Film 3: Using NFTs to destigmatise dyslexia

The convergence between filmmaking and web3 is emerging. The movement, known as Film3 throughout the creative economy, is attracting a growing number of new and experienced filmmakers, who are exploring how blockchain, crypto, NFTs and DAOs can help finance, franchise, market and distribute films. While a number of film3 projects gaining attention in the news have leveraged web3 technologies to raise money for the production of their films, some creators are entering the ecosystem to promote the message of films already made. Award-winning screenwriter and director, Ann Hu, is one of them.

Just in time for Dyslexia Awareness Month, which is October, Hu hopes to cultivate a deeper level of awareness in the global population about dyslexia – a difference in learning that affects how a person processes words, letters and directions – through a new NFT collection, based on her popular independent film, CONFETTI. Capturing elements of her own personal story, the film tells the journey of a young Chinese mother and her dyslexic daughter, as they leave their small town in China for New York City in search of a proper education for the girl. While navigating a series of rejections, trials and tribulations, the film spotlights the unique challenges and gifts of people with dyslexia, as well as the generosity of the human spirit.

Dyslexia does not discriminate. Regardless of culture, language or upbringing, 1 in 10 people around the world has dyslexia. In the same way, research shows that many individuals who are gifted in spatially oriented professions, such as art, mathematics, architecture and physics are dyslexic. According to the private practice, Minnesota Neuropsychology, gifted students with dyslexia “often have big ideas, are often aware of high-level conceptual connections, and are often very creative thinkers.”

Hu was first exposed to NFTs when she was preparing for the launch CONFETTI in the UK last year. “A dyslexic audience member came up to me in tears after we did a preview CONFETTI and told me that he would not have gotten divorced if he had seen this movie 20 years ago, says Hu.

“Their child was dyslexic like him and he and his wife blamed each other. He was a web3 guy and insisted that I open up the NFT space to engage the global dyslexic population quickly. I soon realized the brilliant point he was making – that NFTs are probably the fastest way to engage the population and connect globally. Now I am about our NFT movement.”

Ann Hu, writer and director of CONFETTI

On October 20, Hu will hold a BAFTA red carpet screening CONFETTI along with an event to showcase two CONFETTI NFTs that will be free to all attendees. Later this month, she plans to launch a complete collection of 2,022 digital artworks depicting the main characters of the film. Holders of this NFT will have access to educational resources about dyslexia. The majority of the proceeds from NFT sales will go to dyslexia-focused organisations, such as the British Dyslexia Association. As the project develops, Hu’s vision is to make NFT art created by dyslexic artists accessible and to produce a dyslexia-focused identity movement.

Regarding misconceptions she has observed about dyslexia, Hu said, “Unfortunately, the public perception of dyslexia is so far from the truth. Dyslexia is not a disability. It has nothing to do with a person’s intellectual level. Dyslexia means a learning preference that is different from the usual.”

As web3 proliferates industries, many of the community’s pioneers and creators want to be considered anything but mainstream. So Hu is in good company.