“Out of My Mind” Director and Star Share How the Bestselling Novel Became a Disney Movie at Sundance

Sharon M. Draper’s best-selling novel Out of My Mind is now a Disney Original Movie, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be coming to Disney Channel and Disney+ later this year. Following a Sundance screening I attended, director Amber Sealey and star Phoebe-Rae Taylor participated in an audience question and answer session, which offered a look behind the scenes.

Based on The New York Times bestselling novel by Sharon M. Draper, producer Peter Saraf’s daughter was among its many young fans, which is how it got on his radar to seek the film rights. The book and film tell the story of a tween with cerebral palsy who dreams of having a way to communicate so she can make friends and not miss out on these formative experiences. When advocates are able to get her an expensive AAC device (Augmented and Alternative Communication), it opens up a whole new world for Melody.

One of the aspects that director Amber Sealey could easily identify with was a scene where Melody’s parents attend an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting with her school. A parent in the audience commented about the authenticity of the scene and the careful balance parents of kids with special needs face of trying to fight for their kid without making enemies of the people in charge of their child’s plan.

The purpose of an IEP is to meet the unique needs of a child at school so they can excel. With a non-ambulatory star and a cast that includes a classroom full of kids with unique needs, a lot of care and planning went into making the film set as inclusive as possible. This level of thought also extended to the crew, and Amber added that it didn’t cost much to make these changes to a film set to be more inclusive of people with different needs and abilities.

(Sundance Institute/Michael Hurcomb)

Phoebe-Rae Taylor could relate to her character, Melody. Although she goes to school in the United Kingdom, her school experience has been similar to Melody’s, complete with bullying from peers and teachers who treat her differently. Unlike Melody, Phoebe-Rae is verbal and shared that she was 10 years old when the casting call went out for Out of My Mind, a book she was already a fan of. Her favorite part of the filming experience was the scenes set at Melody’s school, where she quickly bonded with the other kids on set and made friends. “Those kids are the most genuine, kind people I’ve ever met,” she said.

Several audience members were already familiar with the book, and a child asked about a character they were sad to see cut from the film – a dog named Biscuit. Amber Sealey jokingly placed the blame on screenwriter Daniel Steipleman before explaining that film adaptations of books usually require some changes. Since Biscuit didn’t drive the plot forward, he was left out. She did, however, share that she’d love to include the dog if there’s to be a sequel. Fans of the book can rest assured that Melody’s other pet, a jumping goldfish who graced the novel’s cover, successfully made the leap to the screen.

In the audience were two parents with their own child with cerebral palsy, which led to a tearful moment of gratitude when the mother stood up to thank the director and star for bringing this story to life. “I want kids or people with disabilities to realize they’re not alone,” Phoebe-Rae Taylor responded. Amber Sealey shared that she will be taking part in an impact campaign with a goal for there to be community and school screenings of the film, in much the same way that the novel became a part of school curriculums.

While Disney hasn’t revealed an exact release date for Out of My Mind, Amber Sealey shared that she believes the film will be released this fall. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.