I have Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). APD is a condition that makes it difficult for my brain to process and filter out noise. Noises that seem faint to others, can sound roaringly loud to me. When I’m in a loud environment, like a sports stadium, or even a quiet one with random, incoherent noises, I have an extremely hard time blocking them out, making it very challenging for me to focus on whatever task I’m doing.
This is an experience I’ve lived every day of my life, in every environment I go in: standardized testing rooms, classrooms, buses, large arenas, in line at the DMV, etc. My mom tells me that as a baby, I used to scream when she’d push me in the shopping cart over the bumpy, crunchy gravel parking lot at the market.
But as I’ve grown older, I’ve found coping mechanisms, one of them being music. Music, having a clear rhythmic structure and pattern, helps grab my attention and filter out distracting noise when I’m in a loud environment. I also just have a deep love for music, it relaxes and soothes me, and I have learned to always have it playing. When Apple AirPods released its noise-canceling feature, I was psyched. This product absolutely changed the game for me.
So, as a long-time lover of Apple product commercials, I decided to make one of my own.
“At Sea” is a short experimental Apple spec ad that tells a story about how AirPods, with their noise cancellation feature, give people the ability to escape their reality, and transcend into a state of bliss whenever they need a moment to re-center, Going for a very “Apple-y” approach, I wanted my spec ad to make people to feel and experience the benefit of the product feature, not just talk about it.
Drawing from my special connection to AirPods through my APD, I wanted to attempt to tell a story similar to Apple’s recently released “The Lost Voice” spot. The ad communicates that though Apple cannot actually offer a cure for disabilities such as losing one’s voice to a disease, its products and innovative features are the next best alternative. They are powerful tools that allow any and all people to be their best selves. Not only applying to people with physical disabilities, but also people who are neurodivergent, or have learning challenges, like me.
