Doc. Talk

I am currently teeter-tottering between two documentaries: introducing one of the adolescent Syrian refugees OR the pollution status of White Rock Lake. The direction is not set in stone due to a lack of opportunity, rather than decisiveness. If I am contacted back by the International Rescue Committee within the week, I'll run with the first idea. Otherwise, I'll pursue the second.

Awareness is the first step toward acceptance. Given the fact these refugees only arrived a couple months ago, they are battling with the predispositions of prejudice people, who see them and think "war." It's this exact reason I find the film idea both compelling and necessary. The hero will undoubtedly be the young Syrian refugee, presented as an observational documentary. Visual aspects with feature the "day-to-day" life of said subject. 

The question regarding White Rock Lake's current cleanliness increases by the year, as well as the surrounding pollution. If I were to run with this idea, the hero would be one person dedicated to cleaning the lake. A devout member of "For the Love of the Lake" could easily serve as that. It would be expository in make-up, leaving the viewer with a solidified opinion based off the evidence presented in the film. White Rock is a naturally visually compelling location, and I would most likely include a time-lapsed shot of sunrise or sunset. 

For now- the waiting game.

Over the past weekend, I watched the film "Stories We Tell." Throughout it, whenever they were talking about Sarah Polley, the mom, old film archives would play. Not only was it visually compelling, but the hero being the mother provided for an authentic connection between audience and film. This observational documentary was rated poorly, however, I personally found it inherently beautiful in its simplicity.