Ahmed Omar - Final Thesis Proposal

I. The Story of a Scavenger Boy

II. Abstract:

The Story of A Scavenger Boy is an interactive video narrative, combining elements of documentary activist journalism with techniques of narrative drama to communicate the state of struggle for a sense of national identity amidst the enormous upheaval that characterizes modern day Pakistan. The project will meld together the sagas of young street scavengers and allow the viewer to engage and interact with the characters and their stories.

Keywords: interactive, database narrative, non-linear, street children, activism, documentary.

III. Project Introduction & Background Information:

The aim of this project is to raise awareness about a neglected community consisting of more than 100,000 street children who suffer due to extreme illiteracy, chronic diseases and drug abuse. Moreover it is part of an initiative intended to motivate people to take action to improve the lives of these children.

Since it’s creation in 1946, Pakistan has been severely handicapped by corrupt governance, military dictatorships and regional tension. Pakistan is a country in which an estimated 44% of the population still lives bellows the poverty line. In a country where the literacy rate is just hitting 50% (where you are considered literate If you can read and write your name) I was fortunate to have studied in the most prestigious high school in my country. As a young child, I remember playing cricket and flying kites with these children on the street outside my home in Karachi. Today, these same children I once associated with commit petty crimes and scavenge for food and water. They lack the guidance, motivation and direction to excel in life.

More than 100,000 child scavengers or rag-pickers can be found across Pakistan, according to the International Labour Organisation. They are exposed to scabies, malaria, dysentery, anaemia and muscular problems, as well as to chronic diseases like Tuberculosis, jaundice and liver/kidney disorders. Exposure to cast-off syringes puts them at risk of contracting infections like HIV/AIDS.

Omar is from the gypsy community of Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city. At just ten, Omar has four years experience of "professional" scavenging for 10-12 hours a day. His work returns little so he eats what he finds. He spends three or four nights on the street in various locations and returns 'home' when he can.

Omar doesn't go to school and seldom spends time playing with friends. Tired or sick, Omar works. Time is a precious commodity that he uses to scavenge scrap metal and other goods for his employer. Although he has no fixed salary, Omar says that he has contributed to marginally improved conditions at home. He recounts experiences of physical and verbal abuse by his employer, but scavenging has been his life- he has known no different.

Source: Pakistan: Poverty unveiled (http://meero.worldvision.org/sf_pakistan.php)

IV. Description:

Definition of the Project:

• Genre: This project will blend fact and fiction. The project follows a non-Linear database narrative structure driven by several central characters and the stories based around the characters. However, within these narratives, the user will find factual information in the form of interviews, and data about the discussed issues. This information threaded into the narrative will give the project a critical and scholarly component. Thus the genre of the project can broadly be categorized as a documentary that is driven by a dramatic narrative.

• Research Methodology: I intend to use prior research conducted by local as well as international organizations that include World Vision, UNICEF, The Azad Foundation and Consortium for Street Children. In addition, I also plan to conduct original research in areas where previous research is limited. Specifically, these areas include the documentation of the daily lives and routines of street children and the cognitive and psychological effects of living on the street. Also, I plan to conduct original research in the form of interviews done on location, in Pakistan, both among the street class of children and among social workers and citizenry.

• Delivery Format: The project will be delivered via a dedicated website. It will be available in both low and high resolution. Also project will be released on DVD format and possibly High Definition. Information presentation, and details about web delivery are discussed later.

Project Goals and Initiatives: The goal of this project is to engross the user in an interactive and dynamic environment where the user is as much a part of the project as the characters depicted. It aims to immerse the user in an environment where he/she feels engaged and empowered and in doing so, allows the user to reflect upon their own life while interacting with the narrative and characters presented. Secondly the project aims to raise awareness about the lives of underprivileged children in Pakistan and the external factors at play that cannot be disregarded when attempting to understand issues related to 3rd world countries in general. This project is part of a larger initiative to improve the lives of underprivileged children all over Pakistan. I plan to become affiliated with organization working on the grassroots level in Pakistan such as The Citizens Foundation (TCF). Lastly, this project hopes to be valuable as an academic and scholastic resource for future research about street children, poverty, and the dynamics of a lower class family in Pakistan.

This project must be realized in multimedia as it uses new media technology, and multimedia tools to achieve the outlined goals. The project will be unlike anything done before. It will approach a social issue using a new interactive medium that allows for greater interactivity and flexibility and gives the user control. The experience will be unique and inimitable for every user.

Project's Significance within Contemporary Scholarship: In the past large amounts of research has been done by scholars about street children and poverty in Pakistan. In addition many local television networks and independent documentary filmmakers have produced documentaries about issues concerning lower class families in the slums of Karachi, Pakistan. However this project will be the first attempt to present the data and research using a non-linear database narrative structure. Moreover, the project will be part of a larger initiative intended to motivate viewers become actively involved with current projects working to improve the lives of street children in Pakistan. Through the website, viewers interested in getting involved will be directed to NGO’s that are currently working on projects in Pakistan. The information and research present in the project will be accessible to scholars and academic units that are working on similar issues Thus the significance of this project is three fold. Firstly it will serve as a tool to educate. Secondly it will present information in a way that will enable users to engage more completely with the content. Lastly, the project will serve as a prototype to encourage the use of new media technologies as viable tools for social change.

IV. Timeline:

Spring 2008: Pre Production
Summer 2008: Production (Shooting at location in Karachi, Pakistan)
Fall 2008: Post Production (Editing raw footage, designing interface)
Winter 2008-09: Production (Shooting on location + interviews etc.)
Spring 2009: Post Production (Editing and finalizing footage, website development)

V. Budget:

Pre-Production: A minimal amount of finances will be required during pre-production stage of the project.

Production: The production costs of this project will broadly include cameras, lighting, transportation, cast and crew stipends and catering. The total estimate cost will range between $100 – $500. Since production will take place in Pakistan costs incurred will be in the local currency.

Post Production and Distribution: Post-production costs will be minimal. However the costs of distribution and web hosting will be significant. Depending on the scale of the project, the distribution, promotional and website costs will range between $200 to $500.

VI. Advisors:
The following is a list of confirmed advisors. All of the following individuals are aware of the project and have agreed to serve as faculty advisors for the project.

• Stacy Smith (Communication Department): Stacy L. Smith (Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1999) joined the USC Annenberg Faculty in the fall of 2003. Her research focuses on children’s responses to mass media portrayals (television, film, video games) of violence, gender and hypersexuality. Dr. Smith has written nearly 50 journal articles and book chapters on content patterns and effects of the media on youth.

• Andreas Kratky (Institute for Multimedia Literacy): Andreas Kratky is a media artist whose work focuses on memory, database, and new forms of cinema. His current work includes The Night Journey, a computer game project in collaboration with the video artist Bill Viola, and the interactive database narratives The Imaginary 20th Century and Venture to the Interior.

VII. Presentation and Distribution Plans:
The project will be officially released on a dedicated website. Along with this project, the website will host information about the project and other features including the following:

Website:
• Information about the project, including author statement
• Photo Gallery & Behind the Scenes footage
• Character Information & profiles
• Contact Information
• Getting Involved
• Online donation via Credit Card
• Discussion Forum

I also plan to launch my project on DVD and distribute it widely across the United States and Pakistan. In the future I hope to publicly exhibit the project in DIY conventions.

VIII. Production Resources:
Sony PD 170 DVCAM or
Sony VR-Z1U HDCAM
Lavalier Microphones for interviews
Final Cut Pro editing system
Korsakow or other database narrative system
Dreamweaver for website development

IX. Prior Related Work:
• A documentary aired on Dawn News TV titled “Equinox: Street Children in Pakistan”
• Research by World Vision about poverty and scavenger children.
• The Azad Foundation: A group dedicated to improving the lives of street children in Karachi, Pakistan

X. Research Bibliography:
World Vision: Pakistan: Poverty unveiled
http://meero.worldvision.org/sf_pakistan.php

World Education Forum: Grassroots stories: Pakistan
http://www.unesco.org/education/wef/en-news/pakistan.shtm

The Azad Foundation:
http://www.azadfoundation.org

The Consortium for Street Children:
http://www.streetchildren.org.uk

The Edhi Foundation:
http://www.edhifoundation.com

Updated May 7, 2008