Team
Approach
Peter Tetteroo will supervise an editorial staff that will conceive the proposals that will eventually determine the content of the film. The project will enlist an advisory board consisting of media, development and business experts.
Content and format of the documentary
It is not desirable to determine the precise content and format of the documentary at this stage. This will be done during the production process. However some possible formats and themes can be formulated.
The aim is not for completeness here, but to indicate the direction of thinking.
The documentary is about us, the Western world - not about them, in developing countries. It's not a debate as to whether the regimes in developing countries function sufficiently. The focus of the question posed here is whether it is defensible that so little action is undertaken to give the citizens of these countries an opportunity to improve their situation.
- To determine if it is possible, to some extent, to improve the well-being of people in developing countries.
- Why is the world not succeeding in realizing more justifiable global relations?
- Numerous campaigns are making great efforts (Band Aid, Live Aid, Live 8, The One Campaign, etc.) but there is no structural change.
- Investigate moral and emotional mechanisms that play a role in this process.
- Case-studies: Congo. More and more local aidworkers, both Congolese and Western, dare to link the mass killing in Eastern-Congo (close to 5 million in 10 years) to the common economic structure between local illegal groups on the one hand and Western companies and governments on the other. Backgrounds the Western public does not know, and thus a blameworthy practice continues. It should be stopped tomorrow.
- In 2001, economist Jeffrey Sachs wrote an open letter to the New York Times, addressed to the 400 richest Americans suggesting them to donate their tax advantage to charity (President Bush had just lowered taxes). What was the response to his request?
Several approaches can be used to shape the film: A narrator that tells the story, highlighting the search of the main character or concentrating on prominent international well-known names.
The goal is to produce a documentary that will initially be shown globally in cinemas and later on television. Realization: October - December 2008
The Documentary
A project group "Conscience" is collecting funds for the documentary and the campaign. This group will give instruction to the filmmakers to realize the documentary, which will be made by a core team of journalists under the supervision of Peter Tetteroo.
Along with this core team there will also be a small group of advisors.
This project group will devise assignments to the filmmakers. In addition, an editorial statute will form the principles of the activities.
In line with the idealistic nature of the film, the aim will be to locate facilities that can be obtained free of charge or for a minimal cost. (i.e.: Sony, Canon or Ikegami HD-camera and editing equipment, travel expenses, website, et cetera).
The Campaign
The content of the work will be determined by a campaign that is to be independent of the film and will be further established by additional third parties. It is essential that the project succeeds in mobilizing those who wield influence in countries such as America, England, Germany and France.
An initial step in the campaign is to compile an inventory of those who can realize cooperation in terms of government leaders, captains of industry and film and television celebrities.