Five fagless days
1x10 for BBC Three
Verity Sian Wakeford
The idea
People start smoking at a young age and if they carry on smoking, they will be smoking themselves into the risk of cancer. There are two smokers, one is a heavy smoker the other is a light smoker. They will give up smoking for five days. (This is how the film does not start). Within these five days, they both have a certain ways of quitting. One will be going by a NHS plan and the other will be on a nicotine plan quitting tools. The two smokers are 16-18 years of age. I am going to test what plan will work the best, to see which one will work quicker, these tests will hopefully help them to stop smoking, and to stop others from smoking.
Developing the idea
Jessica and Richard will be smoking, then they will give it up for five days, throughout the five days they will do what they usually do and replace smoking for their plans. By the end of the week hopefully the two smokers will change their view on smokers and do something for their health.
What will happen?
The documentary will start with a song and people smoking, to introduce what the topic is. This will go on for a couple of seconds (30). The title will then pop up, and then fade. The two smokers with then be given their plans and they will give their view on them. On the same day they will do a fitness test to see their health, for before and after purposes. They will do a bleep test and a lap run. They will then give their views on how they thought today went and how they are coping. Also the two smokers will see how much they spend per week, month etc, to show them how much they spend. On day two the two smokers will interview some classmates to get their views on smoking, this help them to see what their friends really think. Also the two smokers will look at what you have to go through if you have cancer, this is to help them realise that if they get cancer from smoking, this is what you must have. On day three the two smokers will give their views on how the half way point is, wether they are coping or not. On day four the two smokers will give their veiws for how they are feeling and if they have learned anything over the last couple of days. On day five the two smokers will do the same fitness test, bleep test and run. This is for the after purpose, also they will say on how they feel of the whole week and if they are going to continue to quit smoking.
Characters
Jessica Thomas is a social 16-year-old smoker, she wants to quit smoking, and she is using the NHS plan. Richard Morris is a heavy smoker of 18 years, he wants to stop smoking immediately, and he will be using the nicoreete plan. On average these two smokers smoke 175 per week together. They are at risk of getting cancer and other risks in their life. There are pros and cons to giving up smoking, there isn’t a lot at stake for them for quitting.
Richard Morris is a cool, easy going happy guy, who has been smoking since he was 17, he is now 18. He plays the bass guitar, which he practices often. He watches family guy and goes out with his friends. After finishing his diploma in media he wants to complete a music course in University and make money in the music industry. Jessica Thomas is a bubbly-fun loving 16-year-old girl, she has been smoking on and off since she was 14. She likes to go out with her friends and says she has a very boring life, after completing her diploma in media; she wants to go to University to do a Media course.
How to do it
I will have the two smokers to understand the effects of smoking, I will than ask them to give up smoking for five days and follow separate plans, at the end of the five days, hopefully quitting smoking will have helped their health. I will use observational filming, voice-overs and evidence from other sources. The presenter will be invisible at all times.
Themes
I want to change the two smokers opinions on smoking and to show them it is a bad habit. I want to be able to see two different effects from the two smokers. The documentary will be based at Coleg Morgannwg and a a works place.They both will be challenged to stick to their plan for five days. There will be temptations by making them stand, smell smoke, to see whether they can stick to their promise.
The idea is interesting because some people don’t realize they have the facilities to be able to quite smoking. They realize what can happen if they continue to smoke, but do not have the will power to quit.
Secure
There is a mass of access that I have which is the two smokers, permission at the Coleg and my mothers workplace.There is access to get information from the NHS to stop smoking. I will have to purchase some free nicotine inhalers from the NHS. The film should take five days to film, due to the name five fagless days. There will be two main characters Richard and Jessica. I will use a Griersonian mode, called the voice of god, because I want to able to use images and voiceovers and give the documentary a better effect.
Conclusion
The idea is based around lung cancer, a family member has recently died of lung cancer due to smoking, I want the young smokers to realize this will happen to you. By trying to use different plans to help them get through five days of not smoking.
