Lilburn Filmmakers Fill a Special Need

Only minutes into watching the movie, I knew I was going to love "Special Needs," an independent film made by Lilburnites Sharon and Scott Bryan Sowers.

Full disclosure up front: My daughter has autism. It's probably not possible for me to write an objective article about the film, so I'm not even going to try.

If you've met one autistic person, the saying goes, you've met one autistic person -- each is a snowflake made up of his or her own unique bundle of ideosyncracies and personality.

Still, there are plenty of similarities; And so I immediately identified with the opening scene of the movie, feeling I knew exactly what the father was thinking as he watched his special-needs daughter board a school bus: "Will she be ok and safe today? Tomorrow? And after that?"

"We combined a bunch of stories into one life," said Sharon Sowers. "It's a combination of what we go through every day and things that have happened to us or to friends."

And, in this movie, you likely will identify a need or two of your own.

The movie is a love story on so many levels. There's the traditional love story, but a love of family and community also permeates the film.

Viewers will enjoy seeing familiar scenes, since the movie was filmed in and around Lilburn. You will see Eagle's Landing in Lawrenceville and Bay Creek Park in Grayson, among others.

The Sowers worked on a shoestring budget, and friends, family and well-wishers came together to make it work. All of the Sowers family played in the film.

"Everybody who worked on the film worked for free," Sharon said. "They said, 'I can do a day or two.'"

That meant some could only be on night shoots, others on weekends.

"It was really wild," Sowers said.

And it got complicated when actors shed a jacket in part of a scene because the weather changed. Then, parts had to be reshot so that everyone was wearing the same clothing throughout the scene.

The music is original and delightful. It's composed by Sharon Sowers, Chris Garner (who stars as Bobby Spencer in the movie) and other locals.

I think I love everything about the movie except that the Bobby Spencer character doesn't wear a seatbelt.

What's your special need?

For more information or to buy the film, see the movie's website. "Special Needs" costs $12.95, and $2 of that is donated to the charity of the buyer's choice.