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Author Topic: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***  (Read 6039 times)

Mobeen Azhar

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***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« on: 13 November 2012, 04:36:32 pm »
Hello all,

I hope everyone is well.

I'm writing to you from an television production company.  I'm working on a 60 minute documentary for the Discovery Network exploring the world of Sex Work.  The documentary aims to be non-sensationalist, immersive and brutally honest.  I think it will contribute something really significant to the broader discussion about sex work.   

I'd really appreciate your help in contacting Sex Workers who may be willing to speak about their experiences.  I'm interested in speaking to Sex Workers about key issues like decriminalisation, workers co-operatives and regulation.   

Specifically I'd like to speak to:

1) UK sex workers who can assert their work as a choice and talk about the benefits of the job.

2) activist sex workers who can talk about personal experiences of violence at the hands of clients and the problems resulting from the criminalisation of sex work in the UK.

3) activist sex workers who are organising events in the next few weeks or who may be willing to put a little time into organising a mini-seminar for filming purposes.

At this stage no commitment is required but potential contributors should be willing/interested in appearing in a documentary.  In some instances it may be possible for contributions to be made whilst maintaining anonymity. 

You can email with any queries at mobeen@knickerbockerglory.tv

For examples of my previous work please see www.mobeenazhar.co.uk  You can also call me on 07714 490 703.

Many thanks

Mobeen Azhar





Title edited to remove all caps
« Last Edit: 13 November 2012, 04:40:06 pm by amy »

xw5

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #1 on: 13 November 2012, 04:45:18 pm »
To save getting emails asking the same thing, you might want to answer the basic question: "What's in it for the contributors?"

If the answer is just exposure, you may not get the responses you were hoping for.
'The Ian formerly known as SW5'. What they said: "Indispensable", "You are our best resource", and (hours later!) "I'm afraid that you're being made redundant..."

Winding down YourEscortSite.com

LadyLove

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #2 on: 13 November 2012, 04:45:58 pm »
In some instances it may be possible for contributions to be made whilst maintaining anonymity. 

Not to rain on your parade, but I think you will find it very difficult to find any sex worker currently active who will agree to any kind of participation without assured anonymity.

ana30

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #3 on: 13 November 2012, 04:48:06 pm »
Quote
In some instances it may be possible for contributions to be made whilst maintaining anonymity. 

You mean: It may be "possible" that I don't get outed to family, neighbours, landlord etc... and  be stigmatized for the rest of my life in order to advance your career? Thank you. That's just sooooooooo sweet. Let me jump in the wagon. Right. Now.
« Last Edit: 13 November 2012, 04:52:21 pm by Ana30 »
Mornings were made for sleeping, wild sex and bacon.

Mobeen Azhar

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #4 on: 13 November 2012, 05:06:06 pm »
Hello all,

To clarify, when I say 'it may be possible' to maintain anonymity, I'm saying in some instances contributions can be made anonymously. 

The defining factors are

1) If this is the preference of the Contributor.
2) If maintaining anonymity can be editorially justified.

Regarding 'what is in it for the Contributor', primarily the programme will provide a platform for voices that are often marginalised and unheard.  I think a documentary/discussion about sex work requires the voices of Sex Workers.  This is an opportunity to contribute to an important debate which is often misrepresented. I think that's worth a lot.

Feel free to get back with any more questions.

Thank you

Mobeen

ana30

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #5 on: 13 November 2012, 06:27:22 pm »
Quote
To clarify, when I say 'it may be possible' to maintain anonymity, I'm saying in some instances contributions can be made anonymously. 

The defining factors are:

-If maintaining anonymity can be editorially justified.

Editorially justified? Interesting.  You mean that if the editor decides my blurred face doesn't match the background I might get outed to family, neighbours, landlord etc... and  be stigmatized for the rest of my life for the sake of the er.."documentary"? Were do I have to sign please?
Mornings were made for sleeping, wild sex and bacon.

LadyLove

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #6 on: 13 November 2012, 06:57:57 pm »
To clarify, when I say 'it may be possible' to maintain anonymity, I'm saying in some instances contributions can be made anonymously. 

The defining factors are

1) If this is the preference of the Contributor.
2) If maintaining anonymity can be editorially justified.

Theres no way any current WG would agree to appear in this kind of programme under these circumstances, for the very reasons Ana stated above.

Regarding 'what is in it for the Contributor', primarily the programme will provide a platform for voices that are often marginalised and unheard.  I think a documentary/discussion about sex work requires the voices of Sex Workers.  This is an opportunity to contribute to an important debate which is often misrepresented. I think that's worth a lot.

Yes and who knows what will be left of your original aims/ideas by the time the programme comes to fruition.  We only have your word about how it would give a genuine voice to WGs. It could well end up being yet another programme about how all SWs are victims etc etc
« Last Edit: 13 November 2012, 07:00:56 pm by LadyLove »

Dani

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #7 on: 13 November 2012, 07:15:37 pm »
2) activist sex workers who can talk about personal experiences of violence at the hands of clients and the problems resulting from the criminalisation of sex work in the UK.


So you want an honest documentary yet you still want the sensationalism of the violence received from clients.  Sorry but there is not half as much as you would like to believe.  We do not get beaten regularly as we have good security measures in place to ensure this sort of thing is very rare for any of us. 
This 2 part question alone has made me very wary of your intentions as yet again it is the same thing everyone wants to talk about and then make sound so much worse than it is.

Also I was not aware the sex work we do had been criminalised.  As far as I am aware escorting is completely legal.  So how can any of us help when none of us fall under the criminalised aspect.  We do not solicit on the streets, nor do any of us own a brothel, nor do we control others for gain.  This site does not have brothel owners it does have independent escorts or escorts who work for parlours and agencies.  Therefor none of us can help with the second part of your question
Truth is far more important than what one wants to hear. With truth there is no us and them or colour or religion there is just fact

ana30

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #8 on: 13 November 2012, 07:41:39 pm »
Quote
2) activist sex workers who can talk about personal experiences of violence at the hands of clients and the problems resulting from the criminalisation of sex work in the UK.
\

Dani I guess (?) the guy was talking about the "possible criminalization" of prostitution (otherwise I agree his words make little sense).
Mornings were made for sleeping, wild sex and bacon.

Rooby

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #9 on: 13 November 2012, 08:11:33 pm »
This is an opportunity to contribute to an important debate which is often misrepresented. I think that's worth a lot.

I can see that our contributions would make it a better program which is great if you are the Director, the Researcher or even the viewer - but I'm still not clear what's actually in it for us. Oddly enough most of us aren't sex workers because we have political agendas, we do it because we have bills to pay. (Or because our big Daddy pimps make us do it to support our crack habits, obvs)

As for the comments about anonimity and 'editorial justification' - I'm not often stuck for words but... You said to ask questions so here goes. Do you think we're all stupid???

R

DianaMurphy

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #10 on: 13 November 2012, 09:03:26 pm »
Gawd how many requests are we getting now? Surely it would be simpler to add a sticky for journo's and students to read to avoid us having to go over old ground each time??? My suggestion to journo's is to go and find yourself a girl on the street who is willing to discuss issues and why they are there, this forum is not the right place to look and the same replies come again and again. Can we save the forum from this or is it a continuous ongoing plight/fight?

Sorry, that may seem a bit harsh telling the journo's to find street walkers, but they want sensationalism, that's probably the only place you're likely to find it!


**Steps off soapbox**

Dani

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #11 on: 13 November 2012, 09:53:31 pm »
Quote
2) activist sex workers who can talk about personal experiences of violence at the hands of clients and the problems resulting from the criminalisation of sex work in the UK.
\

Dani I guess (?) the guy was talking about the "possible criminalization" of prostitution (otherwise I agree his words make little sense).

No, he definately said the problems resulting in the criminalisation of sex work. 
Not what problems may arise if sex work is criminalised
Truth is far more important than what one wants to hear. With truth there is no us and them or colour or religion there is just fact

Pearl

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #12 on: 13 November 2012, 10:03:56 pm »
Dear Mr. Mobeen Azhar,
I see that you are very interested in the escort lives,
Well! I am happy to help you provided that you do some little favour for me.
If you do what I am going to ask you, I will give all the answers that you want.

1) Go to the supermarket and buy a lot of condoms, some tubes of lube and some toys.
2) Take some nice picture of you.
3) Go to www. adultwork.com and register your personal account.
4) At the page of the registration, select Offering Services---> Escort services
5) At the page of your details, select your interest in meeting "Men" and/or "Couples MM"
6) Write a nice advertise.
7) Select "A Levels" and "Oral Offering" in your like list. They are very important!
8 ) Upload your pictures
9) Select In-call and/or Outcall
10) Decide your rates

Do not be shy and let me know what happen in the next months.
I look forward to reading some feedback and reports left to you from people you are going to meet.

Regards














« Last Edit: 13 November 2012, 10:12:26 pm by amy »

amy

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #13 on: 13 November 2012, 10:10:19 pm »
Quote
2) activist sex workers who can talk about personal experiences of violence at the hands of clients and the problems resulting from the criminalisation of sex work in the UK.
\

Dani I guess (?) the guy was talking about the "possible criminalization" of prostitution (otherwise I agree his words make little sense).

I suspect the intent was to discuss the ways in which prostitutes can be criminalised by laws specific to the sex industry (such as brothel legislation which prevents people sharing flats, or soliciting laws) whilst prostitution remains legal in and of itself - the repealing of these laws (aka decriminalisation of sex work) is one of the main aims of most UK activism groups. The OP did specify 'sex worker activists' when he mentioned this, and whilst there may be few here, there are far fewer engaged in street work.

Having corresponded with the OP myself and also having thought I had made it absolutely crystal clear that preserving anonymity was the only thing that anybody here was likely to be interested in first and foremost, it appears I was wasting my time (over an hour of it patiently answering emails) completely. I wonder where I ought to send the bill to?

As for the OP trying it out himself, can we try to keep it sensible please? I know he wants it to be 'immersive', but it is perfectly possible to inform about something without having done it yourself (we have books about suicide, after all) and this line of non-argument just makes us look childish and silly. As ever, if you have nothing constructive to say, please post elsewhere.

Sweet-Pleasure

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Re: ***Documentary for the Discovery network***
« Reply #14 on: 14 November 2012, 09:07:40 am »
I think that with all the backlash against the likes of the Scottish legislation etc, a candid interview with an intelligent, articulate, self employed business woman would be a good remedy for the "all sex workers are victims and deserve our pity and help" platform that some people in power support.

After all, if we would like people to stop harping on that we are all drug users/sluts/riddled with STIs/victims/being pimped or any other of the myriad of myths that surround the industry it seems it would be in our best interest to show an accurate depiction of the trade.

We got all up in arms about the woman who proposed the bill to criminalise the purchase of sex in Scotland about never meeting/speaking to a WG, but if all she has seen or heard have been trafficking/drug abuse/pimping stories then no wonder she believes that.

All that is entirely dependent on, as others have said, the documentary being completed as envisioned. But taking the OP at face value,  I wouldn't mind talking over the phone to help out (would not be comfortable with being seen mind!)