#DOCUMENTARYUPDATE

For the last two weeks Gisella and I have been working very hard on the script for our documentary. With some footage and tons of research it has been hard to synthesis everything and decide what to use and what to discard.  Learning about micro credits has been challenging since it's a big and complicated topic but every aspect of it fascinates me. It an interesting topic to explore and I am so glad I chose it. 

Everything I've learned so far is new and intriguing, this is why I've wanted to include every second of footage and research. I want to show my audience all the cool stuff I learned during this journey. However, this won't be possible since too much and it won't allow us to create one good documentary. This is why it's important to synthesize EVERYTHING and decide what to include and leave out of our film.

While doing our script Gisella and I tried to include everything we had learned, this was a MISTAKE. We were not focusing on the QUESTION = OUR MAIN GOAL. We were just trying to put everything in, without analysis. If there is no analysis then our video wasn't going to be successful because without any analysis the video wasn't going to flow. Following what we learned previously in the storytelling unit, like Ira Glass says, a good story is made from anecdotes and reflection. This is why we decided to redo our script, this time we had to focus on our GOAL, which is explaining how effective is microcredit lending and having a balance between anecdotes and reflection. 

In order to do a second successful script we had to define the WHY and PURPOSE of our video, synthesize the research, define the components of the video and find the parts that will support the purpose. 

PURPOSE ✏

Stating and focusing on our PURPOSE was very hard since we wanted to include everything we had learned. It was only in the second script when we actually FOCUSED in our purpose. Having a clear why helped us brainstorm ideas that actually lead our video ONE DIRECTION.  Additionally we were able to find the research we needed and synthesis it so we could use it in our video.  Finally we also stated the MAIN GOAL of each section in the script so that we could be guided better and in the end all the main goals lead to our purpose.

SYNTHESIZING RESEARCH

Having a clear purpose allowed us to think better what to add and what to keep out. This is why once we knew were we wanted to go with this video we could synthesis the research better. We choose the things, parts of research, that we wanted and narrowed everything down. We even did more research for somethings that were still vague like the pros and cons. Additionally while synthesizing everything we learned even more about our topic because if we could synthesis it and narrow the broad research down then it meant we clearly understood the topic.

While synthesizing the research, especially the pros and cons parts, I realized that microcredit lending is effective but it has some downfalls which means that it could be improved. As we know microcredit lending allows people from the lowest sector to access the financial system, since they are excluded from the traditional banking system. However, even though it provides them with amazing opportunities it also takes advantage of these people. The interest rates are extremely high, 30-40%, which is CRAZY. The banks and independent companies can make so much money from other services but they are using microcredit lending to make money out of the poor. As I realized from the research and reading from the interviews the private companies providing microcredit loans have a small incentive to help the people but they also take every possible opportunity to give them MORE and MORE loans. This leads me to predatory lending. One credit can be very beneficial for a client but once they take too many, which they can't handle, then they enter in a huge DEBT cycle. Additionally microcredit lending does help mitigate the negative effects of poverty but it is not the solution. Why? Because poverty is much more than just capital, it's lack of education, a stable home, food and basic needs. Microcredit loans can help individuals grow but not enough to lift them out of poverty. Finally as we can see microcredit lending has it's pros but it also has some cons which makes people question if it is really the solution.