The WHO KNEW Story

CHAPTER ONE: January 15th, 2024: The Telus STORYHIVE Adventure begins!

“I don’t believe it… they accepted our proposal! We have $20,000CAN to make a documentary, and they know we are complete beginners!  How amazing is that???”

Early in 2023 we had been writing umpteen grants, covering The Whole Dyslexic Society’s objectives, one of which is to improve Outreach, to have people understand why dyslexia exists, what it is, and what to do about it. First point to make is that writing grants is exceptionally boring, tedious, and mostly unrewarding, hence the incredulity and the excitement.

STORYHIVE Telus provide production grants for short documentaries including training, mentorship and distribution on TELUS Optik TV in 2024…  In February 2023 they had said ”pitch us any short documentary ideas that you are passionate about” ... well that wasn’t too difficult and our working title became ‘The Need for NeuroInclusivity in Education and How’, so we pitched. Currently the title is ‘Who Knew? Everyone is Able to Learn’… but ‘who knows’ what it will be eventually.

They wanted our Logline:

Sue, the dyslexic mother of a dyslexic son shares a discovery, a little-known truth, that changed their lives for ever…. Everyone is Able to Learn.

Our Synopsis: Did anyone ever ask you how you think and learn? Do you think mostly with the sound of words or with pictures? Do you talk to yourself in your head; do you create an internal film when you read a book... do you do both? Why does it even matter?

Well, it matters to one third of the population who think in a different way to the way they are taught. They are incorrectly labeled learning disabled, when in fact, they are perfectly capable of learning. 

We ask what is dyslexia, is it a learning disability? Is it just reversing ‘b’s and ‘d’s, not being able to read or is it a gift?

Ironically, it is the current teaching system that contributes to the cause of many learning challenges… and all it offers the teachers is to advocate for more of what the children couldn’t do already, expecting a different result… which is the definition of……?

This was part of the Synopsis:

Sue Blyth Hall is on a mission. She is a passionate, empathetic woman with a strong sense of justice, who is dedicated to bringing about that change.  It is the education system that is disabled by a lack of understanding not the children.  For them, they are living with a misdiagnosis of a life-threatening disease... how can this continue?  She cannot stay silent.

Discovering her son was dyslexic launched her on a quest to uncover the truths and myths associated with many so-called learning disabilities.   Her dream is for everyone, especially parents and educators to know the truths she uncovered, so that every child can enjoy their learning experience and fulfill their potential… from day one to forever.

We had to create a  1 minute pitch video  -  I created the text and Laura, our Administrator, created the images.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rDexZI0hBc/

They could definitely see we were beginners 😊!

Apart from the first cheque getting lost in the mail, everything went very smoothly. They sent us a HUGE StoryHive Creator Content Kit, 94 pages (!) for us to read… obviously they had no experience of dealing with dyslexics who don’t like reading… 😊.  

First task is to create a Bonus Edition, basically a practice film.  Everything just fell into place, as it does, when it’s meant to happen… Wendy, Sue’s TEDx coach helped with the script, Josh, a friend of Julie Brewer’s is a film-maker, Rob, a lawn bowling friend of Sue’s, a retired radio broadcaster led the interviews. The young man who designed Sue’s book cover designed the artwork for the thumbnail.  With just the location to go… the most wonderful couple who own Millstone Farm and Organics, just around the corner to Sue, offered to close their farm shop for the morning, and allow themselves to be completely disrupted and rearranged for the filming.

We kept it simple for the Bonus film.  Sue, and a very articulate Emily Tucker (a students’ mother) had a conversation led by Rob. The filming day was magical, the farmhouse shop has the best energy, there was plenty of laughter and plenty of material for the bloopers!

We all learned many lessons, met the deadline and prepared for the next stage; the Main Edition for which we were given a fabulous mentor from the National Screen Institute, Maureen Levitt. She is SO experienced and so gentle with this Steven-Spielberg-in-training.  She found us a Director, Kelly Conlin of NiceLady Productions and guided Sue to create a ‘treatment’ which does sound medical, but its really a game plan. Several attempts later it was good to go and then the Production Schedule, Characters and Locations needed to be secured.

‘Who Knew? Everyone is Able to Learn’ (working title) is made possible with the support from TELUS STORYHIVE, and will be available for free on TELUS Optik TV in 2025.

CHAPTER TWO: May 4th, 2024: Cameras roll !

Well, Who Knew indeed… that this was going to be an exciting, scary, revealing ride into the world of documentary (hitherto referred to as the ‘doc’) film making?! There needs to be a documentary about how to make a documentary!

Locations … not always as easy as it sounds… however, thanks to Julie Brewer we were able to film at her Langford Montessori Preschool, Danny Bryne allowed us to film B Roll at Towner Crest, the most amazing garden full of gorgeous rhododendrons and Joan Kyle Jones allowed us to film in her basement studio, as her son, Davey and granddaughter, Wynne were in the film! 

Characters… also not as easy as it sounds, sadly Emily Tucker (who was in the Bonus Edition) was unable to join us and thankfully Manda Aufochs Gillespie was able to join us at very short notice. We were grateful to have parental permission to film our very young stars!

The first day of filming started at Kelly’s home, which will be posing as my home, I was all set with my ‘script’ only to discover I wasn’t to say anything. She wanted film of me flipping through my book, looking pensive, and she would be adding voice over for the doc.  This was hilarious.. I hadn’t practiced my pensive look.. I tried very hard to channel my inner Olivia Coleman…but I’m pretty sure it was awful. This was the first sighting of Kelly’s patience in full flow. In the photo you may just make out a camera on a sort of railway line… silly me, I thought the lens would zoom in... no…the whole camera comes towards you… not at all scary… hahaha!  This was my first sighting of Kelly’s patience, she was very reassuring… so that done…

We picked up some NoodleBoxes and headed over to Julie. At the appointed time three adorable little children arrived, two 4 year-olds and one 5 year old. They looked SO smart in their approved pastel shade clothes… no logos, no black, no white. They were a little shy as we met them outside, but as soon as they came in and Julie adopted the usual preschool pose… they were so confident and settled it was incredible. They did Release, and Julie threw a Koosh ball to each one. She played a game based on the energy dial… “if your dial is at 1 what are you doing?”  They all hit the floor in sleeping pose… “if your dial is at 7 what are you doing?” They all started dancing around. 

I spoiled the silence on the set.. I can’t chuckle quietly, but you will see that Kelly may be filming but she is grinning from ear to ear… they were SO cute. After that they made letters with the clay ropes...  

Then it was time for Julie to be interviewed…  and a team photo… day one completed!    

Day Two was filmed at Joan’s home. She graciously allowed a considerable disruption as I had worked with her son, Davey, when he was 21 and just this year I worked there with his daughter, Wynne.  The full crew was there, 2 camera, 1 sound crew, 1 stills and Kelly. I really wanted the film to convey that it is our Mind’s Eye that travels around a 3D object. Some of the animations I have seen give the impression that the object is moving. Kelly had a plan… and I loved how it evolved.

I went through the motions of a perceptual ability assessment... to see if Abraham could see a 3D object and if he could move his Mind’s Eye around it. He was prompted to imagine a piece of cheesecake on a green plate. We placed a real piece of cheesecake on a green plate on his hand and Kelly filmed it from 360degrees. Abraham is 8. He sat with that plate for a long time, while the lighting and the sound and the filming went on…and then several ‘takes’  he was so still and so patient. We filmed him starting to master this Upper Case alphabet and then it was time for him to get back to school!

In the afternoon, we filmed Wynne with the reading exercise and mastering a word. Day Two was complete.

On Day Three I was excited to have Summerland in the documentary as he has been an integral part of my programs for those who love dogs. He knows when the children need a cuddle and always obliges. We walked through Towner Crest which is a wonderful garden open to the public and full of rhododendrons.  Kelly liked the slight drizzle.. I had my Jamie Oliver (very famous dyslexic) umbrella!

The Fox and Monocle is a lovely bakery by day and restaurant by night right by the ferry terminal at Swartz Bay. They close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Tracie (one of the owners) very kindly allowed us to film our interviews there. Manda came from the mainland, Maureen Levitt our Mentor collected her so she could share her experience as the mother of a dyslexic, an author, broadcaster and educator. Her home is on Cortes Island and I had worked there with her daughter. When High School loomed and the idea of leaving the island wasn’t going well, Manda created (via the Power River School District) the Cortes Island Academy. She had a good understanding of how dyslexics think and students come from far and wide to complete a semester which includes kayaking, learning about the forest and creating podcasts. The website is well worth a visit.. www.cortesislandacademy.ca.   

Davey recounted his experience of finding out, as a young adult, that he had dyslexia. He took a Davis program, and then followed a successful career as a facilities and construction manager for Island Health. When he noticed that Wynne was working so hard at school, but not getting the results she deserved he arranged for her to take a program early this year. Since then they have been bonding as they complete the trigger word mastery together.

By this time Julie had arrived with Abraham and her son Koen. His program success brought her into the Davis world. Koen is a brilliant creator.. and is currently becoming a Rubiks Cube expert. It was my turn to be interviewed, and I was tired, it was teatime by now.. and there was no tea! Every time I took a deep breath and re-recorded my segment I saw him giving me two thumbs up and a huge grin.. so there was no choice… we had to film him doing the Rubiks Cube and we timed him… 15 seconds !!!  

So we were done… out came the Prosecco and we toasted .. “It’s a wrap”… what an experience! I have a whole new admiration for the documentary filming process… the unpacking of equipment and the setting up and the attention to detail for the set, the lighting, the sound… coping with batteries running out and sudden noises…not to mention keeping the projected vision and asking the questions that brought forth the required answers.. it was exhausting just watching. 

The StoryHive budget was nowhere near what Kelly and her crew would normally expect, which made me every more grateful to Kelly, Ben, Dave, Adam and Lillie… for being so easy to work with, going with the flow with grace and humour and giving us an introduction to filming we will never forget.

CHAPTER THREE: December 28th, 2024 Well, WHO KNEW what came next...

I certainly didn’t… and I was identified as the Producer!  Luckily Kelly Conlin, our Director, knew what she was doing and she transitioned from cinematographer to the role of Editor. I edit our Come to the Dyslexic Table audio recordings to make them into podcasts, and I know how long that takes…. an hour of recording can take at least 8 hours to edit out all the ‘ums’ and ‘ers’. Kelly had to edit out the blips from two days of filming and then assemble the entire film.

She sent me the full interviews featuring myself, Manda, Dave and Julie. It took several viewings to get over the shock of seeing myself on a screen… pretty scary, I can assure you! Manda, Dave and Julie were amazing, so professional, sincere and so vulnerable; it was very encouraging. 

The first step was a Rough Cut. It was so interesting because before filming we had swopped our pictures verbally.  My picture was why dyslexia exists, the work we do, the need to prevent it happening, the impact on individuals and what needs to happen in the future. Seeing the Rough Cut enabled me to see what Kelly’s picture was.  She also needed to compose the film with transitions, different views and most importantly, I wanted her to show everyone our ability to alter perception.

Thus began a ‘to and fro’ process, with Fine Cut 1 and Fine Cut 2, then the Approval Cut that got sent to Telus STORYHIVE and eventually The Final Delivery including the Synopsis and the Box Art.

SYNOPSIS

A powerful documentary that challenges the general understanding of dyslexia and takes the audience on a journey to discover the gifts behind this unique way of thinking. Sue Blyth Hall is on a mission. She is a passionate, empathetic woman with a strong sense of justice, who is dedicated to bringing about change in how people see dyslexia. Her dream is for everyone to know the truths she uncovered, so that every child can enjoy their learning experience and fulfill their potential.

As a courtesy, I wanted to offer the cast an opportunity to see the film before they saw themselves on a big screen, so we invited them to Julie’s home for a private viewing.  I could not have been more surprised to see this fun signage on the door... and then when I went in… Julie had a full blown red carpet staged for us all! It was so much fun to watch the cast watching themselves… the children said they really enjoyed it. We had bubbly and popcorn and then red carpet photos… I think that might beat Christmas this year… the best gift ever!!!

So there we have it… and now its onto the Premiere in Sidney, March 9, 2025, the accompanying online and silent auction fundraisers, then Film Festivals and the Telus Optik launch in the Fall of 2025, all before the general release. I could not be more grateful for Kelly and Maureen leading this brand new ‘Producer’ through the whole process; their patience and wisdom were beyond measure, also the many friends along the way whose opinions and support were much needed. Thank you all… now Who Knows what will come of the screenings… an exciting year ahead!

IMDB

CHAPTER FOUR: MARCH 14TH, 2025: PREMIERE & AUCTION!

We not only sprang forward in time on Sunday but we sprang forward in our mission. WHO KNEW Dyslexia is a Way of Thinking made its debut at the Star Cinema, in Sidney, BC in front of 120 wonderful people.  It was an incredibly special afternoon!

It was a Premiere, a red carpet event, Laura had the Guest List as she greeted everyone, Julie made the entrances inviting with our posters and refreshments… and created a red carpet photo op in the theatre!

As guests entered the theatre they could pose on the red carpet or collect their auction item.  We had the entire Crew there, Kelly our Director, Dave - Sound, Adam and Ben - Camera ops, Lillie - Stills photographer and our Mentor, Maureen. We had the entire Cast, Julie, Abraham, Davey and Wynne, Manda, Evan and Koen…                     

Sue and Kelly, introduced the film and afterwards Cast and Crew took questions… it was a star studded event because everyone was a star in this incredible achievement … flowers and kudos to all our benefactors, heplers, auction donors and bidders, students, location donors, Board past and present, THANK YOU for being part of spreading this information to all those who will benefit!

Kelly will be entering the documentary into Film Festivals and a festival will not accept a film if it is on general release, so until then we will be arranging private viewings.  You can contact Sue or Laura via info@thewds.org to arrange such a viewing.  Telus Optik will release it in the Fall, and then we will be able to release it on YouTube.

We are beyond grateful and excited to announce that the auction raised $2,600+ which will be used for program sponsorships… again, THANK YOU!

WHO KNEW is now phasing into WHO KNOWS what might happen!  Last week, Sue sent an email and the documentary to Jamie Oliver in the UK when she learned he is making a documentary on dyslexia for Channel 4… so truly  WHO KNOWS what will happen now !

Thank you to all of our amazing auction donors! To learn more about our donors and for more information on how you can get involved visit our page HERE.