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Production for local feature film underway

Posted at 10:39 PM, Sep 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-30 03:58:00-04

BOISE — A feature film called "Making Sense" is being filmed in the Treasure Valley. The film is the first to have people with disabilities play characters in the film who have disabilities.

Mackenzie Ellsworth says she had never acted before, but the writer of the film knew she was right for the job.

"He needed a young woman woman who was in a wheelchair who was paralyzed and who had been injured you know, when she was 15 in a car accident and I just so happened to injured in a car accident when I was 15," said Ellsworth.

The five characters in the film are graduate students and each of them lack one of the five primary senses. The students end up teaming up with a scientist to find a way to remap brain function. One of the actors says acting in the feature film was meant to be.

"I was feeling outgoing and I was like you know what? I'm just going to go for it and see and so I did with like not knowing anybody. I just went to learn something new and one thing kind of led to another and it snowballed and now I'm here," said Miguel Ayala, actor.

Ayala encourages others to try something new.

"Fight the fear in a sense because more often than not it's going to be worth it in the end," said Ayala.

Ellsworth says it's a way to highlight people with disabilities who add power and diversity to the world.

"I've always had a passion of showing people that just because I have a disability doesn't mean I can't have an awesome life and still have all these great opportunities come my way and I think this is just a perfect example of another great opportunity that I get to be part of," said Ellsworth.