Echo what matters

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Bryson and his film 'Spotlight Echoes'

Actor and filmmaker Bryson Mitchell tells us about his short film Spotlight Echoes, inspired by his journey with stammering, which you can watch below.

"Hi, I'm Bryson Mitchell, and as a 16-year-old actor and filmmaker from the USA, my stutter (or stammer) has deeply shaped my voice, literally and creatively. I just released a short film that I wrote, directed and acted in called Spotlight Echoes. It's all about youth empowerment and the courage it takes to speak up with a speech disorder. (Watch it above.) 

Inspired by my own journey, Spotlight Echoes follows a young actor called Bryson — named after me — who, after years of pursuing his acting dreams since childhood, lands his first television role. But then the challenges he faces with his stammer threaten to derail everything he's worked for. Hiding his struggle, he retreats from his passion and loses his sense of self. 

Even if my voice shakes or repeats, it can still hold truth, purpose and impact.

Years later he meets a boy called Nolan, who also dreams of being an actor even though he has his own speech challenges. Through mentoring Nolan to embrace rather than hide his differences, Bryson rediscovers his authentic voice and purpose. You can watch Spotlight Echoes below.

The film was made with a $3,000 grant through Big Brothers Big Sisters and RFK Human Rights. It's the most personal project I've ever created and the one I'm proudest of. 

Echoes carry

I called it Spotlight Echoes because for years I felt like my stammer had the power to cancel out whatever I was trying to say. I used to think, "No one would listen to someone like me". My words didn't feel like they had weight — they felt like echoes. Not statements, just sounds bouncing back at me. In the film I use the phrase 'Echo what matters', which is the inverse of that. It's a reclaiming. It means that echoes do carry, and what they carry can matter — if you choose what to fill them with. Even if my voice shakes or repeats, it can still hold truth, purpose and impact.

What do I hope viewers who stammer get out of watching my film? I hope it shows you that your voice matters — even when it shakes — and that healing often starts by helping someone else find theirs.

Would you like to write an article about your journey with stammering? Or would you like to share something you've created? See Submit Something For The Site or email editor@stamma.org for details.

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