Finally it is done!

Documentary update

Last we showed the rough cut of our documentary in class. So far, my documentary is doing pretty alright. Jenny advised to work on the audio as the music is quite loud. Also, my vocals for the commentary. When my documentary wa splayed in class, it sounded distorted. Probably because of the cheap pc microphone i`m using? Anyways, i toned down the level of the music with the vocals. Editing was quite tricky as you need to have the timing right and give that whole conflict vibe to the audience. That`s where my skills in composing beats kicked in, lol. the introduction music of the documentary is a copyright music from the malaysian local radio channel, Hitz FM. They have no problem given me the permission to use the song ( through email) as they informed that many others have used the theme song for good purposes. This goes for all the video footage as well.

Other then that, the rest of the background music was originally composed by me. It`s kind of hard at first to create a background music that could really suits the conflict. But then again, i think i managed to overcome it. There are roughly around 4 original beats produced for this documentary. Now that the commentary vocals is too loud and distorted, I`m thinking of continuing the documentary with text and images. Plus, there are not many footage that i can use throughout the whole documentary. Text and images is a must to be put in, the background music will really help to bring out the vibe. I will explain more about the problems that i faced througout the whole editing process. For now, the final version is complete and I will upload it soon.

Enjoy!

Why We Bang Documnetary Intro

The film, Why We Bang, produced and directed by Orlando Myrics and Clifford Jordan for Ghetto Logik Entertainment is an independent film that documents the historical background of LA’s Bloods and Crips gangs, then transitions into several interviews of current and former members of the Bloods and Crips of Los Angeles.

Ghetto Logik, a Film Company based in South Los Angeles offers their first urban documentary as a result of being disappointed in seeing outsiders far too often portray the stories of ghetto residents. “We just got tired of seeing people, not from our community making so called “Hood movies” that did not really depict what our community was all about, our goal is to bring real images and real stories about real people to the big screen.”

Their first effort, Why We Bang is an in-depth look into Gang Culture in Los Angeles that shows up-close, the life in South Los Angeles, talking and walking with real gang members first hand. Their approach was to show the gangs, their motivations and deadliness and to capture the voices of the mothers who have lost children to the violence that gangs bring. Their story, through several narratives will inform you Why We Bang. (Excerpt from streetgangs.com)

Their intro is pretty simple but their concept is similiar to mine where they start with a conflict issue. A good way to show gang related problem issue. Although their focus is trying turn the documentary into a movie structure, in terms of editing, it is quite poor. I guess it is due to budget limit. Overall it is a good documentary and I could relate the style to it.

Here`s the link to the documentary.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/why-we-bang/

American Skinheads Documentary

Ok so I have just watched a very2 interesting documentary (that i have recorded) about American Skinheads on National Geographic channel. Although their conflict is much more heavier then my subject issue, I could still relate it to my project.

Here`s a little bit of info about the documentary.

The American Skinheads spreads their culture through music. Throughout the entire documentary, it shows a lot of footage about the community jamming together and even their oi! oi! music gigs. They seek young white adults to be recruited in their community. What surprises me most is when they show these skinheads even have martial art lessons for self defense! (and they can really kick some a**)They really train like soldiers.

They interviewed couple of skinhead followers,leaders and experts such as the human right activist and sociologist of some university. One of the expert said that i find interesting is that these skinheads have excellent skills in PR which consist of talking to people to recruit, handling promotions and events of their community for their goal of racial dominance.

They use music and new media such as the internet as their most important tool in recruiting. They even produced their own video game where players get to shoot and beat up other races in the game. A book titled 'Turner Diaries' where racial issues being stressed out was even been distributed.

In the documentary, the director focuses more on getting into the skinheads perspectives rather then others. There are only 2 experts thats been interviewed to get their opinions, and more then 5 skinheads that's been interviewed. This is what I`m trying to achieve with my documentary where I`m trying to balance fair perspectives by both side of the rempits and public or society. I won`t be able to interview any expert though)

In the interviews the skinheads stresses out that they are not racist but its the feeling of power & control (I have a feeling the rempits I`m going to interview will say the same thing).

They claim it does not start with racism but power and it`s all about love for their race. They also interviewed an ex member of the community where he was beaten up because he wants out from the group. The ex member claim that in the 1960s, skinheads are not racist towards other race, they just living up their beliefs in what they deserve to get. He label it as a traditional culture and he practice that culture until today with his other fellow mates. They claimed, the skinhead group that are not racist is called 'SHARP'. They claim a lot of negative things have been thrown to them because of the bad image other skinheads community have portrayed. It`s pretty much the same with the rempit issue, where group of motorcyclist will be considered as rempit and society hates them because of the bad behaviour of the rempit community.

Well, obviously my documentary won`t be good as the one i just saw. But I could use some of the features and elements that they use in the documentary.

Just got my release forms and have emailed them to the people that I`m going to interview with. Also here are some suggestions that made by Jenny.

Q5--not clear on whether you are interviewing just the rempits, or some other people critical of the rempits too. Later on you talk about wanting to be balanced. Wouldn't it best best to do interviews of people on both side of the fence?

Interviews will be done to see from both perspectives of the rempits and the society. Although the main focus is the rempits themselves with the issue.


How are you going to do the interviews? have you contacted some Rempits who have agreed? You do need to get them to sign the release form. You can do this by email, but it is required.

The ‘rempits’ as I will interview them online. There are three of them. I will also be interviewing some of the Malaysian society to get their perspectives and opinions towards this issue. I might need them to sign off the release forms as well.

If you are using someone else's videos, you must have explicit copyright permission to use it.

All copyright materials will be referenced. Videos that will be used will strictly be asked by the owner if I am allowed to use in the documentary.

q27--this sounds like a strength of your doco to me.

I’m worried audience might get the wrong impression as if I’m giving them a chance to defend and justify themselves where we all know what they are doing is wrong. Also the time limit, I know it is best if we keep it at least not more then 10 min. The interviewing might take up a lot of time so I will try and stressed out on the important points and keep is short and brief. The final outcome of this documentary when it is uploaded online might create a controversy among the rempits and the public.

q31--you are leaving production a bit late, especially if you have other deadlines. Better to start earlier.

Begun

I`m going to check out a documentary about gangs in LA that`s been suggested as well. Now i have a clear picture of my documentary, I`m thinking about adding commentary voice throughout the whole video. This will give out more documentary feeling rather then like a slide show.

Mat Rempit made to sing National Anthem

Well I was reading any latest news about these 'rempits' online and I came across this funny rather interesting article where the police actually instruct them to form a line, stand straight, and sing their heart out to our national anthem song. Here`s the article.

IPOH: A group of Mat Rempit will remember Labour Day for a long time. They were made to sing the Negaraku after being arrested.

The 33 riders, aged between 17 and 25, were arrested during an operation that began at 3am at Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah yesterday.

State police traffic unit (enforcement) head Asst Supt Abd Malik Abu Bakar said 70 motorcycles were assembled there and the riders were getting ready to race when police moved in on them.

“Seeing our presence, they ran helter skelter. Some even fell off their machines,” said ASP Abd Malik, adding that 23 motorcycles were seized during the operation.

All were detained under Rule 6 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 and face a maximum fine of RM300 each. (That is about 100AUD)

The 33 were made to push their machines for 7km to the Sungai Senam police station where they were made to sing the national anthem.

He said there was no trouble as they sang, adding that “all finished singing the national anthem.”

“They seemed to know the lines,’’ ASP Abd Malik said, adding that the youths were made to sing the Negaraku to instil in them “the need to adhere to the country’s laws.”

From my point of view, the police seems to be surprised that these community knows their lines of the song. This show that they are aware of the country`s law and they don`t need to be reminded. This is something interesting to look into.

Need footage

Ok, apparently keepvid is not working at all today. I have no clue what is happening. I have tried so many times to download and keep couple of videos, but it won`t let me. It says their website is experiencing some problems and they are fixing it. This is my 6th attempt trying. I`m trying to get some footage for my documentary, what I have now is not enough. This is so frustrating, I will definitely try again tomorrow and see how it goes. I hope it`ll be back to normal by tomorrow.

Ive revised my learning contract draft and have emailed the to Jenny. Hope everything`s good on that part. Somewhere this week I`ll be conducting my online interviews. Still mind mapping with the questions that I`m planning to ask.

4 weeks left till the semester ends. This will be a super hectic week, bluergh!

Reflect on Viven`s review

I agree with Viven`s point where they look more into the case rather then coming out with a solution at the end of the documentary. Although it is a great documentary in terms of getting the parent`s awareness towards their children`s cyber world activity, they should be getting teacher`s point of view as bullying usually happens in school. This will actually let parents as the audience know what action that the school takes in preventing this sort of issue. And yes, they did kind of portray technology as a bad thing for victims when what really they should have done is coming out with steps on preventing cyber bully.

Bullying behind the technology

So today at lecture we watched a quite interesting documentary about cyber bullies. I was quite surprised on how cyber bully issue can actually lead to suicidal for the victim. It was good that the director interviewed the bully and audience can look upon the bully`s perspectives. Personally, i think the bully victims are just being too hard on themselves. Victims can usually be seen as someone so fragile and easily let other people get into themselves. Insecurity easily strikes people at teen age. Even bullies themselves are insecure and the only way to make them feel superior or more dominant is by bullying. It is quite sad that we can see from the documentary,parents could not do much about this issue. So this leaves to the child itself on how they intend to overcome this issue. I agree when they say MSN is an emotional firewall as victims tend to turn themselves emotionally through it. Sounds cliche, but from the way i see it, usually bully victims are the ones who end up becoming successful and strong in life as they tend to strive for more and not to get bullied. Interviewing small children and kids actually let the audience think like " awwww poor kid" and give heads up to parents to monitor more on their kids. The background music they use for the documentary also gives that sad vibe to it. i It is a great reflective documentary as it reflects on realism.

Learning Contract

Content

1. What is the community that you will make your documentary?

Thugs on Wheels community or well known as ‘Mat Rempits’ in Malaysia.

2. Why do you think it is a community?

They travel in large groups especially around the cities at night during weekends. Even they know they are portraying a bad image towards Malaysia, they have this sense of unity or so called ‘brotherhood’ among them where they stick together doing illegal activities.

3. What theory about community have you read that is relevant to issues in this community? Summarize the relevant ideas.

Harris (1999) claimed how we feel about the communities in which we belong affects our sense of quality of life; and that ‘sense of community’ is itself crucially affected by the quality of interpersonal communication. In order to feel secure about where we live, and be informed about options and opportunities, we need connections to others. Those connections are strengthened by trust, which itself is reasserted by informal interaction in a ‘neutral’ context – in the street

‘Mat Rempit’ as we speak, needs acceptance among their society as they feel they could only relate among their members. Society already dislikes them, despite whether they are doing something illegal or not, public would still stereotyping when they see young adults riding a motorcycle. For them to fit in into society is rather impossible as insecurity and also class status hit them. So they seek for connections among their community to feel more secure. At least they feel accepted in belonging in a community.

It is important not to misrepresent this link between emotional and informational

content, but the distinction can be significant.

4. Are you in agreement or disagreement with these ideas?

Yes, I agree.

5. How can you use these ideas in your documentary?

By applying its content into the documentary and being able to relate to the community. Asking what sorts of acceptance they seek in comminute and portraying their lifestyle in belonging in one.

6. What is the structure of the documentary? (this could be a short treatment of the way you see your documentary unfolding)

Basically it’ll be the traditional way structure where I will portray the issue and the conflict in the beginning. Then will be going into the local media’s role in addressing this issue and how they portray the fellow rempits. To balance out the documentary, interviews with some of the rempits will be conducted and showed in the middle of the documentary. Who? How? Why? Questions will be asked but mainly focus on why they would do such activity. Then will show of the public’s opinion and see what we can conclude at the end of the documentary.

7. What is the style of the documentary? (you can refer to documentary theory if you know it; if you don’t, discuss how you see the relationship between you the documentary maker and your subject, and how that will influence the work you produce. Examples of other documentaries will be relevant)

It will be a reflective documentary that addresses issues of realism. .

Technical

8. What type of media will your documentary consist of (eg audio files, text, stills, video, animation etc)?

I’ll be using text, audio, and even video footage. I will add some animation into it if it’s necessary.

9. Given that your documentary will be published online, how will you tailor production and post-production to be appropriate (eg image size, frame rate, design issues, copyright)?

I will get the structure right first. After mind mapping and get all each sections right, then I will execute it to the final production. Some of the footage for the videos will be taken from online that have no copyrights. Of course I will look upon the copyrights in being able to use it in the documentary.

10. What are your skills in making this style of media?

Video editing skills wouldn’t be any problem for me as I have a background in editing videos and also design.

11. Are you enlisting the help of any crew during the production phase of your documentary?

Not at the moment

12. Will you need to borrow technical equipment from the School techs?

All materials have been gathered, no shooting will be involved.

Permissions

13. What talent do you need to get release forms signed for?

None

14. Are you going to interview any monitors?

Not at the moment

15. Do you need permission to shoot on location?

No.

Post-production

16. What software do you need to edit your documentary?

Video editing – Ulead video studio

Design – Adobe photoshop

Audio – Soundforge / Adobe Audition

17. Do you have sufficient skills with that software?

Yes I have

18.Do you have sufficient access to that software?

Yes I have just ordered the latest version of ulead video studio from home, and have access to other softwares I need.

Publication

19. What social software environment will you publish your documentary to?

I’m aiming in distribute it to some the Malaysian government forum as this will be a good documentary to share with them and the Malaysian local news forum as well. Youtube would be a good choice too.

20. Is the media you are creating appropriate for that environment?

Of course! It feels good to actually come out with a documentary that will enable and benefit the minds and perspectives of the public in this issue. The government would love this kind of stuff.

21. Have you become a member of that environment?

Will soon.

22. Have you done a ‘test’ publication?

No I haven’t

23. Does the environment stipulate any limits (eg file size, dimensions, file types, copyright, legal issues) that you will need to meet?

Normally there will be a size limit. I’m hoping that I wouldn’t have to separate it into 2 separate videos due to size issue. I could render down the size to upload them, but the quality will be cut down. File will be in mpeg or wav depending on what are the requirements needed to be upload ( usually mpeg works fine).

Legal

24. Have you got copyright permission for all the content you use?

All copyright materials will be referenced.

25. There is no defamation or slander?

No.

26. Any other legal issues?

Not at the moment

Risk assessment

27. What are the most likely things that could go wrong with your project?

I’m trying to balance out this documentary from both sides of perspectives so I will be conducting interviews to some of the ‘rempits’ asking their opinions regarding their activities., so I’m worried audience might get the wrong impression as if I’m giving them a chance to defend and justify themselves where we all know what they are doing is wrong.

28. What is your back-up plan if these things occur?

Well, I could always re-edit or cut out scenes if the context does not look balanced.

Project management

29. What is the date of your rough-cut showing?

Week 11 ( Friday 14 May 2010)

30.What is the final due date?

Week 12 (Friday 21 May 2010)

31. When do you intend to start production?

Saturday 8^th May 2010

32. When do you intend to start post-production?

Saturday 1^st May 2010

33. Given your production start date, have you already booked any technical equipment you need?

Most of the materials that I need have already been gathered.

34. How do these dates work in with assessment deadlines from other courses?

Even though I’ll be having 2 presentations in the month of May, there only 2 submissions required for this month. The first week of May will be perfect to start production as it is not a hectic week.

35. If you are using talent, dose their availability suit your production schedule?

Yes, talents that I’ll be using are for interviews. Email will be sent to arrange a date for conducting online interviews.

36. Remember to collect all the credit information as you go.

Of course

References:

Harris, K (2003). ’Keep your distance: remote communications, face-to-face and the nature of community’, Journal of community work and development 4

FOUR SENTENCES DEFINING OF DEFINITION

a) One sentence defining your community

Thug on wheels or well known as ‘mat rempit’.

b) One sentence defining the issue you want to explore

The illegal activites and the bad image they are portraying.

c) One sentence defining the conflict

Community vs. society

d) One sentence outlining relevant social theory

Socialization.

Coummunity vs Society II

Bloggin bloggin bloggin! I had such difficulties adding up other classmates link to my page. I spent almost an hour trying to copy paste their links then type their names and such, sigh. Anyways! last week lecture was interesting. I thought the documentary they made about Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter Trailer (1969) was really good. Indeed there`s no commentary voice involved but you still get that vibe of energy from watching it. Jenny then gave me an idea when she mentioned about the bikers community in class. So i thought, Graffiti would make such a good documentary project but then, I don`t have much sources and materials other then depending to my only friend (drewfunk) . When the word bikers mentioned, coming from Malaysia, bikers community there which are well known as 'MAT REMPIT' has a huge negative impact on Malaysia . Mat rempit is a malay term for the illegal street racers who say they do stunts to get over the stress of modern society.I`m sure most of my Malaysian classmates who`s reading this would agree with me. It then hit me to do a documentary about them. Why not do something that i have a better understanding of, as this issue is always out in the news every single day.

How much trouble can you cause with a little motorbike?

Well, in the hands of a Mat Rempit, it can be a great cause of irritation to other road users.

Mat Rempits have annoyed the Malaysian nation with their reckless riding and total disregard for other road users.

According to Wikipedia.com, a Mat Rempit is a Malaysian term for an individual who participates in illegal street racing usually involving small motorcycles of less than 200cc, also known as Kapcai, or scooters. 'Mat' is a Malay slang term used to refer to a person with stereotypical characteristics of a Malay person.The term 'Rempit' comes from the combination of the words 'ramp it'; to ramp the throttle. Also they are known as Thugs-On-Wheels (TOW) by the police. Mat Rempits usually travel in big groups of over 30 bikes and race in bustling city centres on weekend nights till the wee hours of the morning. It is estimated that there are about 200,000 Mat Rempits in Malaysia, according to Wikipedia.com.

So, what is the conflict of documentary for this?

It`s the idea of how society dislike them but yet the rempit community keeps on defending themselves saying they do not do anything wrong .

-Why they are into this kind of activity?
-They know that they are portraying bad image of Malaysia especially among the Malays, but yet they still do it, why?
-What is their f***in problem?!

These are the questions that I like to find and put into the project.

The media plays a big part in portraying this community so I will look into that as well.

What a big jump from graffiti to this community, lol!

Community Vs Society

Apologies for my late entry. I`ve been caught up with so many things lately (aren`t we all?) . I`m not really a fan of blogging and to be honest, this is my first time setting up a blog. I find this subject rather interesting as we get to explore and create our own documentary regarding community.

When the word community being mentioned, the word sub-culture crossed my head straight away.

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. If a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture. (Wikipedia)

A community is a group of interacting organisms (or different species) sharing an environment. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. (Wikipedia)

I have interest in focusing on the community on people who do graffiti as this will be such an interesting subject relating community vs society. I myself practice graffiti and it will even be the topic for my research proposal which is Communicating through graffiti: Looking through the public eye.

Now, IF i do intend to proceed with it, how should i execute it?

I have a Malaysian friend who dropped everything he studied back at home and now making graffiti as his full time job here in Melbourne. Check out his website at http://www.drewfunk.com

I could get the public opinion together with him and his graffiti mates and start the comparison. It can show the overall progress on whether graffiti can be accepted or against by the public perhaps? I will try and brainstorm more on that.

Sigh, or maybe at the end of the day i might change to other community subject