I appreciate the feedback and I want to hear more. Mani Garcia is creating a little bit of a artsy film but it is a work in progress. I mention the same points to him before. The film will be less confusing as we work out the details. If anyone else has a comment, please make it - don't worry about hurt feelings, mani doesn't have any... ;P
Documentary about the Persuasion and JW's - need to interview more women
by thecarpenter 12 Replies latest members private
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ManiGarcia
Thanks for helping me out with this carpenter!
Last fall I submitted a proposal with the idea for this film to the Humanities Institute at my university (State University of New York at Stony Brook), and was awarded a small grant of $1000.00. I was later granted another $500.00 from a program at my University called URECA (Undergraduate Research and creative activities). So with $1500.00 I've set out to make a film I describe the following way on my university web-page:
An intimate look into the lives of former Jehovah's Witnesses - to help us better understand the dynamics of
persuasion, belief, and disenchantment from a social psychological and philosophical perspective.
After leaving the Witnesses (5 years ago this August 1st),and shortly thereafter being disfellowshipped, I became intrigued at the amount of control organizations like the Watchtower can have over people - EVEN after they leave! The goal of the film is to present the stories of several individuals associated with Jehovah's Witnesses(at varying levels), highlighting the process of persuasion...to doubt...to dissuasion as experienced by each of them. Three basic questions will be explored: What makes people believe? What makes people doubt? What makes people disbelieve?
This film is not an expose on Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is being created in the context of social psychological exploration of persuasion. I am a psychology major and this work is very important to me as I feel it has the potential to help not only ex. Jehova’s Witnesses, but people in general understand the balance between the SELF as an individual and the SELF as a member of society. I am consulting with three professors from Psychology, one from Anthropology, one from Linguistics, along with two practicing psylogists and many ex. Jehovah’s Witnesses. The most important goal of the film is to assist in the support and rehabilitation of ex. Jehovah’s Witnesses who have experienced any degree of pain or trauma from their experiences.
I have other motivations. This is a site where many very important things are discussed. The thing that troubles me the most when I see these types of dialogues is that people outside of the world of Jehovah’s Witnesses (either active or ex.), would have a hard time REALLY understanding the issues we discuss here with such passion - issues that affect us to the very core of our beings. Often we don't even understand ourselves. This is something I am out to change!
I'm not here to sell a film, but to help in supporting those of us who need support (including myself), and join others in helping the public to understand what is happening to REAL people, affecting REAL lives - REAL very important stories that need to be heard in a variety of platforms.
The past 5 years I have suffered and grown a lot and…well I’m still here….I feel good…and like the rest of the people with similar stories…I’m about LIVING the life I have remaining, and hopefully helping others to do the same. A very wise colleague of mine has a saying: “I never have to feel the way the other wants me to feel”, my what a refreshing concept! At the least I want to say “hi”, pass that idea along, and let everyone know about the project. I hope to speak with you all more at some time.
-mani
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ManiGarcia
It is true that we are seeking to balance out interviews to have equal male/female, or for that matter female/male, representation.
My primary reason for seeking out more women to interview is that I believe there is a VERY IMPORTANT untold story of the experience of women among Jehovah's Witnesses. I am fortunate enough to be working closely with a Psychology professor and researcher at my university who specializes in the psychology of women's health (she has published extensively on this matter). Next semester I will serve as a teaching assistant in her course, The Psychology of Women's Health, and she has agreed to assist me in applying the course material and research we cover to the experience of women among Jehovah's Witnesses. Having this opportunity at the time I am shooting this film makes for great timing and I think something unique and powerful can be created to benefit women overall.
thecarpenter mentioned that for interviews involving physical travel we are looking for women within a 300 mile radius from New York City (mainly due to our tiny budget). We have, however, worked out arrangements with individuals from a further distance who would like to participate in the film.
Also, there is more than one way to participate:
- either on camera(visible) or on camera (not visible) interviews
- off camera interviews via voice recordings, writing, photos, or any other means that are comfortable to the participant
- participation in pilot interviews that will not be published
- sharing any ideas or suggestions
- telling others about the project, etc.