New film project - call for interviewees
After the success of our ‘Older People – A Bonus not a Burden’ doorstep interviews earlier in the year, Scottish Older People’s Assembly (SOPA) has been offered the opportunity to create a new set of very short films. Would you, or someone you know, be interested in taking part? Our first series gained thousands of views and shares online and have been taken up as teaching resources counteracting negative stereotypes of older people.
Details of the new project
The School of Psychological Sciences & Health at University of Strathclyde was funded by the Chief Scientist’s Office on a grant called ‘Has social distancing made us healthier? Adoption, maintenance and sharing of positive changes’. They now want to share what they have learned about positive changes during lockdown.
Over 3000 people took part in the research. Older adults overall were less likely to experience positive change but key themes are emerging about what people found to be helpful – for example, setting achievable goals, getting outdoors especially in greenspace, mindfulness etc.
Details of the filming
Last time we filmed outside people’s houses but this time, as its November already, the interviews will be filmed in a professional studio, in Leith, Edinburgh. The interviews will be about staying physically and mentally well and positive, and there will be prompts to help do the interview.
The interviews will be shot safely by the same professional film company, working closely with SOPA. The company has extensive experience of filming during COVID . The film-makers are very good at putting people at ease and will guide the interview so it won’t need to be pre-prepared or perfect first-time round!
We are looking for around six people who could be interviewed and are hoping for a good mix of people from different backgrounds and with different experiences. This time we can film people in pairs as well as filming individuals so it could be a couple, or two people from an ‘extended household’ or ‘bubble’. For example, this could be an older person and a teenager, provided they are allowed to be in the same ‘bubble’.
Interviewees should:
- be an older person, or a couple or pair including at least one older person
- feel comfortable enough to speak to camera
- be available for about 1 – 1.5 hours in November to film at the studio (we’d make an appointment with you)
- be happy for the films to be shown on social media and at events such as SOPA’s Receptions and Assembly
- be willing to come to the studio in Leith, Edinburgh for the filming.
Re: travelling to and from the studio. Interviewees will be given a time slot. SOPA will cover reasonable travel expenses agreed in advance, for example mileage and parking for a car, a taxi to and from the studio, community transport cost. We realise public transport isn’t the best option at the moment, so for that reason we expect most interviewees will be within a reasonably close distance.
Please get in touch ASAP (ideally by Friday 30th) , if you would like to take part or nominate someone (with their permission).
Please tell us briefly:
- name (s)
- a little about them
- a rough idea of their age or ‘decade’
- why they would be good for this project
- where they are located
- initial contact details (no need to send an address – email and phone number would be ideal).
We will choose about seven people based on: practicalities of filming and ensuring a good mix. Apologies in advance if you suggest someone but we can’t film them for those reasons.
We hope you can help make this project a great success to build on the last one. SOPA is delighted to be collaborating with Strathclyde University’s Psychology Department on this project! Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
Kind regards,
Theresa
A reminder you can find six original films on SOPA’s Facebook, Twitter pages or Youtube.
The Scottish Older People’s Assembly exists to give a strong voice to older people about their experience of life in Scotland, their challenges and concerns.