Hello Hometown
A Documentary About a Homegrown Bucket List
Hypothesis and Interpretation
I believe that sometimes we have to create the opportunities and experiences that we want to happen. Enter the theory and idea for this documentary. At a point in almost every teenager's life, leaving your comfortable (albeit boring) hometown becomes a hard-hitting reality. Undoubtedly this change is exciting, but what about the things that the teenager may have wanted to see or do, but didn’t get around to? My film will show this dilemma by following one teenager's attempt to accomplish, experience and complete all of his or her local "bucket list" tasks before he or she departs for the “big city”.
The conflict within this documentary will be between the subject, time, and the obstacles that one may face while trying to accomplish the bucket goals. By the end of the documentary, the audience should feel inspired to create and follow through on their own hometown bucket lists. They should understand that while "climb the Eiffel tower" or "skydive" is a valid goal for a bucket list, there are many more unique things that can be enjoyed in our own local towns or cities without having to travel.
Subject and Background Information
The documentary will follow the main subject, a teenager, who has applied to university and knows that there is no chance of living at home by September next year. The ideal subject is a little offbeat but still easy to relate to. The social life of the small hometown/surrounding area will likely consist of partying and being as involved as possible in high-school extracurriculars like sports, student’s council, or drama, but our subject does not fit this mould. The subject needs to be creative and interesting so as to develop an intriguing list. In terms of interacting with people, the subject should be friendly and engaging, charisma and charm are necessary as both will open doors for our subject. This past year and the upcoming months have and will be a rapid state of change for our subject; the documentary will follow his or her journey.
With the recent success of the movie The Bucket List and the MTV show based on this idea, The Buried Life, this topic is one that is recognized and relevant in today's society. Now, with the increase of technology and diversity in our world, it is easier to experience and be a part of anything you want.
Sequences and Shooting Style
Each sequence will focus on a different goal of the list. It will be shot simply, with narration provided by the subject. For example an item on the subject's list may be to go on the radio. The sequence would focus on the work pre-radio show such as why the subject has this goal on his or her bucket list, phone calls asking for permission and finally entering the station. It would transition chronologically into the subject's participation on air and interaction with the radio hosts. It is at this point that video clips could be inserted of local radio host's speaking about things on their bucket lists when they were growing up or experiences they'll remember for the rest of their life. The sequence would end with the subject crossing out the goal on the list and then move onto the next sequence.
Transitions between sequences can include b-roll footage of strangers on the street listing their bucket list activities. This footage would be interesting because it would include different ages, genders, and provide a different perspective. B-roll footage and storylines on the side will be necessary to keep the documentary from feeling repetitive and predictable.The shooting style of the documentary will be partially amateur with some artistic shots, photos, and interesting b-roll footage incorporated. It would help to add to the feeling that the documentary is authentic and real-life. Too much use of tripods and professional shooting would give this kind of documentary a fake feel. Some interviews will be sit down with lighting in a professional setting, but others may be impromptu and filmed on the street. The incorporation of colour, transitions, effects, treatments, and music will be important for this film.
ConflictThe overriding conflict will be one that any member of the audience can relate to: the battle against time. The subject will be partly battling the act of balancing his or her life, friends, family and somehow completing the list.
Audience Connection/Emotion
The emotion of the film will be drawn from the main character and her life. There will undoubtedly be highs and lows along her journey; some may be especially impacting as they may affect her future (such as being accepted to the university of her choice). The audience should feel inspired by the documentary. Feelings may range from happiness, to loneliness, to failure, to danger depending on the items that the subject has on her list. Hopefully some bucket list tasks would help to show behind the scenes of certain unknown or normally restricted areas, drawing on the audience’s natural human curiosity (such as the salt mine or local businesses).
Audio and Music
Within the film itself, narration and music will play two key factors. Ideally the music should be what the subject likes but shouldn’t be so “out there” that audiences will react negatively to it. Some potential musical artist examples would be Muse, Sigur Ros, Apples in the Stereo, Neon Trees, Ratatat, and Passion Pit. This list ranges from upbeat rock, to uplifting ambient/instrumental, to pop-sounding electronica; all allow for a wide variety of emotion and range.
The use of of narration must be done properly so as not to bore the audience. Whether the narration was done separately or in little “video log” clips, the editor could decide what would be most effective. A video log would be important to be taken during the filming time of the documentary to show the subject’s emotions at the time and his or her feelings beginning and finishing certain tasks.
While the ideal situation would be the subject completing every single task on her list, it is highly unlikely. In preparation for this result, the filmmaker’s ultimate conclusion would be said in a statement from the subject herself in a final video log. This would have to be done skillfully and honestly in order to avoid a tacky, predictable speech. By this time the audience should have bonded emotionally with the subject and felt the successes as their successes and his or her failures as theirs as well. The subject would hopefully state that the list is a working draft forever, and that there is always still has time left to complete anything and everything he or she wants to do. The conclusion to the film should hopefully inspire the audience to pick up where the subject has left off with the list, and to follow through on their bucket list tasks just as the subject did.
If this ending appears too cliché, the film could just end with a shot of the unfinished list and the subject departing to school, leaving the audience a feeling of disappointment, but also hopefully feeling inspired to finish their lists.
