Open CallOpen Call: Rough Cuts
Mi Otro Yo (Previously Titled: Declaration of Policy) (3:01)
Ari Luis Palos + Eren Isabel McGinnis - Tucson, AZ
This is the 3rd rough cut of this short.
2nd Version
1st Version
The Pitch:
Our election story plays out in the lively streets and engaging schools of Tucson, Arizona, a political story with national resonance and texture.
Arizona State lawmakers have made rapid progress on a soon to be very controversial Senate Bill 1108. This bill seeks to ban teaching in public schools that would “denigrate American values and the teachings of Western civilization.”
The bill specifically aims to disband African-American, Pan-Asian, Native American, and Mexican-American/Raza Studies programs at the high school, community college, and university levels in the state of Arizona. Senate Bill 1108 would also discourage teachers who “overtly encourage dissent” from Western values such as capitalism.
“This bill basically says, ‘You’re here. Adopt American values,’” State Rep. John Kavanagh, a Republican, told The Arizona Republic. “‘If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture,’” he said.
Tucson High School students are angry, and importantly, they are seasoned and organized civil rights activists. The students know they have constitutional rights to study a multi-cultural education in their high school, the oldest in Tucson, founded by a Mexican-American.
We will open our election story with Tucson High School students sharing examples of the concrete benefits of their multi-cultural education and how this education has helped them to outscore their peers in standardized tests, earn better grades, and has encouraged them to stay in school and then go on to college. Tucson High School students are currently able to participate in the highly successful Raza Studies program, which seeks to profile and validate their Mexican-American heritage.
The Tucson High School students have already gained the support of groups such as the United Farm Workers
http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/sb1108?qp_source=web
as they try to kill Senate Bill 1108.
The students believe in democracy and participation and have faith in the power of civic engagement. They are eager to continue learning more about their heritage and culture and want to ignite a sense of participation in younger students and peers. The students know they are a reflection of their city and feel that elected officials need to serve all parts of their diverse community.
The students demonstrate extreme acts of courage utilizing old-fashioned civil rights techniques in their fight to keep ethnic studies in the classroom and to create hope for all of us.
We shot our ‘pitch’ footage on May 1, 2008 during the International Day of the Worker and had Tucson High School students reading sections of the proposed bill. The students cut out of their classes to bring national attention to this issue, which could potentially affect their curriculum by cutting programs that are precious to them. We will follow up with the students during their efforts to shut this bill down.
We are Dos Vatos Productions and you can see samples of our work here:
www.dosvatos.com
16 Comments [Add a comment]
The opinions expressed in the Comments Section of this website are those of the writers/ contributors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the WGBH Educational Foundation.
- Login or register to post comments
Comments
TUSD ethnic studies
As the one portrayed as the villain in the piece, I wonder if anyone thought: could there be another side to this story? Is it good film making to give a one sided distorted picture, rather than both sides of an important issue? If you're interested in the other side, here's a link: http://www.ade.az.gov/An%20Open%20Letter%20to%20Citizens%20of%20Tucson.doc
Where is the national press?
I'm in CA ... Where is the national press on this story? Why aren't I hearing more about how I can help support Tucson High's teachers and students?!?
The greatest educational value is diversity of thought and I support and students, teachers, and supporters for defending their principles.
Move forward
Excellent style and flow. Appreciate the diversity captured already.
I'd like to see parallels drawn between this current struggle and earlier movements. We've seen Tom Horne before... This piece can help foster a deliberate dialog about an issue with far reaching implications.
Feedback
The controversy is clearer than in previous cuts but still oblique. It needs to be spelled out because the characters refer to the curriculum by acronym and we don’t know what it stands for. Try putting a lower third over the teacher when he uses the acronym, spelling out what it stands for. You may also want to use a full screen card rather than an image of the Senate Bill as the woman reads from it. And… while her reading of the bill is dramatic it does little to clearly explain the controversy. You may want to consider using her Che quote and treating the introduction of the bill in a straightforward manner.
Mi Otro Yo
I agree with all the comments including Chris' comment about feeling like a PSA/advocacy video. Its a bit heavy on the cliches but you have excellent material and compelling people in your film. A title card at the beginning detailing the bill would give the viewer a more solid reference point to measure the magnitude of this struggle. You could also use clips from the radio show that you posted here to describe the bill and the opposition's position. I really liked the hip hop portion but it felt like an ending that overshadowed the next scene.
Great work!
Camille, POV
Excellent energy and movement
I love how your piece breaks the third wall and speaks straight to the viewer. This is the style and tone that we need in film making about our youth and the issues that affect them. Break down the walls that they have built around themselves and that the adult media has built with stereotypes and typical genre programming. I would love to see this piece as a feature-for the youth to see their perspectives given a voice and for the viewer to see a direct and intelligent film that can't be thrown into the MTV Cribs category of youth media.
Great Job. I would like to
Great Job. I would like to understand a little better what rights will be takenn away. One of the most important things in life is to understand ones culture and what moves them. Keep up the good work.
National Audience
Hi,
I like your cutting style feels fresh. On the question of balance, which was brought up in an earlier post, I need for you to give us a snap shot of what the other side is saying in your short.
At the moment its feelings too much like an advocacy PSA not a short story about the debate or s short story about how the students are fighting back.. which is how I read your pitch.
What I liked about your pitch was that I was under the impression you were going to profile the students who are leading the opposition to the bill.
As it stands now the short you have is more of a tool for not a story about the resistance. This might represents a bit of a problem when you think about wanted to broadcasting the short during an election. It's a fine line between telling the story and advocacy. Curious about your thoughts..
best,
Chris Hastings
WGBH Lab, Supervisor
The Opposition Responds with Force
Tom Horne, our Superintendent of Public Instruction, is holding a press conference to ABOLISH Ethnic Studies in the state. The opposition is real and they are vocal.
This is just in from Tom Horne's Press Secretary:
ARIZONA SCHOOLS CHIEF TOM HORNE TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN TUCSON
TUCSON (Wednesday, June 11, 2008) -- Arizona Schools Chief Tom Horne will hold a press conference in Tucson on Thursday, June 12 at 10:00 a.m. outside the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) office.
Horne will be talking about reasons TUSD should abolish its Ethnic Studies department.
WHAT:
ARIZONA SCHOOLS CHIEF TOM HORNE TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN TUCSON
DATE:
THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008
TIME:
10:00 A.M.
WHERE:
TUCSON UNIFIED DISTRICT OFFICE
(across the street at Park and 10th)
1010 East 10th Street
TUCSON, AZ 85719
Rapping and the Voice of the Opposition
Hi Brian and commenters:
Thank you for taking the time to watch the short and provide us with some feedback.
The rappers and my kids would have liked the rap section to be longer! A big GRACIAS to RebelArte, who are Usiel Barrio and Ornaldo Tarazón, long time community activists.
We did seek out the opposing voice several times. We tried to secure interviews with the politician who wrote the bill as well as some of the leading voices of the opposition to Raza Studies. We wrote formal letters of request, we called their assistants several times, and were always told politely that they were too busy to meet with us. We even contemplated “Michael Mooring” it and just blaze into their offices, but on the days we were in Phoenix, they were in Yuma or ‘out of the office.”
However, if you are interested, the opposing voice is heard, loud and clear, on a daily basis, on talk radio here in Southern Arizona. Here is Russell Pierce, the author of the bill:
http://www.1041thetruth.com/Portals/57/podcasts/0527russellpierceintervi...
Or, one of the students, Adrian Laurenzi, wrote a letter of support for Raza Studies to the Tucson Citizen and he received a lot of feedback from folks who did not believe him.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/opinion/86466.php
We did think a lot about what we would try to cram into 3 minutes and it was important to us, that the students have a chance to be heard. During immigrant rights rallies on May Day there will be thousands of people, of all colors, marching together peacefully and in solidarity, and then there will be 5 nut jobs, burning a Mexican flag in the middle of this and the flag burners get the air time!
Most people who are opposed to Raza Studies know very little about it, have not visited the classroom, and their opinions are shrouded in fear of the other, which in this case, happens to be Chicanos/Mexicanos. We thought it was very important to let the students, who are actually in the class, get the air time.
more info on the bill
Hello nicodisante:
You can read the entire bill, in all of its glory right here:
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/proposed...
Eren Isabel McGinnis
Great production values on
Great production values on this piece! The actual footage of the rapping struck me as slightly longer than it needed to be, but I think it works. Maybe cut to b-roll sooner?
I'm not sure if it's possible this late in the game, but I'd be interested to see an opposing view. You make a very compelling case for the perspective offered, but I was left wondering what the other side's motivation was -- surely it wasn't entirely just to deprive these children of a rounded education?
That aside, I enjoyed the fact that the story was personal as well as larger than the students themselves. Well done!
great piece
This is a timely and pertinent piece. I didn't knwo about Bill 1108 and now I'll research it. Good work!
a compelling piece. my only
a compelling piece. my only critique would be that you include the oppositions voice/supporters of Bill 1108.
good work,
chico
chico colvard
www.c-linefilms.com
Good work. I like the
Good work. I like the natural responses from the students you interviewed. the settings were good and I am happy you got Acosta and Lelani in on it. it is such a fresh issue and important to be documenting. I think more clear information on the outrageous bill would be good. Any plans to interview the reprobates who wrote it, hello sweet John Kavanagh? well done putting it together so fast.
Mi Otro Yo
Well Done. A little confusing on what might be taken away. That should somehow be stated clearly up front.
Nice Job