TIN SOLDIERS: Examining A Child’s Struggles with ADHD, and The Importance Of Therapy In Treating It
Does medicating children for ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) heal their affliction’s outward problems while impairing their imagination? Can holistic, one-on-one behavioral therapy blend with traditional medicine to keep kids acting and feeling like kids while they learn to become more attentive? How is a child’s personality, brain and behavior impacted when he, she or they lack personalized care? What can parents do to find that care and fit it successfully alongside their kids’ medication? What impact does consuming that medication while having no access to psychological treatment have on a child?
Writer/director Aris Federman’s poignant short drama Tin Soldiers asks those questions while portraying the struggles of life with ADHD through the journey of a young man, Caius (played as an adolescent by Wake Ritter, then as a teenager by Reece Brigman). While Caius is fascinated by the mechanical movements of a tin soldier toy he constantly winds up, his teacher (Marissa Cherry), concerned over his study time daydreaming and obnoxious attitude towards his classmates, persuades his mother (Leanne Johnson) to give him medicine that will both calm him down and make him more interested in his schoolwork.
As Caius matures, however, that medication changes him and his brain from buoyant to bleak, worrying his mom and inhibiting both his personality and his willingness to discuss his troubles. Years later, an emotionally rejuvenated Caius (played by Federman in the film’s ending) becomes a therapist in adulthood, assisting a father (Essex Berry) whose child Andre (Kaison McKnight) is affected by ADHD, and convincing them both that talking about the disorder can go a long way towards treating it.
Although Tin Soldiers does not disdain pharmaceutical methods of addressing ADHD — the movie advocates for medicinal treatment of the condition while mixing it with holistic therapy — it is a film that Federman feels can convince families, educators and doctors to integrate that therapy in their care for children with ADHD, and it is a story that its creator hopes will make audiences take a new look at how both styles of treatment can improve pre-teens and young adults’ lives.
Produced by Federman’s Memphis, Tennessee-headquartered company Blue Oak Productions and with festival submissions for the film being pursued, Tin Soldiers is both a proud professional undertaking for the multi-hyphenate and, as he tells me in this interview, a project based on his own lifelong issues with ADHD.
Chris Hadley: Tin Soldiers is a very personal film for you, given that you grew up with (and continue to live with) ADHD. In what ways have your own experiences with that disorder inspired not just the storyline of this film but also the character, Caius, who struggles with it?
Aris Federman (writer/director/co-star, Tin Soldiers): The film’s development, in many ways, struck very close to home. There was a concerted effort to not just make this a film about any individual experience though, instead opting for a wider message. Tangibly, we see Caius’s condition impact his grades and classroom behavior, but ultimately the film is less about his ability to focus and more about his struggle to understand himself, his situation, and discovering a sense of normalcy in an environment that lacked a deeper therapeutic element.
CH: Besides your life with ADHD, what else inspired you to make this film? Were there any other stories of people affected by ADHD that you kept in mind while developing the concept of and characters for Tin Soldiers?
AF: When writing, I put an emphasis on researching the issue from a variety of perspectives. That research took me beyond personal experience. It was important to me that I discuss the script with psychologists and other professionals in the space to hear their perspectives. Those conversations were highly informative in crafting the larger narrative. Caius is struggling to articulate himself, how he is feeling, and to keep his footing at such a formative age — but the story doesn’t have a clear antagonist. Everyone, from the psychiatrists to his teacher and mother, are trying to help but missing the mark.
The antagonist here is the approach (that) we, societally, take to the problem. It’s a big problem, too, with many facets that our research uncovered. Original drafts touched on a variety of topics- including how women face a different challenge entirely, typically being under diagnosed. Ultimately, we had to hone in on a single narrative or story, but there is much to be uncovered and addressed.
CH: Though Tin Soldiers emphasizes the need for holistic therapeutic treatment for ADHD and that it encourages parents to find the kind of treatment that they feel works best for their kids, it does not argue against the use of medication alongside behavioral therapy. In writing the story and characters for this film, how did you work to make its perspective on ADHD treatment both nuanced and not overly anti-medicine while also arguing that holistic behavioral therapy should be used in conjunction with traditional medicine?
AF: It was integral to me that the film not come across as anti-medication, despite the struggles Caius might have had with them over the course of his narrative. Treatment is a personal journey and in many cases, medications can have profoundly positive effects on people. I didn’t want to discredit people who have had positive experiences.
The core message here is that medication isn’t a “fix-all” and shouldn’t be the first line of defense regarding this issue, especially surrounding young children. All treatment plans need to be paired with a therapeutic element. If Caius had access to that kind of care, he likely would’ve been able to understand his situation or articulate his feelings in a more direct way.
CH: At the same time, what did you do from a medical standpoint to ensure that ADHD, its symptoms and its treatments were accurately portrayed in the film’s narrative and through both the child and teenage versions of Caius?
AF: While personal experience played a large role, the script was developed on the back of significant research. We also sought out the perspectives of psychologists and ADHD coaches on the concept. The script/concept itself underwent something near twenty drafts as we consistently uncovered new information and considered different perspectives. We also had a fantastic cast on this film — and the boys playing Caius (Wake & Reece) had done a great job in researching the issue and weaving that into their characters. Their work informed many of the choices they made as actors, and I believe the result of their research shines through on-screen.
CH: How did you find the film’s cast, including the two young actors who played Caius?
AF: We put out a casting call! We had the privilege of seeing so many fantastic actors for this film. The most memorable pieces of the casting process were the conversations held about the film’s topic itself. Many actors offered up their own, unique perspectives on the film’s message and characters. Those discussions, seeing who resonated with the core story, were important to the casting process. The cast of the film is fantastic and I feel a deep gratitude for the opportunity to have told this story with them.
CH: What was the production process like for Tin Soldiers — not just in putting together the script and the research that you and your team did in making it a realistic look at ADHD but also in the actual filming of the project?
AF: Several visual elements of the film are intended to bring people into the trenches of Caius’s mind. He’s a young kid undergoing a treatment process that’s happening “to him” as opposed to “with him”. To simulate this, I tried to create a sense of intentional disorientation — dropping the audience in mid-scene, leaving them to fill in the gaps, just like Caius. The gradual loss of color was also important to depicting Caius’s mental state.
As he grows older, the colors of the film begin to fade or desaturate (this was executed in both post-production and via costume/production design choices). This visual mechanism is a reinforcing tool used to illustrate where Caius is regarding his mental health. I believe the strongest story-telling tool in the film is the tin soldier itself. What seems to be an innocent toy quickly becomes a parallel to Caius. It’s a mechanical toy — meant to be wound up with the sole purpose of marching. This is how Caius begins to feel in the throws of his treatment: like something mechanical, intended to march, free of individuality.
CH: Your studio, Blue Oak Productions, made Tin Soldiers. Describe how this film not only forwards the creative mission of the company but also your own philosophy as a filmmaker and your aspirations for both this project and the other work that Blue Oak does.
AF: Our mission regarding the narrative content we develop has always been to “branch out beyond the ordinary”. It’s important to our team that we tell impactful stories about human adversity in creative ways. Regardless of the topic, we put an emphasis on ensuring the stories we tell are deeply relatable to something innate in every person. We believe Tin Soldiers fits right in line with that mission.
CH: How, if at all, will this movie help children and parents to better talk about and treat ADHD?
AF: The film is really aimed towards parents and decision makers, to empower them to review the full spectrum of treatment options for their child. We also hope that the film helps people struggling with similar issues feel seen, knowing that they aren’t alone.
CH: How will the film help ADHD sufferers of all ages to be more open about the ways the disorder affects them while also encouraging them to mix behavioral therapy with medication for their ADHD?
AF: People are individuals, which is why the idea that there is a single “fix” doesn’t work. We’re all unique and feeling open and supported in explaining what treatment options are working and which aren’t should be a personal, tailored journey. The tin soldier is an important allegorical prop in the film, a mechanical toy to be wound up — its sole purpose is to march. It’s a contrast to Caius. People aren’t like that. We hope the film encourages those with ADHD to feel a sense of empowerment in advocating for their experience and treatment.
CH: In what ways, if any, will this film help doctors and therapists to better treat children with ADHD?
AF: We are seeing a growing movement toward pairing treatments with therapy, but as of now that is only the case for about one third of children. We hope this film helps boost those numbers.
CH: What resources, if any, will you and the movie’s producers make available to parents of children with ADHD, to sufferers of ADHD, and to doctors and therapists who specialize in treating ADHD?
AF: The film’s aim is to start a conversation and to help those going through similar experiences feel seen. We want to empower decision makers to research the full spectrum of treatment options. There is incredible research being done every day surrounding new and innovative treatments- gamified, digital treatment options come to mind. Above all else, it is important to our team that parents and decision makers open a space for conversation and a consistent dialogue with children undergoing treatment, so that they may fight for the best solution for each individual.
CH: How has making this film impacted you — both as a storyteller and as someone who still lives with ADHD?
AF: Caius really struggles to articulate or understand what he is going through. That’s something I relate to. I think the creation of this film was also a way for me to process my experience and articulate it through a medium I know well.
CH: Overall, what are your hopes for the success of Tin Soldiers — not just as a movie but also as something that can bring about positive change in the lives of people affected both directly and indirectly by ADHD and as something that will encourage people to use therapy along with medicine to treat the problem?
AF: I want people to feel seen and I want them to feel empowered. As reflected in the film, people often don’t know the right questions to ask when embarking on this journey. Hopefully, the film helps generate a conversation about how to approach treatment and about what options are available.
For more information about Federman’s production company Blue Oak Productions, visit:
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