Thinking in pictures: why dyslexia is film production's secret strength

How and when you were diagnosed as dyslexic, and how does dyslexia present for you?  

Daisy Thompson: I don’t remember exactly when I was diagnosed, but I know it was early on. My mum is severely dyslexic, and they could tell from a young age that I was struggling. I couldn’t read or write, so they took me for a dyslexia test as soon as they could. I didn’t read my first book until I was 15, and it was a huge struggle for me. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that things started to click. I’ve always had to visualise words and letters, which has been a big part of my experience with dyslexia.  

I would mix up letters and words, and just couldn’t get what was in my brain on paper like other people.

Sophia Ogilvie: I don’t remember the exact moment I was diagnosed, but I know I was around eight or nine when I started receiving learning support at school. I didn’t really hear the term "dyslexia" until later, but I always knew I had difficulty reading and spelling. I would mix up letters and words, and just couldn’t get what was in my brain on paper like other people, but it was just referred to as a learning disability, which is true too!  

Daisy Thomson, Head of New Business, and Sophia Ogilvie, Production Manager at Mad Cow Films. 

How has it impacted your lives and the development of your careers?  

DT: Dyslexia impacted my confidence growing up. I felt ashamed of my struggles with reading and writing. But as I got older, I realised that being book-smart wasn’t the only way to succeed. I started to focus on my creative skills and social intelligence, which helped me get into the industry and progress. I think dyslexia made me work harder in different ways, and ultimately it gave me a different perspective that’s been really valuable in my career.  

When I was 18 and entered the working world, I was pleasantly surprised by the empathy and patience I was shown when I messed up 

SO: In terms of my career, dyslexia initially made me really self-conscious, especially when it came to writing and I never saw myself as intelligent because of it, which I think always holds people back by way of limiting what you believe you’re capable of.  I used to feel a lot of shame about making mistakes (especially when they are glaringly obvious) which is probably because when I was younger they were often put down to laziness or lack of care. 

When I was 18 and entered the working world, I was pleasantly surprised by the empathy and patience I was shown when I messed up (which was a lot) and learnt that there is no shame in asking someone to proofread an email even if they are your superior. Because of this I honestly feel that on a macro level it hasn’t affected me too much, but it has in the way of how I view myself. I find myself now having to remind myself that I can write, I just can’t spell.  

Sophia and Daisy developed stronger social skills and interpersonal intelligence as a result of their dyslexia. 

How do you think neurodivergence affects creativity?  

SO: I definitely think it has had a positive impact on my creativity. Because I learnt things differently, I developed a more visual way of thinking. I often think in images or visuals, rather than words. For example, when I work on scripts or brainstorm ideas, I subconsciously visualise them, often in extreme detail, and that helps later on when it comes to implementing them.  

I can think outside the box in ways that I might not have otherwise because I’ve learned to think differently.  

DT: I think dyslexia has definitely enhanced my creativity. I tend to visualise everything in my head. I’m not as good at just processing words on paper, but when I think about a script or a project, I see it come to life in my mind. I also think I’m more empathetic and able to understand people, which helps with building relationships and managing projects. I can think outside the box in ways that I might not have otherwise because I’ve learned to think differently.  

People with dyslexia often have a much more visual way of thinking, which can help when brainstorming and working on scripts. 

Sometimes neurodivergent conditions are perceived as offering 'superpowers', or at least leading to enhanced performance in some areas. What is your experience of this?  

SO: I think dyslexia helps build "superpowers." I feel my creativity and visual thinking is strong because that was the easiest way to learn, so I ended up working that muscle all the time using visual cues to learn things that confused me, whereas other people didn’t need to. I find this well really useful when it comes to problem solving, as I visualise the scenario or situation and work out what would need to be done to solve it   

I’ve had to rely on my creativity and social intelligence more than I would have if I were naturally able to read and write quickly.

DT: I agree. There’s definitely a "superpower" element to it. I’ve had to rely on my creativity and social intelligence more than I would have if I were naturally able to read and write quickly. It’s like my brain works in different ways, and it’s helped me solve problems in innovative ways. I wouldn’t say it’s always easy, but it’s definitely led me to develop unique skills.