Abstract

Through Elijah’s Eyes is a feature-length script that is about an oral deaf teenager who is frustrated by his hearing family for not following his desire as a deaf person. He escapes from his uneasy home to the streets where he skates. To cope with his anger, Elijah turns to graffiti, an art form that allows him to express his feelings to the world in a loud voice. Elijah is a talented Artist, even though, being in homeschool doesn’t allow him to enjoy the exploration of his true colors; the exploration that the world has to offer, filled with opportunities as an Artist. Once Elijah’s parents find out that Elijah vandalized the Deaf man’s garage door, he must face the consequences to satisfy the Deaf neighbor Ted and his parents. This becomes the inciting incident. This shows the viewer what is in Elijah's new path: the Deaf community, and that includes their culture and language, an art form as well. Elijah and Ted have their hardships, but Jessica, a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), plays the guide who helps them understand each other. When Elijah’s art skills develop, his education towards the Deaf and Hearing worlds turns into lessons for both worlds. Elijah is not just an Artist or an oral Deaf, he is our educator that shows us what it’s like being in Elijah’s world, as a human being. Each of us has different stories that reflects different kinds of struggle that we faced. We don’t show our imperfections often because of the stigma towards perfection on normality in our society; meaning it’s easier to show perfection than our true imperfections of ourselves. We avoid any negative judgement from the society that may shoot our self-esteem and embarrassment, of shamed or laughed at, due to our abnormality.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Motion picture authorship; Deaf--Drama; Deaf artists--Drama; Graffiti--Drama; Deaf culture--Drama

Publication Date

12-14-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Film and Animation (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Film and Animation (CAD)

Advisor

Franklin Deese

Advisor/Committee Member

Don Casper

Advisor/Committee Member

Adrean Mangiardi

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

FILMAN-MFA

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