GW: MULTI STRAND IDEA DEVELOPMENT (GROUP CRIT PREPARATION)

I have only just started evolving the Global Warmning multi strand narrative idea which aims to bring together lots of elements. The aim is that when these seeming disparate elements are all curated in a space hopefully not only give an overview of the piece but all work harmoniously to create a meaning and message. The aim is to inform and educate about the issue of climate control BUT in an entertaining way. The piece will blur real hard global warming facts spun into a fictional narrative and characters (ever-present themes in my work) to hopefully grab the audiences attention and take them on a journey so they do not even realise that they are being informed and educated as they experience the piece. I like to call this "stealth education". Being a teacher it is amazing how much information and education you can do under the guise of making something fun, entertaining and with enigmas and questions to ask of the material as it unfolds.

I have been working on a list of the areas that interest me  (below) and they are all areas I am interested in exploring. I have been unpacking these to see how they can be integrated into my work and idea.

• Character and narrative to tell story.
• A multimedia approach to telling story and communicating ideas.
• Climate change and pieces of work that are a warning and a call to arms.
• Highlight the media, spin, "fake news" and manipulation of facts and data on global warming debate. Both mainstream media and online.
• Playing with the notion of "the truth" and the Werner Hertzogs "ecstatic truth".
• Inform educate AND perhaps most importantlyentertain.
• Experimenting with different media, materials and technologies to create pieces and extend my skill base.
• Investigate different methods of delivery, dissemination, exhibition and platforms for my work.
• Consider the notion of audience for the work. Targeting individual content at specific audiences whilst also working as a whole campaign.

I was initially going to create a "stealth" advertising campaign that would have ticked all of these boxes. It could be someone who "discovered" some found footage online and resurrected the teaching of the movement online or just excerpts put out into cyberspace from fans etc. The idea had the potential to address all of my concerns and the idea was to to put out into the internet and www and let the material have a life of its own.

Whilst this is still a possibility the idea has changed somewhat and I am moving more towards creating a gallery installation of many different assets that tell the story. Inspired by Paul Kindersley and his repurposing, renewing and recycling philosophy the assets created will as mentioned still be able to be used for this "stealth" advertising campaign for global warmning BUT the aim is now for an installation.

Thinking bigger picture I am going to build a whole narrative around the installation that will provide excellent foundations if I decided to work the story up into a script so it also serves a purpose for this in creating the world that my fictional characters inhabit surrounded by real global warming facts, events and people that played an important role in increasing awareness of global warming.

As mentioned before what I aim to do is to create a fictional "movement" and two characters who existed in the late 60's early 70's who "predicted" that global warming would happen. Then by mirroring today when for 20-30 years there have been naysayers and sceptics of the organisation. However by jumping in a time machine and going back to "create" this fictional version of them predicting what would happen to the planet real irrefutable facts can be used to show that they did get it right. So using and fiction to sell a real fact. This could then be used as a lesson to show how it may possible go into the future and people may sit up and notice. 

So the critique was really just an explanation of the idea as it is at the moment but it has taken lots of time to develop this. There will be two friends and who met at Cambridge university in the late 60's who will be our central characters and hero's. These will be quiet Ben Wright who studied climatology and the charismatic Joseph Griffiths studying sociology they shared ideas and research and concluded that consumerism and population "Baby Boom" would lead to more energy, fossil fuels and consumerism and that the knock on effect of this was that it would seriously affect CO2 emissions and lead to the global warming of the plant. They graduate and start the GLOBAL WARMNING movement late 1960's and their research exactly predicts the global warming crisis the world is in we have today. However all good stories have conflicts and twists and turns and this will be no different. Early 70's as the movement is getting larger Wright becomes disillusioned with simply campaigning and starts some directs action getting him in more and more trouble with the powers that be and ever more fanatical. Add in a love triangle between the two men and Fleur a campaigner who marries Joe but as their marriage falls apart seeks support from Ben. Joes mysterious murder following threats from the fossil fuel establishment/government and we have some real conflicts.  Finally threatened documents leaked to the movement by a former friend now also within MI5 and Bens vanishing presumed suicide and we have some real intrigue and enigmas to engage the audience.

What makes it even more interesting is that someone claiming to be Ben Wright appears 40 years to the day of his disappearance and this brings us up to date and a is he or isn't he? Why is he back? What does he know that could be damaging to the powers that be? Is he here to settle the scores and reiterate the warnings he gave us 40 years ago that we did not heed? What doe he see into the future now?

The installation aims to capture all of the above but not within a standard story framework. The aim is for a multi strand storyline and all of the elements link together to reinforce it to the audience and to sell it to the as the actual truth and fact. It continues to explore my ideas of representation of the truth.

It will also have clues and a sense of the uncanny I want it to fell 98-99% right but not 100%. I want the audience to question the work and to try and piece it together and possibly "work it out" for what it is but also possibly not. I will leave the audience clues as to the authenticity of all the elements in the work.

The type of work I will be creating for the installation are listed below. I refer to the idea above that these elements will be woven together to form a single narrative. The aim is of the triangulation method of research. If three sources say the same thing it is likely to be true and I am hoping that is 4 or more sources say it the audience will be taken in if only temporarily but that it will stick with them and be as well as entertaining educational and informative too. This is not an exhaustive or definitive list but currently ideas some of which will move forward others which may not.

• Real (faked) TV News package on Ben Wrights reappearance. Also quick was to do back-story and exposition.
• A documentary/IV with someone who claims to be ben Wright. Style and mood and ti=one currently not 100% clear.
• Ephemera from the early days of the movement. Photos, posters, film, tapes, books, newspapers, badges, letters, documents etc.
• A blog supposedly by Ben Wright.
• A website collating all of this possibly by the film production team working on the documentary on the back from the dead Wright.
• Possible performance piece with the actors/cast walking around the exhibition in and around the audience in character if anyone spots them.

Below is an action plan I used as project MOT following my last tutorial that I have been working through to help me develop the idea and to solidify the direction I want to move forward in. I have added a few comments under the headings as to where I am currently heading into the crit.

Come up with a list of areas and keywords that are the foundations and building blocks for my Global Warmning campaign raft of work.
Started work on this but from research a lot of it is from the areas below.

Research into myth and truth. Traditional mythology.
Started this and it has diverted me more into hoaxes as I have been developing the idea mentioned.

Find examples of artists, advertisers, writers who have created and spun myths. Blair Witch, Donnie Darko, urban myths, sleeper films.
A work in progress but have made some intitial steps.

Research into Stealth  advertising, sleeper films and advertising campaigns to get messages out.
Have done a little but as the direction of the project changed less relevant. However more investigation would be good.

Look at artists who have dealt with these themes and consider their preoccupations, inspirations and ideologies. Then look for papers on them (Tate papers good starting point) and see what references they have and who influenced them.

Consider and investigate the mood and tone of the project.
Feel I have made real progress here and the installation and collection of elements reflects this. Will need to make sure I do not stray too much into spoof as I want to deliver it straight with very hidden clues.

Consider individual pieces that could be created and look at style and tone of these if going to be re-created archival pieces.
I have considered the individual elements as the list above illustrates.

Make sure outline WHO the piece is for. Narrow targeted audience. Multiple pieces for a vast audience art installation, viral, doco, short film, advert, each one of them targeting a specific audience. Scattergun approach?
Still working on this but moving forward it is an installation piece for a gallery audience. HOWEVER the assets created would allow for them to be re-used and recycled in a variety of other ways too.

Consider ethics if looking to hoodwink the audience.
Need to do this. Especially if for authenticity I use the branding of established organisations and thread real characters into the piece.

Consider WHY anyone should CARE about MY work! What are my influences, ideologies, messages, values and stylistics etc. Narrative, character, storytelling, representation, notions of "the truth", media spin and fake news and communicating a message.
This is till being developed but I feel the piece still sits with my "ecstatic documentary" ideology and does comment on all of these. HOWEVER I want to make sure that the message of global warming is still communicated but hidden in the Trojan horse that is the fictional characters and movement.