Jack's direct route to success

Media student Jack Townsend is studying at London’s Kensington and Chelsea College on Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Ability Media project. He recently won a bursary to help him progress his career in the media. Answering our ten questions, he reveals that his spectrum of heroes runs from renaissance art to Pulp Fiction

What attracts you to TV production?
The knowledge that one good film can change someone’s perspective on life.

What do you enjoy about being a producer?
The fact that people have to listen to me when we are out filming.

What do you not like about it?
People don’t always listen to me.

What in life makes you angry?
Some people’s opinions about disabled individuals, for example how they sound, how they act and most of all what a disabled person looks like and is capable of. Some of the nicest and smartest people I have met have disabilities and I believe someone should not be judged by how they look or how they are affected by their disability. I think it is pathetic that some people still think like that in this day and age.

What one thing would you do to improve the lives of people with disabilities?  
Continue to make films about certain disabilities so that one day everyone will understand that we are not so different from everyone else.  

Name three things you never go out without?
Phone, wallet, sense of humour.

Who do you most admire in the media industry?
I admire Quentin Tarantino as a film-maker with dyslexia. He is easily one of my favourite directors. One film he made stands above them all for me, “Pulp Fiction”. He is an amazingly gifted film-maker.

Do you have any special hidden talents?
I can shake my pupils really fast.

How would you sum yourself up in ten words or less?
Funny, helpful, eclectic, knowledgeable, conscientious, articulate, but mostly modest.

Who is the disabled person you most admire?
I admire Leonardo da Vinci. He is thought to have had dyslexia and was easily distracted, like myself, but when
he dedicated himself to something he would spend relentless hours on it, and in the end he always created
a masterpiece.