Helping you get it right the first time.

Speak to Tilly about how to work with Disabled Talent.

With almost 10 years of experience working in the industry and pushing for increased representation of disability in media, Tilly now offers her inclusion expertise to others.

Hiring inclusive talent is fantastic, but it then becomes your responsibility to get the narrative right, portray the individual correctly and keep them safe on set. After years pushing for inclusion in the industry, Tilly found herself having to speak up many times when it wasn't being done right. And now she's here to share what she's learned to help you get it right the first time.

"Working with Tilly was such an eyeopening experience for how accessibility needs should, and can, be met. She not only went above and beyond to do the research and consult with me ahead of time, which then ensured that I would have the accessibility requirements to comfortably work together in the environment, but she calmly and quickly found solutions to make any of the unforeseen adaptions needed throughout the day with ease.  Never did I feel like my needs were a hassle, and because of her hard work, the shoot and day went smoothly and successfully.”

Reedan, Model. Wheelchair user

  • Discuss your narrative, your goals and how to get it right as you start to pull your production together. This could range from styling disabled talent so that the particulars of their disability are accommodated, working out if the set you’re building is actually accessible, or planning creative ways to showcase disability authentically.

  • Book Tilly to join you on set to ensure all needs are met on the day. Tilly can also be available to your crew to ensure your company's narrative and placement of disabled talent within a shot is authentic; Tilly will be able to suggest small changes where necessary - and sometimes small changes make the biggest difference.

  • Go over your set with Tilly virtually or in person to ensure that you have created an authentic, inclusive and safe set.

Case Studies

Example 1:

The job: An international campaign cast a disabled model with a lower limb prosthetic. They flew him across the world and had him in all of the marketing. Budgets were high and they even adapted a product to reflect the model's disability. This was all fantastic.

Where they went wrong: When the campaign came out, the way the company had chosen to showcase the prosthetic limb was by rolling up the disabled model's pant leg. Every other model had the same pants on and no one else had them rolled up. They also placed the disabled model at the forefront of every shot resulting in almost a trophy style "hoorah".

What they could have done: Preproduction call with Tilly to discuss styling. If all the models were matching, then could they have adjusted the pants for all models to show a bit of leg? If they couldn’t, could the posed 'hero shot' have included sitting so that the model with the prosthetic leg could have shown the ankle part of their prosthetic subtly? Did the disabled model need to be at the front of every shot? What was the reasoning behind that? Was it because of his prosthetic? If so, could he have not been included with the other models to showcase disability more subtly?

Example 2:

The job: A stills production hires a blind model for their campaign. This is their first time of working with disabled talent and the client is thrilled.

Where they went wrong: When the disabled model arrives on set, no one on the crew has worked with a blind model before. No one has asked for any prior information on what her needs are, and no one knows how to manage the situation. The photo crew have set up and signposted danger points with tape and signs. No one has mapped out any trip hazards to the model audibly and when the model is being photographed, the photographer is 10ft away in a noisy environment using hand signals to communicate.

What they could have done: Booked Tilly to be present at the shoot. Tilly could have been the disability advocate and ensured the set was a safe environment for the model to be in. Whilst the model was being photographed, Tilly also could have been standing off set but closer to the model to ensure that within the loud and busy environment, the model could clearly hear and understand instructions.