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seeing with sound (43 mb - quicktime)

format - hd

credits
director - donnie eichar
producer - current tv
director of photography - john malvino
editor - chris zeller

A blind teen overcomes his disability thru echolocation

original film treatment:
completely blind since the age of 3, after retinal cancer claimed both his eyes, ben underwood has learned to perceive and locate objects by making a steady stream of sounds with his tongue, then listening for the echoes as they bounce off the surfaces around him. this extremely rare technique is called echolocation, and many species; most notably bats and dolphins use it to get around. ben is one of only a handful of people in the world to use echolocation. ben's remarkable abilities make it possible for him to skateboard and rollerblade as well as walk unassisted.

in this piece we will explore ben's extraordinary gift of echolocation, a reflecting interview with ben's mother and friends as well we will speak with dan kash, leading psychologist and authority on echomobility and pushing the limits of human perception.

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