John Bird's Documentary Ideas

IDEA 2

Following the lives of Britain's own Superheroes.

Going out to interview real life superheroes out on patrol on the streets. Interviewing them and finding out who they are and what they do, why they chose the lifestyle they follow. To get around the ethics and law issue with filming vigilantism we we could create a reenactment of the superheroes fighting crime with paid actors. Then we could delve into interesting editing techniques to create the generic "POW/BOOM/KAPOW/BOFF" sound effects and visuals typically found in the Batman Adam West series.  I am still in the process of finding UK based heroes. 

http://www.docurama.com/docurama/superheroes/   

IDEA UPDATE 08/11/12

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Justice-Union-UK-Real-Life-Superheroes/104906209592674

I have found and liked a Facebook page dedicated to the Justice Union, a group committed to Superheroes. I have messaged them to ask them for any contacts.

I found another superhero in Manchester http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3449966/.html

IDEA UPDATE 30/10/12

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3443305/Britain-has-16-superheroes-patrolling-the-streets.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359772/Birmingham-superhero-Scott-Cooke-unmasked-Fiat-Punto-driver.html

2 Articles written up on a group of 16 superheroes, 1 based in Birmingham called 'the Statesman' who by day works as a loans advisor in Santander. 

This is our primary! We will be contacting the Birmingham branches to find this man. 

The man pictured to the right is known in Birmingham as 'The Statesman' his birth name "Scott Cooke". He works in Santander in Birmingham and I stumbled across him reading an article in The Sun. We are making this man our primary for the documentary.

The man pictured to the left is known in Torbay as 'The Dark Spartan' only releasing his first name "Will" to journalists. He patrols the streets of Torbay in Torquay protecting its civilians. Due to lack of information this man will be our back up, we have contacted the journalists who did stories on him in order to find out more information on the masked crusader.

OUR OWN SUPERHERO

 A separate concept I thought of for our superhero documentary is to create our own superhero and send him out onto the streets to spread the word and promote our documentary.

This is my draft design idea for creating our own superhero. We have been juggling names and decided to come to the conclusion that we will let the public decide the heroes name through a survey.

The idea is simple and effective and easy to create, we have researched into different costumes we can purchase to create this look, morph suits and belts and straps, gloves, boots etc. 

Weird and wonderful cults and religions people do not know about i.e. Jedi-ism, Church of all Worlds, Universe People, Pastafarianism. I have done alot of research into this idea and it would be explaining each persons beliefs to the world. We could travel to their colonies and spend a few days with each cult/religion getting to grips with their beliefs and views and interviewing the founders and leaders of each one. As the Church of all Worlds have their own school in Grey Wizadry and spells, it would be such an interesting insight to a world of religion that hardly anyone knows about. Here are supported links that show each religion/cults beliefs and contact details: 

LINKS

http://listverse.com/2009/09/10/10-extremely-weird-religions/

http://www.jedichurch.org/

http://www.jedichurch.org/webapps/l/4448/220428/211076

http://www.oberonzell.com/contact.html

http://www.universe-people.com/english/default_en.htm

http://www.scientology.org/contact.html

http://www.cracked.com/article_16115_6-insane-cults-that-would-probably-be-lot-fun_p2.html

Church of All Worlds

The Church of All Worlds is a neo-pagan religion founded in 1962 by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. The religion evolved from a group of friends and lovers who were in part inspired by a fictional religion of the same name in the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein; the church’s mythology includes science fiction to this day. They recognize “Gaea,” the Earth Mother Goddess and the Father God, as well as the realm of Faeries and the deities of many other pantheons. Many of their ritual celebrations are centered on the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. Following the tradition of using fiction as a basis for his ideas, Zell-Ravenheart recently founded The Grey School of Wizardry inspired in part by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school in the Harry Potter novels. 

The founder of the COW Oberon pictured above.

Universe People

Universe people or Cosmic people of light powers (Czech: Vesmírní lidé sil světla) is a Czech religious movement centered around Ivo A. Benda. Its belief system is based upon the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations communicating with Benda and other “contacters” since October 1997 telepathically and later even by direct personal contact. According to Benda those civilizations operate a fleet of spaceships, led by Ashtar Sheran, orbiting the Earth. They closely watch and help the good and are waiting to transport their followers into another dimension. The Universe People’s teachings incorporate various elements from ufology (some foreign “contacters” are credited, though often also renounced after a time as misguided or deceptive), Christianity (Jesus was a “fine-vibrations” being) and conspiracy theories (forces of evil are supposed to plan compulsory chipping of the population). 

Promotional poster for the Universe People found on their website.