This week’s guest is Clare Baines, the BFI’s first Disability Equality Lead.
Clare is a blind creative. Unable to recognise her own experience reflected in culture, she uses storytelling to create community and belonging for disabled people. Through comedy and joy, she challenges society's perception of disability, queerness, and all the joyful intersections in between.
She is the BFI's first Disability Equality Lead where she leads community-led action to tackle ableism within the industry, authentic on-screen representation, and advocates for Disabled talent and audiences.
Elsewhere she has recently written and directed her first short film, a rom-com called ‘Blind Date’ - funded by Roundhouse - that confronts the subject of ableism within dating through the eyes of a young visually-impaired woman.
We talk about Clare’s experience of becoming blind at the age of 15, her degree in biomedical engineering and working in tech before joining the BFI. In the context of her role there we talk about where you begin with creating equality and changing certain practices in the industry, finding kinship and community in the industry and how people who aren’t D/deaf, disabled or neurodiverse can be better allies to those who do identify as such.
Clare was a joyous guest to have on the podcast, she emanates hope and energy and passion and she’s someone that makes me glad to be a part of this industry, so I hope you enjoy listening.
SHOW NOTES
Episode 060: Grace Snell, Costume Designer
Episode 059: Mahalia John, Central / Clapper Loader
Episode 058: Rebecca Horsburgh, Grip (Key Grip & Best Boy Grip)
Episode 057: Lara Manwaring, Casting Director
Episode 056: Rina Yang, Cinematographer
REISSUE: Episode 045: Corrina Antrobus, Founder of Bechdel Test Fest
Episode 055: Anna Bertmark, Sound Designer & Supervisor
Episode 054: Cat Marshall, Production Supervisor at Warp Films & Producer
Episode 53: Emma Norton, Producer at Element Pictures
Episode 52: Meroë Candy, Story Research & Production Consultant
Episode 51: Rosie Crerar & Ciara Barry, Producers
Episode 050: Lizzie Francke, Senior Production and Development Executive at the BFI's Film Fund (Live at the Glasgow Film Festival)
Episode 049: Roxana Adle, Talent Agent at Independent Talent
Episode 048: Sanne Jehoul, Co-Director of Glasgow Short Film Festival
Episode 047: Clarisse Loughrey, Chief Film Critic at The Independent
Episode 046: Nia Hughes, Organising Official at BECTU
Episode 045: Corrina Antrobus, Founder of Bechdel Test Fest
Episode 044: Gini Godwin, Production Designer
Episode 043: Kharmel Cochrane, Casting Director
Episode 042: Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, Composer
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