Stranger Danger - Online Video Series Proposal

brief synopsis.

I travel with a camera operator around a planned route of UK cities relying solely on the kindness of strangers; hitchhiking and using social media to find places to stay free for the night. With a focus on the relationship between myself and the camera operator, plus our relationships with those we meet, we will attempt to debunk and dispel the distrusting principles of ‘stranger danger’ and the associated fear mongering that takes place in the media.

the pitch. I remember once as a child talking to a man over the wall of my primary school. A fearful supply teacher ran over and asked the man to leave before passionately explaining to me the risks inherent in talking to strangers. This kickstarted a general distrust of all people which continued well into my teens.

I was taught to be particularly vigilant against strangers in cars. The logic presumably being they could easily kidnap you had they the inclination. I began to assume all strangers in cars were either murderers, pedophiles or a hellish mix of the two. 'STRANGER DANGER!' cried the post Ian Huntley / Madeleine McCann generation. Then the internet became more sophisticated and widespread. Strangers were perceived as having direct access to children whenever they wanted.

By utilising the power of strangers in cars and strangers online - the two types of people I have always been taught to avoid - I would aim to travel the length and breadth of the UK without paying any money on transportation or accommodation. The experiment will aim to investigate how distrusting we really ought to be of strangers.

tone/style. I’ve long been a fan of documentaries and documentarians, especially the immersive gonzo journalistic style, but a recurring issue I find is the camera operators and/or crew are never addressed, turning them into some weird omniscient ethereal beings. It might not always relevant to address them, but in series such as Vice's Thumbs Up (2012), it seems oddand distancing that the person behind the camera is never contributing in anyway. In Stranger Danger, the person behind the camera would have a role as important as mine in front of it.

One of my favourite documentarians is Nick Broomfield. The thing I like most about his documentaries is not only the fact he sees it relevant to occasionally address his camera operators, but that he also isn’t afraid to address head on the fact he is making a film. Driving Me Crazy (1988) is a favourite because of the way it consumes itself; Bloomfield documenting the hilariously catastrophic story about the making of the story. With Stranger Danger, I’d never want to hide away from any issues we encounter with the making of the series. And given the circumstances, there might be a few.

As aforementioned, the main focus will be on the relationships between the strangers we meet, as well as the relationship between myself and whoever is behind the camera. Although I have friends who are into filming, the idea of being provided with an unknown camera person could add significantly to the narrative. Whether we really get on or rub each other up the wrong way, it will make for entertaining viewing.