The Spellbound Experience

By: Ashley T. White

Being featured in Spellbound was the opportunity of a lifetime.  It was one of the most exciting times of my childhood and I am glad I was one of the selected few to have the Spellbound Experience.  I am very grateful to its producers, Jeffrey Blitz and Sean Welch for choosing me as one of the students to be profiled.  Jeff was wonderful at making me feel natural in front of the camera while being videotaped at home and at school.  Sean was an excellent source of encouragement during the taping of Spellbound and afterward. Years after Spellbound was taped, he met with me and my infant daughter and told me that I could still do all the things that I desired to do in life. I appreciate his sincerity and will never forget it. 

Spellbound showed me my true self and my true strengths.  The documentary reminded me of how much courage and determination I had as a young teenager in middle school.  Although I did not win the National Spelling Bee, I was still considered a winner because I was enthusiastic and optimistic about competing with hundreds of other teens in the nation.  I will always cherish the experience I had in meeting other kids from diverse backgrounds and creating friendships out of those encounters.  

The “Spellbound” experience continues to play a major role in my life.  Not only has the documentary created popularity for me, but it has peaked my interest in film and ultimately created my passion for television production.  When I first viewed Spellbound, I was amazed at how the footage recorded by the producers was pieced together.  The video was constructed into a wonderful tale of a variety of kids’ stories and their preparation for the 1999 Scripps Howard Spelling National Bee.  Sitting in awe as I viewed the final product in New York, I automatically fell in love with production.  The images, the stories, and its ability to impact a group of people in a positive way made me realize how much my story and character inspired others.  This made me want to be an inspiration to people on a daily basis, not just in front of the camera but behind the scenes, as well.  What better way to do that than to attempt to follow in the footsteps of the “Spellbound” producers?

For a copy of  “Spellbound”:   http://www.amazon.com