New #SickleCell Documentary in NY Area

I received this letter today. If you are interested, please contact the filmmaker directly. SCW does not have any relationship with the filmmaker. However, we strive to give a voice to all the projects that can help raise sickle cell awareness. Can’t wait to see you in the documentary!~Tosin

Hey Guys,

My name is Aaron Lloyd; I am a writer, filmmaker, and the administrator of The Sickle Cell Group of LIJ and send you a warm hello, well wishes, and thoughts of good health.

I am writing to you all today to ask for your assistance. I am in the pre-production phase of a film documentary on living with sickle cell disease, with fellow LIJ group member Takim Robinson. Before I begin principal photography I would like to take the pulse of the sickle community by interviewing (on camera) those willing to participate in the NY tri-state area.

I am specifically looking to examine what life is like living with this disease, what challenges you are dealing with, how you view your “quality of life,” the impact on your relationships, on your finances, and so on. Essentially I want to know what is good in your life, what is bad, and how sickle cell has played a role in both.

I realize this may be personal information, but it is only asked because I want to gauge what living with sickle cell really means in 2013 and share that with the sickle community and the world. To finally put a spotlight on a disease that has deserved a floodlight on it for over 100 years. The only way to do that is to compile truthful viewpoints and life situations from numerous subjects.

I am also going to follow and film the lives of several SCA people in the documentary, and during the preproduction interviews I will be looking for that perfect marriage of charismatic people that the camera loves, and interviewees who are willing to open up and actually be in the film.

While choosing folks to be in the film is something for a later date, right now I am asking for anyone willing, to contribute to the project at its genesis- by influencing its very direction by participating in the preproduction interviews. I would come to you if you desire, or if need be I would provide a location for the interview, and it would require an hour or two of your time. This includes camera setup AND the interview, so it may actually be shorter, but would never go past the two-hour limit. Since it is a small independent project with an even smaller budget (lol) I, unfortunately, cannot pay anyone for their time, but I hope the production of a story about us, and influenced by you would bring enough pride and satisfaction to suffice as payment. Oh, and did I forget to mention a “thank you” to you that will appear in the end credits of the film for the whole world to see.
Interviews will begin later this month, for about a month, so if you are interested, please reach out as soon as possible.

If we are not able to film due to location but you want to be involved, we can work out a phone or written interview IF and only IF you can not sit down for the filmed one. This project is truly a FUBU situation. For us and by us. This will be our voice on film, filmed by us, and written and directed by us. That is something that should have happened a long time ago, so I ask that you consider that fact when deciding whether or not you are willing to participate.
I thank you all for your time (especially the wonderful Sickle Cell Warrior folks), thank you for reading this, and hope to hear from you soon. I can be reached here at FB or aaronclloyd@gmail if you have questions or interest in the project.

Best of health and happiness to you,
Aaron