• • A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR is the Untold story about the man Jeff Watkins and how being a part of his life has forever affected my world view. Jeff had no eyes, was afflicted with sensory neuropathy, crohns disease, suffered from depression, and lived in a group home with four other adults each with various physical and neurological disabilities. He was also a graduate from the Perkins School for the Blind, an advocate for the disabled community for public policy, an animated storyteller, a singer, a man in love with God, simply wanting "a life with a job, a family, a normal life."

   

       I met Jeff while I was working for the County of Fairfax, VA as a Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor for a Summer Camp program. I became Jeff's personal aide in the Fall of 2002. Within a month or so I discovered his personal story was too unique and beautiful to go undocumented. At first I asked him permission to audio record his stories.  He later asked if it would be easier for me to video tape him with his father's camera. Since he is blind I asked "If I put your stories on video, how would you be able to watch it back later?" He said "The movie is not for me to watch, it's for the world to see." He had a point, and the vision for the film A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR had begun.

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• I conducted my last interview with Jeff in the early Spring of 2008. That Summer, a little over a month after his 35th birthday, he died peacefully from complications with pneumonia on August 27th. Holding on to over 8 hours of footage, I finally decided this year to fulfill my promise of tell his story and The Untold Story Rally with Seed & Spark and Green Light Project during the summer of 2016 became the sign I was waiting for from Jeff.  

 

• Jeff had told me many stories about the memories of his youth, teenage years at Perkins and spoke candidly about his dreams and the harsh reality of his life. We began documenting at the place where holds the fondest memories of his youth:

•                                                                           The Perkins School for the Blind

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• Jeff would be the star and host of his own life story, his friends, family, former teachers and aides would be the cast and me, the director. Now, 16 Years later, it is finally happening. 

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• In 6 months our team was able to research and capture about 2 dozen interviews within 6 different states traveling by plane, train and automobile.  We are currently raising the remaining funds to complete the film. We expect A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR to be complete Summer 2020 and will make its way through the Festival Circuit. Our plan is to engage in community outreach by working with our Sponsors, Supporters and Charitable Organizations to tell more stories of people like Jeff and our mission is to continue telling the story of the fight for Human Rights for all in Americans. 

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