Can you Help? These people are taking the piss.

[MunchinMark]

Sadly I recently became unemployed. A bugger yes, but not nearly as bad as what happened next.

I'm under 25 so Social Security put me on something called the 'New Deal'. This is supposed to be a way to help me find work. That's fine by me.

The New Deal people have sent me on a 2 week course. This is also fine.

On the course we have been told to work in a group to produce a ten minute video. In a week. Using just the video camara.

What? I want a job, not an Oscar.

I have a week to produce a short film with just a camara and four stoned out arseholes whose suggestions have so far consisted of "point it out the window" and "dur." And if I don't do something, my benefit money gets cut off and I starve.

So. Are is there anyone here has any ideas for plot, filming or even motivating people who really do not give a shit?
Unfortunately anything erotic really does not appeal to me here. These guys just aren't my type. Or many other people's I should imagine.

 

[Azwed]

Well we have some film like people around here. DCL is in showbiz and all I am sure he could give you some ideas.

 

[morninggirl5]

That sounds like it's some sort of team building/cooperation exercise.

Do I understand correctly that you cannot use any type of props?

If you can, my first thought to motivate the others is to find something anything they're interested in and make a How-to. It could be how to change the oil in a car or how to clean a gun, just something they like to do, so they'll get off their behinds and help you complete the project.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

I'm sorry, but what kind of government program is this again that forces you to make a movie?!!!

These are all unemployed guys, right? It's the Christmas season, right? Put desperation and a time of faith together and make a documentary about the guys called "God Help Me."

Take each guy into a room, alone, with exceptionally good lighting and acoustics (nothing is worse than watching a video with bad lighting and sound) and ask him about Religion. Do you beleive in God? Ever see a miracle? Do you think God is dead? What faith were brought up in? And, finally, where is God in your life?

Get about 20 minutes of tape on each guy.

Then put them all together and quiz them on Bible questions like "What were the names of Adam and Eve's kids?" Etc. The questions don't matter. Neither do the answers, for that matter. What matters is that God is on everyone's mind this time of year, especially if you're out of work. And once you broach the subject, you'll find that people have a LOT to say on the matter that's deeply personal.

But you have to put them in a private, secure room first, or they won't open up. And be prepared with questions. Don't make it a dialogue, make it an Interview. Don't have them talk into the camera, but to you, off to the side.

They'll talk. Even the most psychotic, close-mouthed, ignorant drunk can wax poetic about God if you let him.

Once you have about 40 minutes of stuff you can edit it down to a tight 10, intercutting all the scenes.

If you can't do any editing then I'd say just chuck the interviews out the window and go right to the group "Quiz" section -- but making sure that you get them to talk about their personal religious feelings.

It doesn't matter what they reveal, or how seriously they treat it. You're noty making a film about religion -- but about these particular men -- and how men react to profound questions (or how they don't react) is always telling and dramatic.

Or just film them making funny orders at the McDonald's Drive-thru.

 

[MunchinMark]

I'm not sure about a religious quiz (I'd not do too well myself and one of these guys is a Sikh), but maybe I could get these guys talking about the religious nature of the month and what it means to them personally.

I don't think we have the use of anything other than the camara so perhaps a round-the table discussion is in order.

That I would never have come up with in a million years, thankyou.

Yes it is a very strange requirement in my opinion. But it was created by New Labour (the 'New' is part of the name), who sponsor bands and I keep seeing Tony Blair brandishing a Fender.

Team building is no doubt the purpose. But I don't have a high opinion of these people at all and do not want to drag this out all by myself. Especially since at the point of writing I haven't even touched a video camara.

I'd love to be proved wrong about them but I don't think I will be.

Thanks again.

 

[Azwed]

See I told you DCL could come up with something good for this. I am creative but not in this kind of way so knew i could be of no help.