Plan F 2006
Distributed by Fanlight Productions, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Courtney Cole and Casey Hayward
Director n/a
DVD, color, 28 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Disability Studies
Date Entered: 09/30/2009
Reviewed by Leigh Mihlrad, Schaffer Library of Health Sciences, Albany Medical College, Albany, NYPlan F is the story of Edward Marko, a 70+ year old mechanic suffering from infantile glaucoma who gradually lost his sight over 50 years ago. After working as a rehabilitation counselor for over 20 years, he began doing auto work for neighbors as a hobby; it evolved into Marko running his own shop, Community Car Care in Ohio.
Citing his work as “unremarkable,” Marko comments on how much work all mechanics do without sight. He feels tools with his hands and tongue and then conceptualizes them in his mind. Plan F takes place entirely at his auto body shop; a lack of natural light is noticeable throughout. His cat, Penny, (also listed in the final credits) is in scenes throughout the documentary, and this helps break up some of the film’s monotony.
While Marko’s story is worthy, it does not lend itself well to video. The story is slow-moving. Sometimes it is hard to tell if Marko is talking to himself, the camera, or his co-worker, or if he is on the telephone. Accessible viewing options, including captions and descriptions, help with this. Plan F would work better as a written piece.