Purpose: make people aware of a SF-run organization named “United Playaz” and how it reaches to troubled youth in order to strengthen their self-confidence and also strives to teach young adults how to make smart decisions in violent situations.
Contacts:
Misha Olivas - (415) 573-5138
main building - (888) 975-2929
misha@unitedplayaz.org
Rudy Corpus - (415) 573 6219
Interview Questions:
workers/leaders/supervisors:
Can you tell us about yourself?
Where is United Playaz located? (background of neighborhood filled with deliquants)
What is United Playaz and what does it offer in terms of opportunities/aid to kids?
What inspired you to join/be a part of United Playaz? (what are your contributions?)
What is your role in running United Playaz?
How has United Playaz changed people’s lives? Has it changed you?
What do you have to say about children going through rough times right now?
Personal stories you’d like to share?
***ask to take us around places of the building/streets. showcasing historical significance or location of some of the areas.
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teens/adults/parents:
History of life before outreach programs such as United Playaz?
What does United Playaz mean to you?
What have the people here done for you?
How does it affect the community? Are you glad United Playaz exists?
Shot List- What images do I need to make the visual part of the story work? Interviews use mostly Close-ups, Waist shots, and B-roll. Background should also be considered. Usually at least 5 to 10 different shots are combined for a sophisticated piece.
Interviews - MCU/CU/MS (depending on space)
Opening:
LS of cars
ELS of citizens
LS Crane/Tilt-Pan of United Playaz building
Handheld walkthrough of building (sped up)
B-Roll
LS Kids playing around or whatever
MS Workers interacting with children/at desk
CU of back of t-shirt “It takes the hood to save the hood”
General Flow:
beginning - shots of streets of San Francisco. Police Cars. Homeless. Stores. Streets with Graffiti. Cars buzzing by and children waiting or standing on the block. Voice-over of one of the employees explaining where United Playaz is located. Explaining the crime and bad influences of the city life on people. Hip-hop track? Then transition to what UP strives for and goals. Middle - interviews with UP employees/kids.
Shots of the places around the SF including inside of UP.
personal tour of the streets along with one of the creators of UP.
B-ROLL.
Ending - The main director of the group speaking positively about their work towards improving the lives of children. Personal statement that is inspiring and motivational. Ending shot of the crew helping children or just them having fun with the children, or a child holding up a sign of United Playaz. Oh or maybe a still positioned camera that switches between all the individuals who are in UP. ideasideasideas.
Scripts: This is the written portion of your piece that is included either for the broadcast script or for a voice over that pulls the different interviews together.
Intro: (voice over) short spiel over how rugged and how looming the streets of SF can be. talk about the influence of gangs and police activity in the street and how United Playaz is stationed. desired to help the youth and prevent a life of wrong choices.
Closing: (voice over) over all the shots of UP workers helping people or forming strong relationships with one another and their guests.
I like the idea for your documentary. The organization sounds great, and it seems like it would make fairly interesting interview. You might want to add some of the backstory of United Playaz to the research/ interview part of the documentary. Something like when it was made, who the founders were, and maybe something like why they were inspired to make this organization. This might also add some inspiration to the viewers of how they could help to try and benefit the community like the workers at this organization have. Also, maybe try to incorporate more exciting b-roll. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteLast year I covered a similar organization in my documentary, so I can offer advice through experience.
ReplyDeleteYour premise is very basic. This is in no way bad -- simple is easy. Easy is hard to mess up. I like the idea you have for the opening, with the b-roll of da streetz and such. Solid is the conceptual middle, as the interview questions pretty much cover the spectrum of content one would want to know about the United Playaz. And satisfactory if not surprising is the ending -- a positive note on which to close both the film and the audience's sentiments. Good job, OG No (O Gino. Durhur get it)
This program sounds very interesting, and I like how you convey your general role, with getting B role of the violence and homeless in San Francisco. This introduces the organization's cause very well. Maybe you should display or say some information/statistics on the crime rates of adolescence and the number of homeless minors as well. This would really push the idea of how significant this problem really is and this would also convey how essential this program really is. The questions for the advisors/ workers/supervisors are perfect because they are deep questions without being too personal, however you do include optional personal stories, which would really add emotional connections to the film. Since the main focus of the organization are the kids maybe try asking a few more questions with them if possible, I would really like to see their interview more then a long interview with the a advisor. Overall I sounds great! Cant wait to see it.
ReplyDeleteThe United Playaz seem like a great organization. This documentary should focus on the things they do to help the kids that come to their building. How are they helped and through what means. Any research about their programs or some history about the United Playaz can help turn this documentary into more of a learning process even for you guys. The B-roll ideas seem great but I feel that they can get really dangerous. You might make some people angry and that's some trouble. Careful of those delinquents.
ReplyDeleteI like your choice of program, and I feel that your documentary should focus a lot on the children themselves. However, this is kind of a touchy thing that these kids are going through, so you have to remember to be open to them and make them feel safe. You should also feel safe, considering some of the areas you're getting B-Roll from. Your safety comes before this film, so please keep that in mind. Good ideas though!
ReplyDelete