So how did Joshua and I end up at StoryCorps in the first place? Well, every school vacation since my kids were little, I’ve tried to have a one-on-one day with each of them, doing something fun … An entire day of Mom’s Undiluted Focus.

In February 2006, I was in year two and counting of a difficult divorce and to say that thing were difficult financially was an understatement. There was no way I could afford to take the kids away, but figured I could splurge enough to spend a fun day in New York City with each of the kids, doing something that they would enjoy. Amie, my artsy, musical daughter, wanted to go see “Wicked.” Joshua’s first response, inevitably, was that he wanted to go the Nintendo World store, the self-proclaimed “gaming paradise in the center of New York City.”

Now there are a lot of things that Joshua and I enjoy doing together, but video games are not one of them. Yes, I’ll admit to having suffered from a Tetris addiction when the original Game Boy came out – I think it was that corny Russian music. But if it’s a matter of spending hours in front of a screen playing some game involving a princess being saved by an elf or an Italian plumber, call me old-fashioned but I’d rather read a book.

But this was supposed to be Joshua’s day, so I agreed that we would go to the Nintendo Store. Being the evil parent that I am, however, I insisted that we do something else as well – something cultural preferably, but I was willing to accept pretty much anything that didn’t have to do with video games.

Unfortunately, Joshua wasn’t particularly forthcoming with other ideas.

…

“What do you think about going to StoryCorps?” I asked him. “You could interview me – you know, ask me anything you want and I’ll answer it.”

Joshua’s reaction was probably typical for a 12 year old boy who is being told he has to do something besides going to Nintendo World: “I dunno.”

“It’ll be fun!” I assured him.

He didn’t look entirely convinced.

Sometimes, Mom just has to make executive decisions. Clearly, this was one of those times.

And so, few weeks later, we found ourselves sitting on the Metro North train into the city, our action plan mapped out. Lunch at Mars 2112, a Martian-themed restaurant on the West Side, back to Grand Central for our StoryCorps session and then over to Rockefeller Center where teen-boy mecca Nintendo World is located.

Somewhere around Mamaroneck, I made Joshua put down his Nintendo DS and handed him my omnipresent writer’s notebook and pen.

“Write down some questions you want to ask me,” I said.

I expected grumbling, but he took the book and pen and started writing. I made the mistake of not looking at the questions when he handed the notebook back. I just stuck it in my bag.

After an entertaining meal at Mars 2112, complete with Martians, mad scientists, and gooey chocolate desserts, Joshua and I headed back to Grand Central Station and found the StoryCorps booth.

It’s almost surreal how quiet it is when you enter the booth, after navigating the noisy bustle of Grand Central. We sat on opposite sides of a small table, each with our own microphone. Our facilitator, did a sound check and adjusted the mikes for our voices. Like many kids with Aspergers, Joshua was born without volume control. He has one voice setting – loud.

Our facilitator asked us to each say the date and where we were conducting the interview, and then, with Joshua’s first question, it started.

The rest, as they say, is history. But not quite. Sarah and Joshua’s story continues. They will be featured on Good Morning America this Sunday, Mother’s Day. And of course, their lives go on outside of StoryCorps. Joshua is nearly ready to graduate high school. Sarah continues her life as a mother and her career as an author and writer. It’s one of the really great parts of documentary storytelling— the story lives on in interesting and unexpected ways.

Enjoy!

Q&A
Podpourri: Podcasts Come To Life – DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY
at Galapagos Art Space

Podpourri is a live variety show for the digital age: a night of readings, live comedy, and video from podcast and online personalities. Podpourri will be recorded live and released as a free podcast after the event. LIVE SHOW 8pm featuring: Comedian Kevin Allison (MTV’s The State, RISK! podcast), StoryCorps (NPR StoryCorps podcast), Writer Cindy Chupack (Sex and the City, Cedar City Falls, The Moth podcast), The Onion News Network, Nathan Manske (ImFromDriftwood.com), Flash Rosenberg (Artist-in-Residence for LIVE from the NY Public Library), Radio host Ben Harvey and comedian Dave Rubin (The Six Pack podcast) NETWORKING HOUR 7-8pm

Doors: 7:00pm | Networking Hour: 7:00-8pm | Show: 8:00pm
Admission $5

Q&A
Slamdance Film Festival – Park City, UT USA
Jan 22 – Technicolor Gallery
Jan 25 – Treasure Mountain Inn – Screening Room

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son.

Plays with Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae.
Buy tickets

When we received word that “Q&A” had been accepted to the Austin Film Festival, the invitation came with a request attached. “Would you be willing to have your film programmed in the documentary category instead of the animation category?,” asked the festival representative who contacted us. I hesitated momentarily. That would take us out of the running for Best Animated Short, which if we were lucky enough to win would qualify us for Oscar consideration. On the other hand, we were excited to be a part of the festival and happy to be flexible with where they wanted to program our film. I agreed to the switch.

A couple months later, I got another very unexpected call from Austin. We had won the Documentary Short Award! I was shocked that an animated documentary had won the jury’s vote over several live action competitors, but was glad that our agreement to switching categories had such a pleasant outcome.

The win was a chance to reflect on animation’s place in film today. As Pixar’s Brad Bird points out, animation is not a genre. It’s a medium. Documentary, Comedy, Drama, Western, and so on— those are genres! Many in the animation industry wish to see animation compete on equal footing with live action fare. Some people argue that there shouldn’t be an animation category at the Oscars at all. They are concerned that such a distinction ghettoizes animation. I agree. Our win in Austin encourages me to believe that audiences are getting closer every year to accepting Animation as an equal member of the film world, not a second class citizen.

Q&A
Short Short Story Film Festival
Screens twice on Saturday, November 28 (see below)

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son. Plays in Heart Strings.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Think Coffee 248 Mercer Street (at West 3rd), New York, NY
FREE (donations accepted)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28
1:00pm and 7:00pm
Cable Car Cinema & Cafe
204 South Main Street, Providence, RI
$7 Matinee, $9 Evening

Q&A
Foyle Film Festival – Derry, IRELAND
THE NERVE CENTRE, CINEMA 2

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son. Plays in Animations Package 2.

Q&A
FilmColumbia – Chatham, NY
Buy tickets

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son. Plays in “Animation for Grownups”.

Q&A
Ottawa International Animation Festival – Ottawa, ON CANADA
Buy tickets

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son. Plays in “Short Competition 1″.

Q&A
Austin Film Festival – Austin, TX USA
Buy tickets

In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feeling about Joshua as a son. Plays in “Shorts 9″.