Singer Sia directs "Music" film starring a non-verbal autistic teenager

[Leahcar]

As a performer, Sia has long been known for her dazzling visuals — from the fantastical wigs she wears to her sublime music videos — ideas she comes up with both in her waking hours watching television and in her dreams. One of those visions, Sia’s first movie, “Music,” was 15 years in the making. Looking to be released in 2021, her directorial debut will be brought to the American Film Market.

Speaking at Variety’s Power of Women event in October, the Grammy-nominated artist said the tale of Music, a teenager with special abilities — specifically nonvocal autism — started as a short story. “Over the years, I had this fantasy of making it,” said Sia, adding that she didn’t have the confidence to helm a movie.

While Sia had dabbled in directing — she was a co-director on her 2014 hit music video “Chandelier” alongside Daniel Askill — but her uncertainty nagged as she questioned, “Am I just a singer with good ideas, or am I a good director?”

Sia kept Askill near as they collaborated on more videos together. Then fellow screenwriter Dallas Clayton took up the cause of cheering her on and encouraging Sia to pursue “Music.” At the time, the singer had just gone through a divorce and was down on herself, but Askill told her, “You can do this.” Said Sia: “I thought, ‘How hard could this be, it’s like making a music video but every day for 40 days?’”

“Music” stars Kate Hudson and co-stars Leslie Odom Jr. alongside Sia protégé and breakout star Maddie Ziegler.

Hudson plays the free-spirited Zu, an addict estranged from her family who suddenly finds herself the sole guardian of her half-sister, played by Ziegler, a teenager on the autism spectrum. Ziegler’s special abilities challenge Zu and she learns to overcome life’s obstacles with help from Music’s neighbor, Ebo (Odom Jr.).

The singer took casting into her own hands by using social media for outreach. With Odom Jr., she tweeted the actor after seeing him on Broadway and asked him if he wanted to be in her movie.

For Hudson, Sia saw an Instagram post in which Hudson was singing and said she immediately thought: “‘Oh my God, she doesn’t sound like every white person who was trained on Broadway songs.’”

When it came to the film’s star, Ziegler, the two had previously worked together on the “Chandelier” video and the “Dance Moms” alum has accompanied Sia to events and other performances. “I want to work with her until the day I die,” Sia declared of the 18-year-old. “She’s the most professional person I’ve ever worked with.”

Indeed, Ziegler takes center stage in 10 musical interstitials, resplendent in Sia’s interpretation of what Music saw and felt.

The film cost $16 million to make and even in post-production while editing, Sia admitted she was sick with fear in wanting the end product to be perfect. The pressure was on. “I’m Sia!,” she said with no hint of irony. “I have to make something really good. I can’t do something mediocre and it was mediocre for a couple of years.”


“Exceptional” is the word Sia used to describe her goal in making “Music” — nothing else would do. Check off the box on her already-impressive resume because the journey was well worth the wait. “Music” is indeed an exceptional film, one filled with music and visual splendor with heart at its core.

Source: Sia discusses “Music,” her feature film directing debut AT afm - Variety

 

[Thinx]

Sounds interesting, I ll be looking out for this!

 

[Leahcar]

Just to clarify the concept of the film sounds okay on paper, but...Sia casted a neurotypical actress to play the role of the autistic character. Her reaction to criticisms regarding this have been...disheartening

A war has broken out online between singer-songwriter Sia and the autism community over her upcoming film, Music.

The controversy was sparked by the release of the trailer for the film, which depicts a young woman with autism, played by dancer/actress Maddie Ziegler. The portrayal was deemed “offensive” and “inaccurate’ by the Twitter mob, deteriorating into an insult match and calls from various organizations not to watch the video or the film.

Sia wound up tweeting that she is “so confused” by the negativity toward the movie that she wrote and directed. Earlier, she had a different attitude in announcing the trailer release.

”The news you’ve been waiting for!” Sia tweeted on Thursday morning. She touted the work of Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr. and her longtime collaborator, Ziegler, on the film. Ziegler’s involvement was the spark, as audiences grew upset upon learning that Ziegler was portraying a special needs child.

“Can I ask why you didn’t cast a disabled actor for this part?” Irish actress Bronagh Waugh asked. “It’s pretty offensive the way you’ve chosen to portray this character. People with disabilities are not broken and don’t need fixing.”

Sia responded that she tried to “lovingly represent the community.” That set off Twitter, with many asking why a disabled actor could not have filled the role. Sia fought back, saying at one point, “Duh. I spent three years researching, I think that’s why I’m so bummed.”

Sia claimed she hired many “special abilities kids” to work on the film, including a girl on the spectrum, before casting Ziegler.

“She found it unpleasant and stressful,” Sia said of the young girl on the spectrum.

When one tweeter said that she and a number of other autistic actors would have been up for a role, Sia replied, “Maybe you’re just a bad actor.”

Source: Sia Goes To War With The Autism Community Over Her New Film ‘Music’ – Deadline

 

[Esa]

Just to clarify the concept of the film sounds okay on paper, but...Sia casted a neurotypical actress to play the role of the autistic character. Her reaction to criticisms regarding this have been...disheartening

Source: Sia Goes To War With The Autism Community Over Her New Film ‘Music’ – Deadline

I’m not sure if it’s Sia who’s going to war. I’m also not sure about the issue here. It’s clearly a film not a documentary. Right? Even in documentaries, people cast actors, as well. I’d be disheartened if I were directing something and people acted like they had a right to decide how I directed it or whom I casted for the parts.
It’s the first time I’m hearing about this movie, by the way. But it’s hers. I’d be furious if people told me what to do with my business, my work or anything else that’s clearly mine.
I don’t get it.

 

[SDRSpark]

I found out about this because of the uproar.

I watched the trailer...and I was confused by it to say the least. It's just a bunch of shots of the lead character with cutaways to dancing. It's like a bad music video. People have said it's offensive (I guess because they see stereotypes?) but I was fairly unable to parse out what exactly was going on in the trailer to even begin to decide if it's offensive or not. (To be fair, too, what I did see of the lead character reminded me a fair bit of myself in a lot of ways, so the people screaming "that's stereotyped and offensive!" have me wondering if I myself would offend them by my very existence!)

 

[Esa]

I found out about this because of the uproar.

I watched the trailer...and I was confused by it to say the least. It's just a bunch of shots of the lead character with cutaways to dancing. It's like a bad music video. People have said it's offensive (I guess because they see stereotypes?) but I was fairly unable to parse out what exactly was going on in the trailer to even begin to decide if it's offensive or not. (To be fair, too, what I did see of the lead character reminded me a fair bit of myself in a lot of ways, so the people screaming "that's stereotyped and offensive!" have me wondering if I myself would offend them by my very existence!)

I hadn’t even thought of watching the trailer until I read your comment I just watched it now and I don’t know what to expect from the movie. Regardless, I wonder if people are really clueless about all the offensive stuff going on to take the time to be discussing how offended they are by a casting decision for a movie which does not belong to them.

 

[Esa]

I found out about this because of the uproar.

I watched the trailer...and I was confused by it to say the least. It's just a bunch of shots of the lead character with cutaways to dancing. It's like a bad music video. People have said it's offensive (I guess because they see stereotypes?) but I was fairly unable to parse out what exactly was going on in the trailer to even begin to decide if it's offensive or not. (To be fair, too, what I did see of the lead character reminded me a fair bit of myself in a lot of ways, so the people screaming "that's stereotyped and offensive!" have me wondering if I myself would offend them by my very existence!)

And yes, I also think the trailer looks like a bad music video with bad tunes. But I like Sia, and that’s why I don’t know what to expect from that movie.

 

[SDRSpark]

I am however, very disappointed with her response to the criticism. I actually am not that bothered by the casting decision, but the response to criticism was handled spectacularly poorly.

 

[Esa]

I am however, very disappointed with her response to the criticism. I actually am not that bothered by the casting decision, but the response to criticism was handled spectacularly poorly.

How else could she have handled it? What exactly is disappointing about her response?

 

[Soleil]

The main thing I want to know is, how many autistic people were involved in writing the autistic character?

Sia claimed she hired many “special abilities kids” to work on the film, including a girl on the spectrum, before casting Ziegler.

What does that mean, exactly? Part of the writing team, or part of the catering team?

 

[Esa]

“Before casting Ziegler” probably means she hired others for the leading part.

I still don’t see the point of this thread.

Her movie. Her decision. How many of the people react calmly when their decisions are criticised by others who don’t even know them?

It’s simply hypocrisy.

 

[Aspie_With_Attitude]

I will need to post up a couple of videos I have uploaded in the last week in regards to Sia's upcoming film called "Music".

In this video I discuss in detail the backlash involved when the world wide autism community asked questions about the movie, then she hit back with terrible Tweets that had offended the world wide autism community.

This where I will put my last 2 cents into the controversy with Sia's film "Music" explaining how she lashed out with destructive criticism towards the world wide autism community.

 

[Aeolienne]

If autistic characters should only be played by autistic actors, does that mean autistic actors should never play neurotypical characters?

 

[Esa]

If autistic characters should only be played by autistic actors, does that mean autistic actors should never play neurotypical characters?

Fair point. Although I think that people have more of a problem with the way Sia reacted to their criticism, which makes no sense to me. They could always not watch it. It’s a movie, so it’s a product for entertainment, it’s certainly not a public service.