Dom Bryan How We Can De Monetize the World

Treatment
How we can De- Monetize the World

Logline:
If we reduce our reliance on money can we increase our chances of survival?
Can our civilisation survive and escape the fate of past civilisations whilst we continue to live with a
money based system? Will the greatest challenge be how we see our place in this world?

Summary / Synopsis

What is the one thing that makes life in the developed world almost impossible – unsustainable – if
you have no access to it? Money. This documentary will tell the story of a global crisis in confidence
in the direction our international societies are heading. Our fear in the future. How many of us will
be able to afford the cost of living in the years ahead?
While we continue to commoditise natural resources are we accelerating toward an end destination
of ecological catastrophe? Can we use technology to replace the industrial scale provision of utilities
for self contained consumer solutions?
A cross generational Zeitgeist is calling for change and a new paradigm in sustainable living. We are
all witness to shifting political allegiances and ideologies, driven by a distrust in and a distaste for,
the wealthy elite who are attributed with the control of the economic and governmental systems
that administrate our world. The accumulation of monetary wealth into the hands of the few
describes the backdrop for an unprecedented inequality that ferments the dissatisfaction and
frustration of the masses. What will be the consequence of not rebalancing this inequality?
For over 2000 years money has been the lifeblood of nearly all human communities, necessary to
acquire the means for sustenance. Has there been a more prescient moment to re imagine a way we
can live and survive together. Is there a way forward?

This documentary seeks to guide the viewer through an ordered appraisal of pertinent yet simplified
challenges and technical barriers that lay ahead on this proposed journey of change. Clearly titled
topic segments will be used to punctuate the flow and narrative of the documentary.
The voices of everyday citizens expressing their relationship with money and their visions of the
future, will interplay with the ideas and dissection of current critical thinkers, academics and so
called ‘experts’, alongside a scripted narration introducing and describing the topics being discussed.
Not necessarily new but lesser known ideas will challenge the prevailing wisdom on economic and
social structure. Could it be that the pathology of classical economic models has been the exclusion
of human, maybe animal nature? Can we escape the bonds of our cultural conditioning? Is this our
biggest challenge?
Dom Bryan How We Can De Monetize the World

Chapters: (Topic Summary)

 Why do we need to de monetise the world?

Is there a looming threat of global economic collapse? Will the demands of population on
resources far outstrip the current systems ability to manage? What will the result of this be?
– war/famine/mass unrest? What can history tell us about the end of civilizations and
epochs?

 Sustaining life — how can we provide our need for water, food, accommodation and energy
free from capitalisation?

 The Star Trek world and Venture Capitalism — technology for all to replicate what we
need / reducing the cost of many things to zero? / nano bots / are venture capitalists trying
to deliver our future for us?

 Co-operative economic communities — what successful models are there out there?

 The human condition — can we recondition ourselves to not experience greed? Do we fear
a world without materialism? Can we live without choice and relative comparisons of our
neighbours?

 Beating the system — can we overcome the structural challenges and resistance to change
of the established monetary system? Where will the political will to re imagine the
relationship and interdependence of government and financial systems come from?

 Step by step to a new world — how can we move forwards? Can we map out a route of
manageable goals in reducing our reliance on money? How can citizens and communities
organise to empower themselves and effect change?
Dom Bryan How We Can De Monetize the World

Artistic Approach

Cinematic language:
Three main visual forms will be used throughout the piece. Montage comprised of stock footage/
commissioned footage; animation describing constructs and technical aspects as an illustrative form;
talking heads form – ‘experts’ discussing topics.

I see the overall conveyed style of the documentary to be one of robust and measured construction,
demonstrated through static shots during talking head pieces. Movement and energy will be
conveyed through footage (stock or otherwise) and animation pieces. Everyday life and our way of
living is central to the themes of the documentary, the continual movement of life and commerce
needs to be expressed tonally.

Narration and soundscape:

The tone set by the narration is vital to the overall engagement with the piece as a whole. The aural
qualities of the narration need to be warm and inviting with an inherent authority and integrity.
All music, score, and sound design will be original to the documentary and be produced by myself
along with collaborators, as my background is music composition and audio production.
Repeating musical motifs will be used to enhance the viewers identification of themes and changes
in visual form, enhancing their engagement with the documentary.
Dom Bryan How We Can De Monetize the World

Intended Audience
Target Audience:
20 — 50 years of age female/male. Frequent internet users who engage with alternative news and
political commentary – sceptical of main stream media. Engage heavily with YouTube platform.

Underserved Audience:
Persons under the age of 20, those over 50 years of age, people for whom English is not their first
language.

Audience Engagement and Social Impact

The purpose of this film is to challenge the viewer to engage with the ideas it presents. It is for the
viewer to decide if the systemic problems that are being presented are of such a magnitude that the
radical notion that is central to the piece is worthy enough to consider.
My ambition for this documentary is to increase discussion amongst the general public about wealth
and income inequality from a more empowered position with greater awareness of the mechanisms
that contribute to these conditions.
A website or blog page, (titled/credited within the documentary and linked to media platform),
would offer viewers inclined to conduct further self study/education the opportunity to reference
further material by the ‘talking head’ contributors in the piece. Also signposting to other
documentaries, authors and action groups would be present.

Practical steps and community self organisation guidance is still a topic of research and development
for me, but will feature as the closing chapter of the documentary. This offers an optimistic and
empowering conclusion to the film. To overcome the barrier of inaction within people the way ahead
needs to be as visible and attainable as possible.

Distribution and marketing

For me it is important that the ideas and the ethos conveyed in the film is accessible as possible to
potential audiences regardless of financial restrictions. Therefore, I see the primary distribution
model being ‘free to access’ online media platforms – YouTube, Vimeo etc. That being said, I would
engage with alternative media outlets such as those listed below to partnership in distribution.

Renegade Inc. and The Keiser Report (RT tv channel), Democracy Now! (online news and
current affairs media), Counting the Cost and earthrise (Al Jazeera tv channel)

The visibility and celebrity of the talking head contributors to the film would be utilised as powerfully
as possible to market and increase awareness of the documentary. They would be encouraged to
engage with their social media audience in promotion of the film and its story. Shows such as
Renegade Inc. and The Keiser Report would be specifically targeted as ‘on air’ platforms to discuss
and promote the finished documentary. These shows in particular have at their editorial centre an
ongoing critical stance on the current economic and monetary systems in place, and regularly offer a
platform to alternative opinions and solutions to the current order.