Description:

My short film is about misconceptions and prejudices created by our environment, particularly the mass media. It focuses on an innocent and joyous occasion and how different audiences, and members of audiences, may come to different conclusions as to what is happening in the film.

Each and every one of us has a view about race and those who are of different ethnic backgrounds. Prejudices, beliefs, and attitudes are in part shaped by the mass media.
Many celebrate the fact that we are a multicultural nation. Unfortunately, Islamophobia has become part of common parlance in recent years. It sums up prejudice towards Muslims propagated and inflamed by some aspects of our mass media.

This is where the story comes in…

SYNOPSIS

The Journey follows a Middle Eastern man, JALAL, who is in his thirties and is married with a 9-year-old son. The story opens with JALAL engaged in early morning Islamic prayers at home. Spliced in between the prayers is a scene from the night before where he is speaking to someone over the phone (in Arabic) about an unspecified item. Nothing is revealed about this object, only that he has to collect it from a contact who lives nearby.

JALAL goes to collect the item and brings it home; concealed and secret. Upon returning home, JALAL speaks to his wife and child in the lounge before going upstairs to his home office which he unlocks. He neatly lays out some tools including a soldering iron, a collection of screwdrivers, and the package.

JALAL unwraps the package and takes out some metallic and electronic parts. He begins to assemble these parts using his tools and spends that evening and the next day doing so. What he is making and the purpose of the item he is creating is still unknown. It is left to the audience to decide on the potential outcome and conclude what he is preparing. JALAL finishes after two days of work, carefully wrapping up the object and boxing it. We remain unaware of the nature of the item.

The next morning, JALAL places a letter in an envelope, seals it, and writes the names of his wife and son on it. He leaves it propped up on the kitchen table. He has train tickets and leaves his home with a large rucksack on his back containing the finished item. He takes the train and underground into the heart of London and walks towards the London Eye. He then proceeds to St Pancras station. He walks around the station appearing to be searching for someone and looking anxious. On a crowded area of the station he kneels on the floor and pulls out the box with the object inside.

Suddenly, he looks up as JALAL’s son runs into his arms. JALAL’s wife walks towards him with the letter open which reads: “Here’s two tickets to go to London. Meet me at the St Pancras at 6:30 to celebrate our son’s Birthday. I have tickets for the London Eye”. The boy opens his present - an elaborate modified Meccano toy.

The purpose of this short film is to challenge our perceptions, how we interpret such perceptions, and what conclusions we arrive at and to what extent these are influenced by the mass media. What could have easily ended on an extremely serious note, with the man engaged in some kind of subterfuge or act of terrorism, actually concludes with a U-turn on possible expectations through the affection shown between JALAL, his wife, and their son.

ON SET DETAILS

We are a very friendly team of filmmakers who will ensure that the set is safe and a very friendly environment. We aim to engage with our actors on every level to make sure everyone is comfortable with their roles.

All minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Payment details: no pay

MY PORTFOLIO

To check out my work, look under the "Media Productions' and 'Trailers' playlists on my YouTube page: http://youtube.com/audience