The Illusion of Choice is a documentary which will reveal the life that many isolated parents did not choose; parents who have been thrown, by chance, into the gauntlet of caring for a profoundly disabled child. This film will explore how ordinary people can be strengthened, by love, to overcome extraordinary obstacles.

The film will reveal a day-in-the-life of these care-givers: exploring how it has affected their aims, beliefs and wellbeing; a love that brings parents to the brink of exhaustion and a responsibility which eclipse their work, social and personal lives.

Our mission

Our mission is to help show that these parent carers are not alone in their struggles. We hope to raise the public’s awareness of the sacrifices parent carers make; hopefully inspiring new support for existing charities and campaigns that support those in need.

We understand the importance of meeting ethical and safety standards for this film, especially in light of the subject matter, and are in constant contact with filmmakers who have had experience with these focuses in the past, to ensure standards are upheld throughout production. We will also ensure that all contributors will be fully informed, and supportive of the intentions of the documentary.

We hope to make a big difference, but we need your help.

Our Crew

Director, Roland Spencer;

Producer, Maddie Scarlett;

Writer/Researcher, Antje Mangeant;

Sound Designer, Zenely Martin Rios;

Director of Photography, Fiaz Shahpal;

Editor, Ben Pearson.

Our Budget

A typical factual feature of this type would cost £10,000 to make, we aim to do the same on a budget of £1,900, but where will this money go?

£300 for professional soundtrack composer

£700 for a week of crew accommodation

£300 for travel expenses

£200 for crew catering

£250 for specialist equipment

£50 for health and safety measures

up to £700 for distribution

For our creative vision to be safely carried out to a professional standard, our budget will go towards renting specialist filming equipment, hiring a talented composer and acquiring health and safety equipment. We believe a large percentage of our budget should go towards travelling around the UK, to ensure we can visit families who will best represent the caring community.

Any remaining funds will be used to distribute the documentary - for example, entering the final film into national documentary festivals - so that the film can be seen and screened to as many audiences as possible, amongst other distribution avenues which will allow greater exposure of the important issues this film will raise.

connect with us

We have several social media accounts where you can follow what we’re up to. Please like, comment and share our posts, and support the production in any way you can, every share helps us immensely. If you’re involved in any discussion relating to our documentary, then why not tag us so we can find out more about what you’re up to!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illusionofchoicedoc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ioc_doc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illusionofchoicedoc/

If you have any questions or queries email our team at illusionofchoicedoc@gmail.com

Donate now

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Please donate to our worthy cause, any amount will help us reach our target, and make sure these loving and caring parents can have the voice they deserve.

Maddie, Roland, Zenely, Antje, Ben, and Fiaz