Great!!! Meetings yesterday. Such fantastic ideas and energy. Undercover is coming together with wonderful insights. This is an important program and you will all take it to the next step!

General update on the sections we worked on. Get more info on the blog

Structure group (Kirsten, Rachel, Maddy, Annie) NEXT MEETING: Friday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m. At Barbara's house to write script.
-talked about the core information that needed to introduce the program:
Who we are
Why we decided to do this
Visual introduction to the kind of thing we will see
Why these specific religions
Stepping into experiences (instead of staying away)

Basically came to the conclusion that while we may not believe the big stereotypes...really, the residue of that stereotype permeates our perceptions and hence we avoid these groups of people. Making it harder to get along and connect with each other.

In summary for each segment was:
Muslims are terrorists. We know that is not true, we don't believe the big hype...but we do feel they judge us and look foreign and scarey...so we stay away.

2. Jewish people are an exclusive club that is not easily accessible. They are stuck in the past and have these weird outdated rules. We don't want to offend so we stay away.

3. Christians are evangelical and want me to change. I feel judged so I stay away.

4. Atheists are very intellectual and all tied up in science. They think I am childish and stupid for believing differently than them. So I stay away.

The idea is that each section will have a iconic image to introduce each section while you hear girls voices saying the above ideas.

Muslim- Najma walking away from the camera in full hijab
Jewish- Maddy lighting Shabbath candles
Christian-a girl in a church reading a bible
Atheist-Kirsten at a chalk board or white board writing an equation.
"We wondered what would happen if you took God out of the equation"

Group decided that statistics didn't make sense-given the personal nature of the experiences. And to avoid other religions, since we don't have time to get into them. (Those can be included in the outreach). We will wait on the outro conclusion plan until we are a little further along.

The introduction piece will be framed around a little of the history. And will be the group shooting the interstitials...and talking directly to camera (or other interesting creative ways to introduce information—ie. A note on the log sheets, a line writing on the sidewalk in chalk, an email or text message, a phone call). This section will be fast fun and answer the questions that need to be set up. Who are we, what are we doing, why, how and why did we choose to focus on the sections we did.

Group will be getting together on FRIDAY, July 10 at 10:00 to work on the script and shot sheets for the intro and interstitials.
SHOOT DAY is scheduled for July 18...(the one day that both Maddy and Hannah are in town at the same time!). EVERYONE PLAN ON SHOOTING ON THIS DAY...it will be a full day.

MUSLIM section: Molly, Hannah, Kirsten, Maddy
The drive malfunctioned after falling off the coffee table. So this group did not view the material yet. We are loading a new drive today. We talked about not using much of the steps interviews but including the Iman’s interview, the interview with Suhra, the prayers and Ramadan and bedroom interviews (particularly with Saida and Najma) and then the experience of buying and wearing hijabs. Introduce what Islam means, the reason people wear the hijab, that it is a choice people make and that it identifies people as different and what that feels like. Do not think we need to shoot any more material.

JEWISH section: Maddy, Molly, Hannah
We want to open up the beginning of this to address some of the issues of What does being Jewish mean. Addressing the perceptions of separation and weird ancient rules that don’t make any sense. Then Why did we choose Shabbat as the activity. What is Shabbat. Experience the Shabbat-- Highlight the rules and how they shifted from confusing to comforting. End with Havdala and Saida’s reflection room. Include Fishman’s market, bedroom interviews, people on the streets, rabbi, etc.
Maddy will get more material on her hard drive today and the group will talk on Friday, July 10 and pass off the hard drive to Hannah and Molly for review and beginning edit on July 11-18... Then it gets passed back to Maddy for edit. Do not think we need to shoot anymore material.

So we are on our way. More soon.