With regards to similar projects which compare to my Documentary assignement. I researched into other documentaires been done covering Prison Life or Christantity.
A television documentary called "Behind Bars" presented by Louis Theroux focuses on prison life. It was postioned, as the tenth most viewed programme of the decade as 5.81 Million viewers watched it when it was released on television on 13th January 2008. The documentary follows Louis Theroux visiting one of Amercia's grimmest prison's called San Quentin. Whilst he's there he gets know the prisoners ranging from serial killers to gang members. He also interacts with the prison guards to find out their experiences guarding the prisoners. Through out the documentary Louis Theroux gets to know particular prison characters and he follows them until he leaves. The prisoner's share their stories with him about why they ended up in the prison and they tell him about their prison experiences.
"There's not a lot of effort on Theroux's part to elicit insights into the social issues raised by a place like San Quentin or to put it into a broader social context. The result is an interesting profile of a brutal, unnatural social experiment that leaves you wanting to know much more" .
"Absolutely fascinating, one of Theroux's finest films". He described Theroux as "remarkably relaxed and at home", with access that was "extraordinary, and could never have happened in this country".
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Theroux:_Behind_Bars
Inspirations
For general inspirations I have researched closely into Louis Theroux's documentary series's broadcasted on mainstream television. My main inspiration is from the documentary "Behind Bars". This is because I would like to approach the similar style theme Louis Theroux used to be observational and reflective.
I will attempt to use his style of interacting with the prisoners which was relaxed and casual. I will try and use this similar interaction with the prisoners at the Winchester Community Prison when I ask them openly about what they think of the church readings at the prison. Also I will use this similar interaction to get know the prisoners. Louis Theroux throughout the documentary interviewed particular prisoners to find out what they had done to get into prison and he followed them during his visit to get to know them more. I will use this method in my documentary to get to know particular prisoners and find out about their christian views. Though I will not present the documentary. Instead a Church minister from Christ Church Winchester will present the documentary and I will also ask the minister and the prisoners questions.
2012 Doomsday Cults
I have done research into 2012 Doomsday Cults who predict that the end of the world will end on the 21st December 2012 . My lectures advised me to research into this as he felt that this topic was more interesting than Mormonism, as it relates to historical religious and scientific areas in modern day society. These Doomsday Cults are interesting to me because they strongly believe that the world will end on the 21st December 2012. I have researched into the history of the Mayan Long Count Calendar which originates back in time before Jesus Christ. I have understood that the Mayans told the time using the sun and the weather.
I researched into doomsday cults, societies and theorists who have strong believes and views on the 2012 phenomena. As I researched on the net I found various contacts from using globalconspiracy.co.uk and Skepticforum.com. I also found a contact from watching a documentary called the 2012 Mayan Prophecy and the Shift of the Ages. The contact is Philip Coppens, http://philipcoppens.com/ he featured in the documentary. He is an investigative journalist and an author. He covers studies from world politics to ancient history and conspiracies. He has also written a book called 2012 Science or Fiction?.I found his contact on twitter.
I took on Mark Hawker's advise about researching into the french town called Bugarach, South of France to investigate why doomsday cults strongly believe that it is only village where you can survive the end of the world. I found an article about the Bugarach village on the net mentioning that it had been spooked by doomsday cults. The article was written by the BBC on 8th July 2011 by Chris Bockman. Here it is:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9531861.stm
When I was checking out this story in Bugarach, I came across another article that had similar story to the french village from being attracted by doomsday cults. The article was written by Marilyn Z.Tomlins. In the article she writes about the village of Bugarach, esoterics and doomsday cults believing that the village will be the place to survive the end of the world.
At the end of the article various bloggers sum up their opinions on it. As I looked at these blog statements I noticed that a documentary company called True Vision TV were wanting to find English speaking civilians who are planning to seek safety and survival for 21.12.12 in Bugarach . A lady called Katie, katie@truevisiontv.com works for the company, she is searching for some people in the UK who are planning to travel to Bugarach. Here is the article:
http://www.marilynztomlins.com/articles/december-21-2012-safe-in-bugarach-france/
Here are some website and film links which I used for the beginning of my secondary research into 2012 Doomsday Cults:
http://2012thetruth.com/2012ApocalypseR.php
This website looks at different doomsday cults around the world. It covers a story by CNN on 16th November 2007, which documented a Russian cult hiding in snowy conditions in a cave in the Penza region. Orthodox monks and authorities tried to approach them to understood why they riding in the cave. The cult mentioned to the authorities that if they were disturbed they would threaten to blow themselves up. The cult believed that the end of the world would be in the Spring 2008.They wanted to pray in the cave and be left alone. Their cult leader, Pyotr Kuznetsov insisted his followers to enter the cave but he wouldn't enter until others joined.
Another story documented on the website, documents a priest called Yisrayl Hawkins who invented his own religion from reference to the "House Of Yehwah". Hawkins believed that if his followers follow him they would be protected by the kingdom of Yehwah to survive the end of the world.
This article also looks at the concept of Esotericism which relates to doomsday cults as esoterics. Esoterics are minority groups who have a rare or unusual believes with regards to the end of the world. Also it looks at the consideration of Apocalypse, which refers to the world coming to end time in due course which doomsday cults have strong believes on. The other topic it looks at is Millenarianism which relates to doomsday cult idelogies, this word relates to a religious group movement who have a theory that things will be changed based on a one- thousand year cycle.
http://whendoestheworldend.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhWTbVz-1Og
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SScCVzyGnrI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieUCMRb-iE4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4VqQNT1U0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJvW4y9ypTg&feature=related
http://www.howtosurvive2012.com/htm_night/home.htm
http://www.howtosurvive2012.com/
http://www.nasca.org.uk/Asian_disaster/2012/2012.html
http://archaeology.about.com/od/mameterms/qt/mayan_long_count.htm
http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/2012doomsday.htm
http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/2012doomsday.htm
http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/2012doomsday_2.htm
http://geography.about.com/cs/calendarsseason/a/winter.htm
http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/magnetic.htm
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/who-are-the-maya/
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/the-mayan-calendar/
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/prophecies-of-the-maya/
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/dreamspell-and-the-thirteen-moon-calendar/
http://www.netplaces.com/guide-to-2012/the-galactic-alignment/
http://www.en.rian.ru/world/20071122/89088889.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/category/pyotr-kuznetsov
http://www.mayan-calendar.org/2012/end-of-the-world.html
BOOKS
Coe,D,Micheal, Breaking the Maya Code, London, Peguin Books, 1994
Cotterell,M,Maurice and Gilbert,G,Adrian, The Maya Prophecies: Unlocking the Secrets of a Lost Civilization,Shaftesbury Dorset, 1995
Hall,R,John,Schuyler,D,Philip and Trinth,Sylvaine, Apocalypse Observed, London and New York, Routledge, 2000
Houston,S,D,MayaGlyphs:ReadingthePast,London,BritishMuseum Publications,1989
Pinchbeck,Daniel,2012:TheYear of the Mayan Prophecy,London,Piatkus Books,2008
As I found a Primary, who is a Guitar Busker called Chris Morris who I met in Waterloo tube station in mid October. He then got back to me sending various web links to his band called Blacktie-Whitenoise and himself in action. I then asked him If I could do a Documentary on him and his band Blaktie-Whitenoise and he was delighted to do it. As it would be benfical for him and his band to get promoted in London and around the UK to get recoginsed in the media. Here are the web links he sent me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACyHGrx7zLM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qodXqTq_Gr0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVs3BK1D5Qk&feature=related
http://www.myspace.com/blacktiewhitenoiseband
http://soundcloud.com/btwn/i-dont-miss-you-1
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Saturday 29th October 2011
I went to London to do Primary Research to see Buskers, busking in tube stations and in public places. That evening I filmed a Beatboxer in Piccadilly Circus who I thought was rather talented hence why I filmed him. He beatboxed different music genres like Dubstep, House and Hip Hop and a big crowd watched him beatbox. Unfortantely I didnt get time to meet him or get his name as he had to go straight away when he finished. This was because there was a film set taking place, for a Feature Film called 51 Degrees which I found comes out in the UK Cinemas next year. To explore more into busking in society, from early November 2011 I went into the High Street Winchester to talk to some buskers. I explained to them that I was doing a Documentary on a Busker, towards my Degree and asked them If I could ask them some questions about their Busking backgrounds for Primary Research use.
I met three Folk Buskers, two were musicians preparing to study Masters in Music. They told me that they busk to practice playing music in public for concerts, that they get an enjoyment out of it and they benfit getting money for it at the same time.
I found out from them that they also busk from having an interest in Folk Music and to get noticed by the public to then play in pubs. The other busker member told me that he busks full time for a living and he mentioned that he earns between £15,000 to £18,000 a year from busking.
They interestingly told me that they enjoy playing their Folk Music covers in public to see a variety of public reactions to them busking. They mentioned that some public passers either stop to donate money or to comment on their busking being entertaining to listen too when they walk up and down the High Street.
One of the buskers in the band, told me to check out a well known busker on the High Street, Winchester called Marvin B Naylor who has a blog called " Diary of a Busker". Who I recognised straight away, as I see him often busking on the High Street. Here is the Website Blog:
They were all really interested in my Documentary on Busking. They were delighted to share their interests about why they busk, how they became interested in it, that they do it to share their busking in public and that they do it to earn a living from it.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
For research I have got various books out, from our University Library towards my Documentary project on busking, history of busking, street entertainment, rock music and rock culture in society. They include the following:
BOOKS
Cohen,David and Greenwood, Ben, The Buskers: A History of Street Entertainment, London, David & Charles,1981
Frith,Simon,FacingtheMusic:EssaysonPop,RockandCulture,London, Mandarin,1990
Hatch,David and Millward, Stephen, From blues to rock: An analytical history of pop music, Manchester and New York, Manchester University Press,1990
Martin,D,Bradford, The Theatre is the Street: Politics and Public Performance in Sixties Amercia ,Amherst and Boston, University of Massachusettes Press,2004
Mason,Bim,Street Theatre: and other outdoor performance,London and New York, Routledge,1992
Wicke,Peter,Rock Music:Culture, Aesthetics and Sociology,Cambridge,Cambridge University Press,1990
BOOKS: ON DOCUMENTARY THEORY
Bruzzi, Stella, New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, London and New York, Routledge, 2000
Chanan, Micheal, The Politics of Documentary, London, BFI, 2007
Hardy, Forsyth Ed, Grierson on Documentary, London, Collins, 1946
Renov, Micheal, Theorzing Documentary, London and New York, Routledge, 1993
Rabiger, Micheal, Directing the Documentary, Oxford, Focal Press, 2004
DOCUMENTARIES
I will also research into various rock documentaries for inspiration and style which I can take on for my documentary on a busker guitarist called Chris Morris. I will watch and research into documentaries that follow a rock star on a journey. This type of documentary relates one directed by D.A.Pennebaker, called "D'ont Look Back" which documents Bob Dylan's tour to the United Kingdom in 1965. Other documentaries I will research and watch are the following, Anvil, Metallica: "Some Kind of Monster" and dig for inspiration and influence to use towards my busker guitarist documentary.
On Chris Morris's facebook page I found an article posted by a Journalist called Sam Osa. In his article he wrote about busking culture in London and how Chris Morris is known well by the public for his talented guitar playing in the tube stations. Here's the link:
http://sammysgenericblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/rant-of-day-buskers.html
