Day One: Lindsey's interview.

Filming day had arrived (Saturday 5th April) and both myself and Caoimhe were really excited. I picked them both up from Belfast and brought them up to my house.

It didn't take us too long to set up, and it was a really nice day outside so the sun was coming through the window nicely. Caoimhe was on sound, while I was on camera as well as asking the questions. We had originally planned to stop at every fourth question and change camera angles, and had fully intended to do this but we were too interested in her answers and it was just flowing like a real conversation, that we completely forgot to do so.

We then got her to cut up some buns that were vegan as well as gluten free, and I wanted these to be cutaways for when we were taking about desserts and buying food in general.

Caoimhe and I were really happy with how the day had gone, all three of us got on great and the answers that Lindsey gave us to our questions were great and quite eye opening.

Things people say when you tell them you're a vegetarian or vegan.

The Vegetarian Belfast Facebook page posted this article up this afternoon and it is something along the lines that I would like to ask my interviewee. It's an article about the questions both vegetarians and vegans both get asked when they tell people about being vegetarian or vegan.

One of my questions will be "How did people first react when you told them about your lifestyle change?" and although it's not the same question, it's very similar because I imagine some people's reactions were along the lines of the questions in the article.

Eating Local.

One of the benefits of researching my documentary idea, is that I get to go and try some new food. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to food in restaurants; you wouldn't exactly see me going for frogs legs but when it comes to food 'on the outside' if that's what you can call it, I'm pretty much up for trying anything.

I first started researching vegan restaurants and found a few Facebook pages, and the first page I came across was for "Check Out My Buns". They aren't a restaurant but they are a gluten free and vegan bakery who sell their goods at St. George's Market every weekend. Back in November, I got tested and was told that I needed to go gluten free immediately because my body couldn't cope with eating gluten, as well as not being able to eat soy or carrots too. So when I found out this company was not only vegan (relating well to my initial research) but that it was also gluten free, I was over the moon. On their "About" Facebook page, they said "Delighted to say we are now an exclusively Gluten/Wheat Free bakery, working in an exclusively gluten and wheat free space". This doesn't so much relate to my subject, but for me personally, it's such a good thing to hear and see from companies, especially since I know that cross-contamination won't happen (Not that I have dealt with this yet).

On Wednesday evening, I placed an order with them and picked up on Saturday afternoon at St. George's Market. I picked up some Cocoa Nut Amazeballs otherwise described as healthy nut/fruit snack balls. They are of course, gluten free and vegan but they're also dairy free, egg free, wheat free and no added sugar (The only sugar that's in them is the natural occuring sugars that comes from the dried fruits). So what you're eating is clean and natural, and isn't full of sugary preservatives. I waited until I got home to take some photographs of them:

They were £5 for 6 which is excellent value for something clean and delicious that caters to you. I've already had two but they're not like other snacks. I cut one in half and I felt satisfied; I didn't get that 'chocolate bar' or 'Jaffa cake' feeling, I didn't need to have another one, it just satisfied my sweet tooth for hours, so if you're thinking six isn't very much, it really is, because these will probably last you until the next week (if you don't share them, of course). They are delicious and I don't mean to say I didn't need to have another one because I didn't like them, because I actually love them, but because they don't have all the rubbish that's in other snacks, they left me feeling like I had something sweet and didn't have an addictive craving to eat the entire set (which normal chocolate or other sweet treats do).

I'm really happy with my first 'local' experience of vegan (and gluten free) food and I'll be venturing back next week to the market to see what else this company have to offer. I say 'local' because apart from fruit and vegetables and the odd cake (when I could eat gluten), I've never really bought local food before, but even just walking around the market, it really opened my eyes to local food, even if I can't eat a large majority of it.

To find out more about them; their website, their Twitter and their Facebook page.

Vegan/Vegetarian Documentary Proposal

Purpose (What’s my goal?)

My purpose for my chosen documentary subject is not only to inform the public on another way of healthy living but to educate everyone on what they may not know about vegetarianism or veganism and to break down some common misconceptions about these lifestyles.

Audience (Who will be watching?)

I would like a wide range of people to watch this documentary. It would appeal to younger people and their parents and to people who are looking to change their eating habits or maybe just don’t know anything on the subject, and this will give them more information about both lifestyles.

Content (What do I want to say?)

I want people to understand more about the lifestyles of a vegan or vegetarian; I want to be able to show more of a personal side of people. For example, I want to ask who I interview about how people first reacted to their change, why and when they started, how difficult or easy it is to go out food shopping or going out for dinner. I don’t plan on making this a scientific documentary, I’m not going to go into the science of the body or how food works.

Voice (How do I want to say it?)

This will be a documentary piece with the slight possibility of adding stop motion animation. This will all depend on what footage I film and the topics of conversation as well as stories that come up along the way.

Imagery (What do I want to say?)

I want to interview a number of people who are vegan or vegetarian or have been in the past. I would also like to get the opportunity to visit a few businesses who do vegan/vegetarian food and ask them questions such as: why did they decide to make this type of food, is there a big demand for it, how has it changed in the past five or ten years and if any of them or their employees are following the same lifestyle. Before I even start filming, I want to know what questions or how much information the public really know, so I wanted to create short anonymous questionnaires for people to fill out so I can cater the questions they have, to the documentary.

Style (How do I want to show it?)

I want it to look quite smooth, I don’t want it really slow but the only time I can see it going fast paced is if I choose and/or able to get a number of interviews, while editing their interview together, make their answers quite choppy and follow into each other.

Tone (How do I want the audience to feel?)

I want the audience to feel like they have watched a short documentary and they have learned something and they have a better understanding of a different lifestyle to what they may lead. It may also give the audience an opportunity to want to explore more lifestyles like this and possibly go to the businesses that I mention and try out something different.

Platform (Where will it be viewed?)

It will be shown in the Odeon, Belfast as part of the HND Film Festival and once it has been shown there, I plan on putting it on YouTube on my personal YouTube channel for more people to see, my personal Facebook page and my own Twitter page too.

Promotion (How will it be shared?)

I plan to promote this documentary on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and quite possibly, Vimeo, as well as the blog that I am using to keep track of my progress. I may also put it on a number of DVD’s and USB sticks.

Budget (What can I afford?)

I am not exactly sure how many locations I will be visiting, but to get to these locations, it will simply be using public transport, car or walking. I may also purchase some food from the businesses that I go to because I want to see what they offer as well as going in and knowing something more about them.

First Idea: Vegetarian and Vegan Documentary.

After taking some time looking over my spider diagram, I decided to first choose an idea that I want to find out more information about. In doing this, I choose vegan and vegetarian. For a long time I have been very interested in both lifestyles but I don't know very much about both so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about each or one or the other. I want to create this in a documentary format so that it is more informative and along with the research, if I choose to go with this documentary, throughout the process I will be able to find out new information about both subjects and it may even make me explore them more in my own personal life.

In my notebook, I took a few basic notes on my very first thoughts on the idea:

• Exploring the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, how people react, the questions they get asked, their experience eating out and food shopping, is it as hard as people think it is.
• Interviewing shops/bakeries that make vegetarian and vegan food, how different or difficult it is, how in demand it is and possibly shooting them making the food. 

The theme of 'dislocation' shapes around this idea very well. A lot of people of vegetarians or vegans when asked by 'normal people' or meat eaters, are often questioned why they lead this lifestyle and are often told that they need meat or that "it's just a phase" so many people who live these lifestyles, I would assume, feel quite dislocated until they find people who live the same lifestyle, and don't have to worry about fighting their corner every time they go out for something to eat or if they are invited round to someone's house, for example.