Latest news with #DisabilityFilmChallenge
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Nic Novicki's life looking up at the world helped him reach new heights in comedy
Nearly two decades ago, Nic Novicki was another young comedian living in Queens, testing his mettle in the competitive New York City comedy scene. There, he shared not just an apartment, but a living room separated by a sheet with another up-and-comer trying to make a name for himself: Nate Bargatze. They shared an apartment with fellow comedians Dustin Chafin and Rich Aronovitch. Fast forward 20 years, and Bargatze is one of the most popular comedians around, selling out arenas across the country. And, he hasn't forgotten his old friend. Novicki frequently tours with him, bringing those humble beginnings to larger audiences than they ever imagined, including taking their act to the high seas on the Nateland cruise this February. 'We would perform shows together every night, and then I would stay with them when I would go back to New York [from L.A.],' Novicki tells The Times over Zoom. 'It started with five people at a show in New York, and then clubs, and suddenly, things got bigger and bigger. It's been one of my biggest thrills to step out on stage and see that many people.' As a little person standing 3 feet 10, Novicki has a unique perspective from a physical and emotional standpoint, which he brings to his comedy. Some of his most rewarding projects have involved his work with Easterseals, the nation's largest disability services organization. With them, he's organized the Disability Film Challenge, which launched nearly 13 years ago. It's an annual five-day filmmaking competition where people with disabilities are either in front of or behind the camera, and make a film related to a specific genre — this year, for example, the theme was thriller and suspense. 'I created this film competition 12 years ago because I was always making my own content,' he says. 'The story of my life has been, as a comedian, to get up on stage and do as much as you can rather than wait for the industry to come to me.' In addition to comedic endeavors, Novicki has made a name for himself as an actor. He was a regular on the HBO series 'Boardwalk Empire' and appeared on 'The Sopranos,' 'Loudermilk,' 'The Neighbors' and 'Drop Dead Diva.' We spoke with the Culver City-based comedian ahead of his slot at the Burbank Comedy Festival next week, where he breaks down his stand-up routine, opening for Nate and his perspective on comedy as a little person, as well as why the work he's done with Easterseals has been so imperative. Do you have a different approach when you're performing in front of thousands at an arena show with Nate versus a club show? My act is focused on storytelling. A lot of what I do is kind of story-based about my life and the interactions that have happened. Nowadays, it's with my family, and my daughters are a huge part of it. Regardless of the size of the venue. For example, if I'm doing a late-night set at the Comedy Store or another comedy club, my act stays the same. Ultimately, I'm at that stage in my life. I do the same bits, and there's no need for me to feel like I need to be edgier. The same bits will work late night or early in the day when Nate has an early show. Recently, I did a show that was really fun called BYOB — bring your own baby. Where was that and what was it like? It was at [Santa Monica comedy club] the Crow. My wife brought our baby. Ultimately, I've always been able and comfortable talking about who I am. I've always done well with kids, which was the origin [of comedy] for me. When I was 10 or 11 years old, I started doing speeches that raised money for the Little People of America. I would perform at Rotary Clubs, and I remember early on, I would be standing behind a podium, be like, 'Oh, did you guys forget the stool here? What's going on?' It would be the Invisible Man bit, and everybody laughed. I realized then that I had everybody, and they were paying attention. Even at that age, you understood showbiz. You knew how to work an audience. It's funny. I didn't think of it as a comedian, but I was doing a version of stand-up comedy. Growing up on the East Coast and being a little person, I used comedy as a way to break the ice, and also be like, 'Hey, let's be funny and lighten the situation.' When did you decide to pursue comedy as a career? I started doing stand-up comedy during my freshman year of college at Temple University in Philadelphia. I went there to study business, but I was like, 'What is this?' It's a great city for comedy, and now, in a full circle of wildness, we [Bargatze and he] are performing two shows at the Wells Fargo Center. There are these different places that I haven't been to in a long time, like Erie, Pa., where I have family. Thanks to comedy, going back there for the first time to perform in a giant arena with Nate is pretty wild. What is it about both of your comedic styles that appeals to so many? Aside from Nate being one of my best friends, he's just the best at what he does. Both of us have very similar sensibilities and senses of humor. It's been great for me because I don't have to change my style of comedy to fit with his. When I was starting, I was never dirty, but maybe I'd swear a little. I realized so much of my life is about being in the Little People of America. Little people and people with disabilities are asking me for advice about how I was able to create my own projects. Ultimately, that's the kind of comedy that I'm drawn to, and it's part of my daily life. I'm proud to be a little person. I'm proud to be who I am, and I can't hide it. It's not easy, though, to get the audience to laugh at something uncomfortable. In this case, laughing with you about your disability. I'm 3-10. So it's not like I could be not 3-10, so it's part of what my world is. My wife is little, and I've grown up in Little People of America. It's not entirely what I'm about as a comedian — I like to talk about things other than my height, but it is a part of who I am. I'm a storyteller, and the situations that happen involve my height. Whether it's dropping my daughter off at daycare … these are real-life situations that happen. Rather than be uncomfortable in the moment, I've embraced it, laughed and been OK with just having that discussion in that moment. I look at the positive and the comedy of a situation because it's something that I find funny, rather than being upset by it, like being patient and asking someone to help me press a button in an elevator. This may sound crazy, but I've met so many people by asking for help, like reaching for a plate. Now, I have a connection with this person that I wouldn't have had. As a comedian, I think you have to be open to life and what happens, and be able to comment on it. The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is a significant source of pride for you. Now, nearly 13 years later, what do you see as its legacy? It's grown so much. Since partnering with Easterseals Southern California, we've had 850 films created from around the world. We have our awards ceremony at Sony Pictures every year. Nate has presented alongside the Farrelly brothers, Phil Lord and Chris Miller. I feel like the disability community is a community, and it's something I'm so proud to be a part of. I've made so many friends and forged lifelong bonds with both little people and through the Film Challenge. Much like my comedy career, it's been a gradual climb. It's been the long game for me, as an actor and comedian with the Film Challenge. My whole vision is to do as much as you can, and I think the world wants to see more disability representation. I do a regular show at Flappers in Burbank where I headline, and it's Nic Novicki and friends. I always have a disabled comic from the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge perform to highlight them. I love having that world where people can get themselves out there, and that was always the mission. Initially, the Disability Film Challenge was going to be a one-off competition where I helped disabled friends who asked me for advice, and allowed them to make a film and tell their own stories. After that first one, right away, casting directors started reaching out to me asking how to get in touch with a guy in a wheelchair, and all of a sudden, we had five films that first year. All of these films are starring and created by people with disabilities. It's been great to see the number of jobs that have come from this, and something I'm incredibly proud of. It's funny. I was in New York City with a group of people, and I was like, 'I know every little person in the world,' and they were like, 'Yeah, sure, sure, you do.' So we're walking on Madison Avenue, and a little person popped up out of nowhere and said, 'Hey, Nick, what's up?' I looked at them and said, 'You see?' I swear to God, it was sitcom-esque timing, but it really happened.
CNN
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Hollywood Minute: Andy Serkis bringing ‘Gollum' back to the big screen
Serkis to star in and direct 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,' and we've got this year's Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winners. David Daniel reports.
CNN
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Hollywood Minute: Andy Serkis bringing ‘Gollum' back to the big screen
Serkis to star in and direct 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,' and we've got this year's Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winners. David Daniel reports.
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Winners Announced At Gala Ceremony
The film and TV industry is notoriously hard to break into. The difficulty level is usually increased by several orders of magnitude for people with disabilities due to an unfortunate combination of access barriers and negative attitudes amongst those holding the purse strings in Hollywood. It was in recognition of these hurdles that disabled actor and comedian Nic Novicki created the Disability Film Challenge 12 years ago. Standing at 3 foot 10 and having dealt with several congenital health challenges throughout his life, Novicki knows what it takes to break through Hollywood's glass ceiling and has over 50 film and TV shows to his name. Most recently, he voiced Lego Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's award-winning film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The rules of the Disability Film Challenge are simple but the undertaking itself certainly lives up to its name. Contestants are given just five days to write and produce a one-to-five-minute film once the annual theme is revealed. This year's theme was thriller and suspense. The films don't have to explicitly deal with disability but there must be at least one person with a disability either in front of or behind the camera. A total of 123 submissions were received this year from all over the world. Last night saw the 2025 Disability Film Challenge awards ceremony take place at a special orange carpet event at Sony Pictures Studios located in Culver City, California. Amongst the luminaries presenting awards were two-time Oscar-winning writer, producer and director Peter Farrelly (Ricky Stanicky, Loudermilk, Greenbook, Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber), Skye P. Marshall (Matlock, Good Sam, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Black Lightning) and Marissa Bode who recently reprised the role of Nessarose Thropp in the film adaptation of Wicked. The growing list of corporate sponsors is impressive, too. Whilst Easterseals, one of the largest and best-known suppliers of disability services across the U.S., has been the main sponsor of the challenge since 2017 – today the likes of Amazon MGM Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros and Discovery all make valuable financial contributions – ensuring the Film Challenge's sustainability. This year saw a clean sweep of the awards for Best Film and Best Director for Everhand and its Director, Shane Hillier. This dark and somewhat manic depiction features Lee Cleveland, a congenital amputee, as Abe, a one-armed farmer, and Sarah Beth Budd as his wife Edie. Abe purchases a mechanical arm that holds the promise of solving all his problems but instead a nightmare ensues as the couple are terrorized by a ghoulish sales rep. Everhand movie poster Shane Hillier An overwhelming sense of menace and foreboding is also a notable feature of Day 21 and We'll Meet Again, which won the awards for Best Actor and Best Writer, respectively. The former stars Dashiell Meier, a young man with Down Syndrome, who also directs as a survivor in a world where some type of apocalyptic event appears to have wiped out most humans but spared those with Down Syndrome. Meanwhile, in We'll Meet Again, co-starring and co-written by Danny Kurtzman (Good Bad Things) and Steve Way, a young man with mobility challenges played by Kurtzman enjoys romantic nightly phone calls with a mysterious woman he has met online until matters take a sinister twist. The other award winners approached the thriller/suspense genre from a different angle. In Emergency Plan, directed by Anna Pakman and starring Margo Gignac and James Ian, which won the award for Best Awareness, raw emotion takes centre stage. The story features two wheelchair users as a couple trapped in their high-rise apartment block in the aftermath of an earthquake, who are forced to make an impossible decision to save the life of their young son. In the zany Hypothetically, the End, for which director Lily Drummond won the award for Best Editor, two best friends scramble to marry during the dying embers of New Year's Eve 1999, convinced that the Y2K bug is about to usher forth the end of days. Winners will receive a $2,000 cash prize in addition to a $5,000 seed fund/film finishing grant provided by Adobe to further develop the winning short film and/or to accelerate the development of their projects into feature films or episodic series. There will be significant mentoring opportunities too. Perhaps the largest reward, though, comes from the exposure. Following his participation in the challenge, autistic actor Nick Sanchez was able to book a role and can currently be seen in theatres in The Accountant 2 alongside Ben Affleck. There is also gravitas in the collective message. All the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge finalist films can be viewed on its YouTube channel and this visibility is key. According to the CDC, over 25% of U.S. residents live with some form of disability, and yet a study released last summer by USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative revealed that the number of speaking characters with a disability in a major film was just 1.9% in 2022. GLAAD also published a report in the same year, which found that only 2.8% of series regulars on primetime broadcast TV (22 of 775) were characters with disabilities. This lack of visibility and representation obscures and sidelines the disability community. While the long-term industry and societal trends affecting this may be slow to change, the ultra-focus and hyper visibility resulting from endeavors like the Disability Film Challenge make it that much harder to look the other way.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Easterseals Study Shows Stagnation in Disability Representation Despite $490 Billion Market
The entertainment industry may be missing out on a significant market opportunity, with the latest research from Easterseals showing that representation of disabilities in media has stagnated despite a U.S. audience commanding $490 billion in spending power. 'There's trillions of dollars of buying power within the disability community. We're one in four of the population. So that is a huge market that has been underserved,' actor, comedian and producer Nic Novicki told CEO Sharon Waxman at TheWrap's Reimagining Hollywood: A New Lens on Disability Inclusion panel presented by Easterseals Disability Services at Sundance on Friday. The nationwide survey of 800 adults with disabilities found that 51% reported seeing fewer characters with disabilities recently, while 83% emphasized the importance of representation on screen. The research comes as Easterseals announced 'thriller and suspense' as the genre for its 12th Annual Disability Film Challenge. 'I think one of the other things, the key findings, too, is that when we talk about jobs, it's both this is one of the key points, is that it's not just jobs in front of the camera. It's also behind the camera,' Nancy Weintraub, Chief Advancement Officer for Easterseals Southern California, said. The Disability Film Challenge, which has produced 750 films over the past 11 years, requires participants to create 1-5 minute films featuring talent with disabilities in front of or behind the camera. According to Novicki, winners receive $2,000 cash grants and $5,000 production grants from Adobe, Dell computers, IMDb Pro mentor meetings with executives from NBC Universal, Netflix, and Paramount Global. 'We get emails all the time, I mean, on a weekly and monthly basis, from studios, from networks that are actively trying to authentically cast people with disabilities and bring people in for roles that aren't written for disabled actors,' Novicki said. The competition has led to opportunities, including film challenge participant Nik Sanchez landing a role alongside Ben Affleck in 'The Accountant 2.' Filmmakers can register through March 31 at Watch the full interview with Weintraub and Novicki in the embed above. The post Easterseals Study Shows Stagnation in Disability Representation Despite $490 Billion Market | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
