Proposal for Documentary [early draft]

I have two proposals in mind and believe I may be able to accomplish both in the allotted time frame.

1. Cavies (Guinea Pigs) showing.

The proposal is in two parts:

a. Follow a cavy breeder in the steps for preparing a cavy for show. Preparing entails such things as housing, washing, toenail clipping, grooming and ensuring the animal remains in fit and firm condition for showing.

b. Attend several cavy shows starting with the Royal Canberra Cavy Show held in conjunction with the Royal Canberra Show held on the last Saturday in February. This show is one of, if not, the premier shows in the cavy calendar with exhibitors from ACT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and King Island. This show is unique in that they have two shows running concurrently. Each show has two judges working through the seven groups of cavies choosing the best of each group who will represent their in the Best in Show line-up. The two judges will then choose the Best in Show winner from these seven cavies. While all this is going on the other two judges are doing the same thing and to add to the confusion the same pigs are entered in both shows. The trophy tables for each show are something to be seen – sashes, bottles of wine, trophies, various feed and animal bedding prizes. In addition to the Royal show I will attend at least one of the local Queanbeyan shows (no other local shows are held) there is a possibility of attending a Sydney based show depending on their scheduling. Cavies will not be show in the Sydney Royal this year. I already have a substantial body of work relating to showing cavies taken over the past 10 or so years as my wife has been heavily involved in the show scene and she is the Show Section Head and Manager for the Royal Canberra Cavy Show.

2. The music scene in Canberra and region with a focus on Australian Blues Music and artist who appear in Canberra. This project could also be about the musicians and people who attended the Australian Blues Music Festival in Goulburn in 11-13 February 2011 although as with the cavies I have a body of work taken over a number of years of musicians appearing in Canberra and about four years of photographing the Goulburn Blues Festival. Related it might be possible to follow a single local musician who appears with a number of different bands that play on the Canberra scene. The musician I have in mind is a drummer. Drummers tend to be hidden in the background and don’t get the exposure of lead guitarist and vocalists so it may be not only a challenging project but one that highlights a little recognized part of the band.