A wrap-up from our two-day video production in Scotts Valley
We just wrapped an incredible two-day video shoot at our Scotts Valley, California offices, and the energy is still buzzing around the dfusion team. Led by Dr. Izzy Schieber, one of the principal investigators on this project, we successfully filmed 20 SkillFlix videos designed to improve substance use disorder treatment experiences and outcomes for autistic adults.
What Makes SkillFlix Different
SkillFlix represents a new approach to substance use treatment—one that recognizes the unique needs of autistic adults. Through video-based micro skills training, the project aims to make treatment less aversive while achieving better outcomes for this underserved population.
“We spoke with both substance use counselors as well as autistic adults who had gone through treatment to learn what’s been going on and what is needed by this population,” explains Dr. Schieber.
A Collaborative Production
This ambitious shoot was truly a team effort. The entire dfusion team contributed to the production, working alongside our partners at Second Peak LLC, the production company that helped bring our vision to life. In just 48 hours, we captured content that will directly impact how substance use treatment is delivered to autistic adults.
Authentic Representation Behind and In Front of the Camera
One of the most meaningful aspects of this production was our casting approach. Our videos feature a cast of neurodiverse individuals, as well as actors who have neurodiversity in their direct families. This authentic representation ensures that the experiences and perspectives shown in SkillFlix videos genuinely reflect the community we’re serving. The actors and the dfusion team made sure that their representations of autistic adults in recovery was accurate and respectful, with one actor noting that they had not previously thought about how autism could complicate substance use disorder treatment.
All the actors in this shoot returned from previous dfusion projects. We were thrilled to invite these talented individuals back to bring this shoot to life, and they were excited to work with dfusion again. There was mutual respect and trust between the actors and the dfusion team to address this much-needed topic.
Research-Informed Content
The content we filmed isn’t just theoretical—it’s grounded in real experiences and needs identified through extensive formative research. By listening to both treatment providers and autistic adults who have navigated the substance use treatment system, we’ve created training materials that address actual gaps and challenges in current approaches.
What’s Next
As we move into post-production, we’re excited about the potential impact these videos will have on substance use treatment. The SkillFlix approach represents a significant step forward in creating more inclusive, effective treatment experiences for autistic adults.
Stay tuned for updates as we continue developing this important project.