. Still, this isn’t a show about me, either. We’ve gotten lots of input and made lots of insights, from people wanting the character’s traits to be openly discussed so people can understand his experiences, to wanting Atticus to be portrayed by an autistic actor. And there in lies the rub. I happen to think this is a brilliant idea myself. It would make casting more difficult, and we’d definitely have to open it up to auditions, but a good idea nonetheless. My problem though? When I first imagined Atticus, I had one person in mind. I always write with a face claim, so to speak. I had never really intended the books to become a show, and when I wrote the character, I had a physical template for him in mind. Unfortunately, this person is neither autistic, nor queer, nor even an actor in the traditional sense. He does act, but he’s spent his whole career portraying a caricature of himself. So what does this mean for our production? I’m not sure, really. Would I like him to play the part? Of course. One of my own autistic traits is a firm grasp on continuity. Once things have been decided, it’s very difficult for me to see them any other way. Does that mean he should play the part? Maybe not.

I’ve struggled with what to do about Atticus ever since deciding to produce the show myself. At this moment, I’ve decided we should leave our options open. That’s not always an easy thing for me, I generally work best from a firm plan. But leaving options open has worked well for us in the last six months, so that’s what we’re going to do. So, who’ll be playing Atticus McLaren in the Atticus McLaren mysteries? I have no idea, and the truth is, that’s the same answer I’ve had from the beginning. So, I suppose nothing’s changed.

Over the next few months, we’ll be asking for a lot more input. If anyone is interested in becoming a part of this, just comment below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list as we’ll be sending out updates as we gear up for our crowdfunding campaign!