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Spendaholics
Producer/Director
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July 2005 to January 2006
(2
x 56mins)
betty for BBC TV
Each
episode of Spendaholics is devoted to a viewer who struggles with an
awesome debt; someone addicted to luxury holidays, beautiful shoes,
expensive cosmetics or endless dinners. These viewers are given the
opportunity to experience a dramatic make-over by two experts: Jay
Hunt is the lifestyle specialist who provides money saving tips,
while a psychological coach, Benjamin Fry, aims to uncover the hidden
causes of the spiralling debts.
There
are strict budget guidelines to stick to, of course, but most
importantly contributors are encouraged and empowered to confront
their own deep-rooted psychological concerns that may have prompted
the spending sprees. These have ranged from low self-esteem to a lack
of love and attention.
I
directed two episodes of series two, combining single-camera DSR570
crew days with self-shooting on Z1 and PD170. Both experiences were
satisfying, in two respects. First, I was given a rare opportunity to
work with a production team of inspirational individuals, who always
found the best stories and made them work despite back-breaking
schedules. It was a pleasure to have their support.
Second,
it was a lifeline for me, an opportunity to move on from the showbiz
news bulletins and celebrity formats that had been my lot for so
long. I enjoyed them at the time, but they were usually
one-dimensional puff pieces that flattered the stars and offered
little insight. Despite its format requirements, Spendaholics had
aims beyond pure entertainment. I came away feeling privileged that
some of our ideas made a difference to the two individuals we filmed,
and that we played a part in pushing them away from financial oblivion. |
