Update

So, the interview with Ms. Cloonan went well. She didn't put down students' manners as much as I would have liked, but it was her honest opinion. There is about 3 minutes of her answering several questions I asked. So, I will be able to implement the footage into my video as soon as I have compiled everything I want.

I am still waiting for an email interview response from one person. Another woman is busy until the first week of May, so I'm waiting for then. And the third, probably most helpful woman, has volunteered her two kids to be interviewed to talk about etiquette courses.

Now, I still need to get footage of the me holding a door open for people skit and people waiting at crosswalks (which I kind of have already) also, a sketch about good manners and bad manners.

I really want to include some stock footage of already existing footage online to "mock" some things, but it is not too easy to rip videos from any video player on a website...I'm considering getting some footage of my mom's preschool class to show how, at such a young age, kids already lack simple please and thank you manners...Not sure if that would do so much for my project, but it's a very accessible option.

I will not deny that I have been procrastinating, but I'm making it a very gradual process that WILL all come together to form a nice documentary in the end, so I am not worried. Once everything is filmed, the video will be edited in a short amount of time.

Amazing Advantage: how to open a door

http://www.amazingadvantage.com/player.html
This is a website with very silly video clips on manners for children.
I emailed three different etiquette programs in the Boston area...waiting to hear back from them now.

"In addition to basic table manners, teens learn tips on grooming, how to eat different foods, make introductions, write social correspondence, the art of conversation and dance floor etiquette."

After meeting with Ms. Londino, I will hopefully have a good understanding of an agenda for what I should be doing over the next couple weeks

Project Update

I have regressed my project back to a documentary on manners. I received my steal drum pan in the mail and it was tiny and pretty low quality, so I returned it. I also was having a really tough time finding someone in the MA area to teach/help me play. I did contact a Mr. P.J. Adamson and Mr. Alan Lightner. They are both professional leveled steal drummers, but said that to play more than a simple lullaby or children song, I would really need two or three years experience...
So, I'm back to the manners, which I am actually pretty excited about. I have at least five 'skits' planned out to film. The newest one being:
I sit in downtown Boston with raggedy clothing, begging for money and see how much I can receive...then I will do the exact same thing in Newton...my prediction is that I will make a significantly larger amount of money in Boston than in Newton.
If so, this will further substantiate my argument that the majority of Newton civilians are manner-lacking, snobby money hoarders.
NO OFFENSE...

Email to California etiquette school

I just wrote this email to Ms. Naomi Paulson...later realizing that her firm is in California...not Massachusetts...

Dear Etiquette School,
For a senior High School elective, I am creating a documentary based on manners in our society.
I was wondering whether it would be possible to perhaps interview someone from your company, enroll in a class at your school in order to maybe film some footage, or just get some general information about manners and your opinions of their deficiency in MA.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Josh Podrid

Manners Etiquette Agenda

Social Program
Module 1:
The Art of Making a Personal Introduction
Responding to Introductions and Introducing Others
Handshake, Greetings and Using Titles
How to Start and Maintain a Conversation
Dressing for All Occasions
The Etiquette of Public Places
Attending Social and Cultural Events
Telephone Skills
Theater and Cinema Etiquette
Giving and Receiving Gifts
Thank-you Notes
Interviewing Skills for College Entrance and Employment

Module 2:
How to Dress for the Interview
Greeting the Interviewer
How to Finesse Questions
Wardrobe and Personal Grooming
Non-verbal Communication
Your Voice and How You Speak
Sophisticated table manners become increasingly important as young adults prepare to enter the competitive social, collegiate, or business worlds. Like the unspoken signals of a secret society, the nuances of proper dining skills proclaim one's breeding, or lack of it -- a situation that can determine which doors will open or which will remain closed to future opportunities.

Module 3:
How to Navigate the Place Setting
American and Continental Styles of Eating
Proper Use of the Napkin, Glassware, and Tableware
When to Start Eating
Buffet Etiquette
When Silence is Golden
Avoiding the 10 Most Commonly Made Eating Errors
When You are a House Guest
Handling Difficult-to-eat Foods
Dining Dos and Don'ts

WISE Journal third entry

My initial project of creating a documentary film based on competitive food eating, its training, and all the information behind it. This became difficult becasue of the lack of footage that I would be able to film. Most of the largely scaled competitions have sponsors which are responsible for documenting the events. I changed my project to a documentary on body building and then considered profiling professionals and High School students…I faded away from this idea and decided to make a cynical and revealing film about manners; especially in Newton. I think I will stick with this as I already have an idea for at least four different scenes. A market and shoppers being rude to other shoppers and food vendors. A person not giving up his/her seat for an elder person on a train. The lack of “thank yous” when a door is held open voluntarily for people. And several interviews with store/shop owners and workers. I am aiming for about 20 minutes of footage and a final product of about 10 minutes…I think this will be feasible. I MAY need a more sufficient editing program…and/or an interview microphone for better sound quality…Lighting for the interviews would be really great too. Having any of these three things would seriously enhance my video.

WISE Journal second entry

My initial steps towards my WISE project have been slightly discouraging. After scheduling a meeting with Mr. Stembridge, I anxiously awaited whether he would authorize me staging a food eating competition at school. Mr Stembridge told me that having a competition at school would be just as unjust as “testing the effects of marijuana on the brain” at school. Hearing this was really not that surprising to me, it just limits my overall area of filming content. I have also contacted Mr. Richard and George Shea.

WISE Journal first entry

I got the idea to make a documentary film based on competitive food eating one day while I was watching TV. I was on the food channel and there was a commercial for a local hot dot eating competition. This immediately sparked my interest and after much deliberation, I decided that I wanted to do this for my WISE presentation. While I do not have any passion on food eating, I do have a film making passion and my idea to make a documentary was finally grounded after I decided my topic. I considered internships at Public Relations firms, or a documentary on today's health care. I chose my topic because I thought it was original and would be exciting to create. Out of this project I wish to obtain a well filmed and edited close to 10 minute documentary. I also really wish that I could host a mock food eating competition here at South. My goals are to learn the nutritional science behind a food over-consumer and I also hope to gain a better understanding of the film-making industry. I would like to know: "is over consuming food really worth everything in the end?"