The recession's effect on unemployed citizens is the topic of my story. I would like to focus on facilities and programs that provide services to people who are unemployed and need assistance.
A few weeks ago, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession was likely over. However, the U.S. Department of Labor's Web site said that 9.8 percent of the population is unemployed as of September. In previous economic downturns the availability and creation of new jobs was one of the indicators used to determine that recovery was on the way. Today people seem to have a longer and much harder time at landing a job. Therefore, it is possible that the recession will not be over until individuals are able to obtain employment.
America's economic downturn is a relevant topic that has affected many individuals, both journalists and non-journalists. For journalists, this means the demise of publications such as the Rocky Mountain News and Gourmet magazine, as well as buyouts and layoffs from other news organizations.
For non-journalists, this means job cuts in fields such as construction and manufacturing. The type of people that I would seek to profile are those who have been looking for work for several months, or longer. Employment agencies, job fairs, and career workshops are some of the places that I think I can find individuals who are struggling to get a job.
There are many different staffing agencies in the Washington-Baltimore area. I would rely on mostly public transportation to get to and from my interviews and photo shoots. Robert Half International and Manpower are two staffing agencies out of many that have local offices.
My goal is to use primary sources for this project. Some of those sources include information from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Treasury. I would also consult some of Maryland's state government agencies.
In terms of the time spent interviewing my subjects and obtaining images from my "B" roll, I hope that my travel expenses do not exceed $150. Due to time and money constraints, I might highlight one to three individuals and/or families and talk to one or two experts.
I recognize that there are several drawbacks to this assignment. One is to find an employment or staffing agency that is willing to let me film on the premises. Another drawback is to find people who are willing to openly share their stories for the project. If I do find people who want to be featured in the story, I will also have to carve time out of my schedule to follow them around.
At this point, I feel that photography and audio are the best ways to tell this story. With a video camera, certain shots might be bad if some of the events take place outdoors (i.e. at night) and the sound quality is not good due to rain, wind or snow. Also, I am just starting to get used to shooting film and I feel more comfortable using photography and audio.
One way to address some of the drawbacks to my project is to film people indoors, during the daytime and on weekends. Also, a video might be intrusive in certain situations. For example, if one of my subjects found out that their home was going into foreclosure, I probably wouldn't shoot any film if they are finding out for the first time. That individual might swear, get angry, or violent. I would probably give them space to vent, and then have them do a tape recorded interview and use that as a voice over.
Overall, I think it is possible to produce a project about unemployment that is relevant and in a tasteful manner. I also think that it is important to focus on a few subjects in order for my story to be concise and well put together.
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