Anyone care to make a short film?
Idea for a very short film to promote WikiChoice.com (like Radiohead's "All I Need" video)
A movie theater is packed full of Americans. On the screen plays a series of powerful ads - for shoes, for clothes, for electronics. The audience is in awe.
Cut to a dim, noisy sweatshop. Asian children are making shoes, clothes, electronics. An American man in a suit stands over them, barking orders, dolling out punishment.
Back to the theater. The same man in a suit stands at the front of the theater, surrounded by stacks of boxes of new products, and smiling as he jots down orders and sends smiling, uniformed American youth to take the boxes up into the audience and collect money.
Back to the sweat shop. The American man in the suit is angry, shouting that the kids aren't making enough products, that he's going to sell out too quickly.
Back to the theater, the stacks of boxes are almost gone. The American man smiles sheepishly and ducks behind the screen as the ads continue to play. We follow him and find that the sweatshop is right there behind the screen. The man in the suit cocks his harm to hit a child, who screams in fear, but --
Back to the theater. The scream from behind the screen is drowned out by the beginning of the next ad.
Cut to black, and the text: "What will you choose when you know? WikiChoice.com"
A movie theater is packed full of Americans. On the screen plays a series of powerful ads - for shoes, for clothes, for electronics. The audience is in awe.
Cut to a dim, noisy sweatshop. Asian children are making shoes, clothes, electronics. An American man in a suit stands over them, barking orders, dolling out punishment.
Back to the theater. The same man in a suit stands at the front of the theater, surrounded by stacks of boxes of new products, and smiling as he jots down orders and sends smiling, uniformed American youth to take the boxes up into the audience and collect money.
Back to the sweat shop. The American man in the suit is angry, shouting that the kids aren't making enough products, that he's going to sell out too quickly.
Back to the theater, the stacks of boxes are almost gone. The American man smiles sheepishly and ducks behind the screen as the ads continue to play. We follow him and find that the sweatshop is right there behind the screen. The man in the suit cocks his harm to hit a child, who screams in fear, but --
Back to the theater. The scream from behind the screen is drowned out by the beginning of the next ad.
Cut to black, and the text: "What will you choose when you know? WikiChoice.com"
Labels: consumerism, Economic Injustice, wikichoice
posted by James at 00:29
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2 Comments:
I like it, but it may be too politically charged. Arguments between hard core free-marketers and old style leftists regarding globalization and sweatshops are entrenched and now almost partisan driven. This may drive more away or even create a counter move by business to discredit wikichoice. I am not saying that sweatshops should not be a central concern, but I do think it would be wise to market the website differently, with a softer tone. Think ethics and not morals, particulars and not universals, and responsibility and not obligation. It's wise to be cautious here just because of the political history and what not.
The topic of child slavery is arguably more complicated than this short film would suggest. On the flip side, however, I understand the thematic statement, and it is supported by many, and I believe the theatrics are well played and thought out. And, I think it is difficult to make a point on a topic that is politically charged on its own right. I think it's important to throw up a mirror to an audience and make people uncomfortable. Shock value is the best way to obtain attention.
As for a counter move by business to discredit wikichoice, I think that would only happen if there was product placement. Avoid that, and I think you're ok on that front. This would then focus the audience on sweat shops per se, and not on any specific corporation's connection with them. Perhaps throw in somewhere a percentage of our nation's brand names (without naming them) are created by sweatshops? But, definitely a good start.
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