Ancillary Product - Planning

After looking at the different listings magazines we have decided to target the Christmas edition of the listings magazine Radio Times. After writing various drafts as the producer view and having various conversations with our teacher we have come to the conclusion that we want to have our listings spread as an interview with the people being interviewed being us. However this thing has a whole tie to it as know we have decided to include Stephan Fry, not in the documentary itself, but as executive producer of our documentary. We want to make our two page spread an interview by Stephen Fry interviewing us. I think this is a pretty good idea as it helps us to express what we feel in a leisurely fashion without trying to sound sophisticated or Superior, but just being honest on what we were doing and which difficulties and joys we have faced during this production. My initial Idea:

'Do they know it's Christmas Time at all?' featuring Stephen Fry

A documentary produced by two young film makers with executive producer being no one less than Stephen Fry, Britain's glorious and clever actor/comedian most famous for the programme QI. This collaboration has had the outcome of the fantastic controversial documentary ' Do they know it's Christmas time at all'.

Stephan Fry:What is the main issue you are trying to raise and portray with your documentary?
Us: Firstly we want to portray the correlation between capitalism and 'the celebration of joy and love' as this time brings a lot of controversy and contradiction with it mainly because of it's changing tradition. Also, we want to explain and portray the origin of Christmas and what Christmas is like today and what little baby Jesus birth in a barn in Jerusalem has to do with presents, pine trees and roasted 'traditional' food.

Stephen Fry:Does this Documentary have any approach towards the Marxist perspective of the world?
Us: None at all. For us the change in tradition and over time is of interest as well as the origin of traditions and celebration (Christmas in this case). Our documentary is not Anti- Capitalism but considering the fact most modern/western societies engage in this economic system, we want to show how consumerism and the economy change and alter traditions as well as showing how they motivate us to conform to these new traditions and ideals. It is simply fascinating to see the history and change of this really important event in the year.

Stephen Fry: Right, so what is your personal interest in Christmas?
Sonja: What fascinates me personally is the myth around Santa clause. When I was young i got told this story about Santa being an invention of coca-cola. Apparently Coca-cola took the mythological Russians figure father frost and simply made him a little fatter and a little rounder ever year until one year he was wearing red and driving a sledge led by reindeer's. However recent coca-cola adverts show Santa adjusting to evolution as he is know driving a huge red truck delivering joy and coke to all. I ask myself whether he makes it to Ethiopia...

Stephen Fry: Does your Documentary feature any religious aspects?
Us: Well we are trying to see the link between society becoming more secularised and how this affects traditions and values around this time of year. As Christmas is a christian religious celebration we want to show that people nowadays don't really celebrate the birth of Jesus anymore but now have different values and reason to engage in this celebration.



these are the initial question however i am sure that further research will change both the questions and the interview structure. I will continue with this soon and add more questions and research towards the Ancillary Product.