154.

304 Media Practice 2

“The Blind Eye”

Documentary Synopsis & Treatment

Leah Purves
04330269
Contents
Synopsis .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Treatment ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Main Characters ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Part 1: Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4
Part 2: Blackmail and the Bible ....................................................................................................... 5
Part 3: Tithing makes the heart grow fonder.................................................................................. 6
Part 4: Living up to expectations.................................................................................................... 7
Part 5: Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 8
Synopsis

The Blind Eye is a 90 minute expository documentary, almost a visual report, in an aim to uncover

the unjust practices of some Christian protestant churches , “mega church” franchises and their

subsidiary organisations around New Zealand (some international) and the effects they have on

communities.

The documentary will follow and identify 2 individuals, 1 group of friends and 2 families, not

affiliated with each other, who have been negatively affected by the practices of various churches

who have taken advantage of their financial or community status or vulnerability . It will scrutinize

the groups’ intended power plays, sensationalization and in some cases, bizarre money laundering

practices disguised as goodwill and adherence to the Bible or mission statements.

The documentary will also interview top leaders or leadership couples from these churches for their

perspective. The interviews will be documented as unbiased as possible, but due to the nature of the

documentary, the interviews will do their best to expose their weaknesses.

The idea of the film is not necessarily to incriminate the Christian community in general, but to give a

well rounded and balanced report of large Christian organisations who appear to be doing well in

uniting and uplifting their communities, but are doing the opposite.

The documentary will not take into account the controversies surrounding the infamous Destiny

Church, but instead will spend a short time criticising the constant media frenzy surrounding the

church, both good and bad. It will contrast how the organisation’s practices and narcissistic

leadership are miniscule compared to the practices of other church groups. It will ask the question,

“Why are we focusing on them, instead of taking a fair approach and taking other similar groups

into account?” as their unusual practices are nothing new, as this will be revealed in the

documentary. This will obviously not favour the Destiny Church movement, but instead categorise

them as one in the same as the churches in question.

Treatment

Main Characters
The “A” Family • Auckland based, medium sized family of
a upper-middle class demographic
• Husband and wife are working,
educated professionals active in their
community
• 2 kids, one teenage Uni student & one
pre teen at intermediate school
Sarah N • Former esteemed leader of a church
• Mid twenties
Miss “F” • Solo parent at the time of occurrences
• Pacific Island decent
* Names will be revealed upon potential signing of release forms.

Narrated by Leah Purves

Part 1: Introduction

The title credits will be shown over a soundtrack of children cheerfully singing “Jesus Loves Me”,

accompanied by an equally cheerful piano. Title credits end and singing stops with a close up of the

children singing and clapping.

The piano accompaniment carries on, to not focus on the singing, but the upcoming montage.

On top of the music is a mute video montage of footage from several evangelical church services,

photos of beautiful church buildings, footage of Parachute Festival, with footage of the entry to the

festival to set context, people in church happily singing, happy people socialising after church,

depictions of people collapsing & falling over “under the spirit” cutting to people praying, preachers

pushing people over on stage, an auditorium filled with worshippers (Hillsong Conference footage, if

permission is granted), weeping, cutting to shots of money in offering baskets, cutting to protests

(ideally of Enough is Enough rallies, possibly).

Cuts speed up in pace. Music ends.

The montage will have a bittersweet, eerie feel to it as the cheerful piano and contrasts with the

increasingly bizarre imagery.

Blank screen. Title of documentary.

Narrator talks about the merits of the establishment of the Protestant movement versus the Catholic

church and its evolution into a multi-billion dollar industry which is relevant to all walks of life on top

of another montage of footage of people buying church merchandise, people wearing “Punx for

Jesus” t shirts and relevant Christian music videos and festivals.

The narrator introduces Destiny church and their practices and asks the question, “Are they the only

ones? Is the media turning a blind eye to other churches... and why?” This soundtrack is said over

top of clips from Destiny Church and television interviews with Brian Tamaki.

Visual segue (a cut from montage to wide shot) into narrator walking towards and past the camera,

talking and asking the question, “But is it all sensationalism and propaganda?”

Part 2: Blackmail and the Bible

Cut to interview with member from The A Family who will give an affirmative answer to question

above.

Narrator introduces The A Family. Cut to scene where family is together, husband busy at his

workplace, wife at her workplace and children doing a hobby or homework.

Cut to sign of central city church building where the family previously attended. Narrator gives brief,

but detailed background on the church.

Cut back to interview of family member where they will talk about their positive beginnings and

experiences at the church & how long they were there for.

• The A family’s situation involves the blackmail of the husband, a former financial overseer

and board member of the church in question, where Mr. A was suspected of stealing
 thousands of dollars. His research and findings found that this was not the case and that a

senior member of the church had taken the money for their own financial gain. When he

approached another senior member about his findings, he was threatened. The family

subsequently left the church but has since experienced a black lash, in which he has had to

dispel rumours about him and his family. He suspects these were started by the church. He

considers the rumours to have been detrimental to his place in the business community.

• Soundtrack of the interview will go over a re-enactment/dramatization of the events, plus

photos and possible evidence of bank statements to back up Mr. A’s claims.

Narrator gives an introduction of the interview with the pastor over a short and recent clip of a

sermon and his congregations reactions.

Narrator interviews the pastor and his wife from the church in question where they will say a

number of things:

• How the accusations go against the church’s mission statement, statute and The Bible.

• How the leaders might be taking disciplinary measures against the accused members.

• Denial of the situation at hand.

• The success of the church and criticisms of Mr. A.

• A “well-wishing” of Mr. A and his independent decision to switch churches.

A close up of the pastor’s face as he gives a closing quote to the interview.

Part 3: Tithing makes the heart grow fonder

Background soundtrack of “Money Money Money” by Abba or “Money” by Pink Floyd.

Narrator talks about the financial desperation of churches around the world. This is related to the

2008 story of Australian church leader Mike Guglielmucci in which he deceived thousands of dollars

from young people around the world into giving money on the basis that he was dying of cancer,
which he was not. This is accompanied by footage of Guglielmucci and followed by his interview on

ABC.

Soundtrack stops.

Narrator talks to with Dr Richard Moyle, associate professor of Pacific Island Studies at Auckland

University. They discuss the desperation of Pacific Island families and their obligation to give 10% to

their churches even under hardship.

Cut to Narrator’s introduction of solo mother, Miss F, footage of her children and footage of the

South Auckland Pacific Island Protestant Community church which she attended.

Narrator interviews Miss F and this is soundtracked on top of a photo montage of her children,

varying with footage of the interview.

• Miss F’s story is about her devotion to her former church. She worked 40 hours a week at a

local supermarket, only to give more than 15% of her paycheque to her church. She often

saw her leaders driving nice cars, having affairs and buying nice houses while she struggled

to feed her children. She talks of the oppression her leaders put upon other people when

they did not tithe and she didn’t want to experience that.

Narrator cuts to interview with Nikki Turner from Child Poverty Action Group about the obligations

people like Miss F are put under and remedies for the situations at hand.

Part 4: Living up to expectations

Narrator discusses the huge, lucrative youth market in churches and their diversity. This narration is

put over clips from Parachute Festival and other youth conferences and their devotion to abstinence

and the mixed message they are giving to young people.

Narrator also discusses gender inequality in the church which conflicts with a supposed portrayal

that Christianity is no longer biased, supported by a series photos of female preachers .

Cut to straight interview with Sarah N, with an opening statement conveying the emotion of the

story.

Narrator introduces Sarah N and her story over a clip of Sarah preaching at her church and pictures

of her and her youth group (all faces blurred, except for hers).

Sarah N was formally a youth leader at a central Wellington church she attended when she fell

pregnant to her partner at the time, who was also a prominent church leader. In an effort to conceal

their mistake, he left her. With the news that she was pregnant, Sarah’s ex partner denied it was his

and that she was cheating on him at the time, in which the church believed him and she was asked

to stand down from her leadership position. Tragedy struck when Sarah suffered a miscarriage which

upset her immensely.

Narrator talks about Sarah’s current married life, but makes it clear that she does not currently

attend a church. The soundtrack is placed on top of a clip of her and her husband walking along the

beach, hand in hand with some close ups of them smiling.

Cut to interview with Sarah explaining why she does not attend a church.

Part 5: Conclusion

Narrator asks the question seemingly to all interviewees, “Amongst the turmoil, what have these

situations taught you?”

The responses are shown simultaneously.

Narrator discusses Miss F and The A Family’s present situations over the top of footage of their

current occupations

Narrator also discusses the outcomes and happy endings of Miss F and The A Family with various

positive quotes from the interviewees.

This is followed by a montage of modern, charismatic churches, similar to the ones in the beginning

sequence with the narrator explaining how the modern church isn’t all bad, however, one must look

beyond the sensations and the God like figures their church and their leaders appear to be. A

universal quote from the Bible about gullibility would be appropriate.

This is paired with the soundtrack of the beginning with the children singing “Jesus Loves Me” and a

close up of the kids finishing the song smiling.

Credits roll.