Open Call: Pitch Reels

The Pitch:

Dear Future President, is a short documentary based on interviews with elementary school children in the nations capital. This short addresses the concerns of citizens who have not yet earned the right to vote but people who know that their futures will be directly affected by the outcome of the 2008 Presidential election.

Three students write letters to the future President of the United States of America to express their concerns and to offer suggestions for dealing with issues affecting our nation and the world. The goal of this video is to give voice to a group that has not been heard during the course of this election season.

As a nation we have been bombarded with political pun dents pontificating on everything from weekly opinion polls to how each candidates spouse, associate, pastor and beverage choice will be viewed by the American public. This saturation of politics in the media has led to great political debates between “we the people” and some of that discussion has made its way to the dinner table and to our elementary school students. The young video participants, like many of their peers have a desire to be involved in the political process right now. He current political climate has allowed students the opportunity to apply the things they have learned in classes to current events.

This short documentary is a welcome turn from apathy to activity and activism. The pace of the documentary is slightly slower because to allow the students to express their opinions without audio edits. Viewers will know that they are hearing the unscripted, innocent concerns and opinions of the children being interviewed. There will be some b-roll incorporated to provide additional visual stimulus during the students’ interviews.