Proposal Two

Documentary Proposal 2 – S. Webb

   Since the submission of my last proposal, I have had  a radical change of heart regarding the subject area of my piece. It has occurred to me that I would prefer my documentary to be, above all else, an engaging experience from an audience perspective therefore I have decided to change the subject matter of my production to a more engaging subject area. It is now my intention to document the effects of sleep deprivation upon a group of individuals. Insomnia being a relatively common affliction, I feel this is an area that can generate a respectable level of interest from the general population.

   My intention is to approach this subject area in much the same style as the Morgan Spurlock documentary 'Super Size Me' (2004). Spurlock's documents the effects of an exclusively McDonald's diet upon his own body. For a month, the only food Spurlock consumes comes from McDonald's restaurants. Over the course of a month, his health gradually deteriorates; a powerful demonstration of the negative effects of fast-food and a potent message for any audience. Additional information on 'Super Size Me' can be found here:  HYPERLINK "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/

   Of course the effects of sleep deprivation on the human body are not quite as obvious as the massive consumption of fast-food, however they are far from risk-free; there is a reason sleep deprivation gained notoriety as a torture-method:

Exhaustion: This is not simply feeling tired. This is total lack of energy, of will power and of any desire to do anything other than nothing.

Impaired coordination/vision: Again, beyond convention. Hand-eye coordination can suffer to the point that the simplest task becomes quite a challenge. Vision becomes blurry and assistance can be required for the easiest of activities.

Discomfort: Not so much pain, just a wholly, constant uncomfortable feeling.

Additionally, sleep deprivation can lead to further complication in health, including but not limited to a weakening of the immune system. The dangerous effects of lack of sleep are perhaps not well known, but they are by no means insignificant. Further information can be found here:  HYPERLINK "http://www.sleeptracks.org/physical-effects-of-sleep-deprivation.html"http://www.sleeptracks.org/physical-effects-of-sleep-deprivation.html

In terms of media, it was my original intention to produce the documentary rather like a home-movie; with hand-held video cameras and as little editing as possible. However it is now my desire to be a little more experimental with my piece, and so it is my intention to produce this piece through the mediums of sound and photography. Myself and a number of assistants intend to embark on a quest of sorts: to see how long we can function, feasibly, without any sleep whatsoever. Of course, making this 'challenge' totally fair is nigh on impossible; we cannot of course, all wake up at the same time after the same amount of hours spent asleep, however we shall all officially begin the challenge simultaneously. My hope is to demonstrate how sleep deprivation/insomnia can affect a number of different lifestyles. Naturally, I am not hoping or indeed expecting the kind of physical self-destruction Morgan Spurlock wrought upon himself, however I am hoping to achieve a similar effect.