JINGLISH documentary proposal

TITLE: JINGLISh
Film Summary: A participatory personal dairy in which a young Chinese female immigrant pursuing passion of life by adopting another culture, seeking college education and learning a new language.
Treatment
Jinglish is a personal dairy documentary film with cute, quirky comedy style. The movie begins with a blue screen of computer based English test. A Standard English voiceover says an introduction of the exam. Learning English is a test for immigrants who want to peruse American dreams in United States. The examination includes four parts: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. A shot of a Chinese girl in her late twenties, takes the test in front of the computer. Camera follows her exit the classroom, and walks in to a busy New York street.

Jinglish is a personal diary documentary film about my four Years’ journey of English study in America. Jinglish is the symbol of confidence in my identity. Jinglish is the sign of independent thought and action. It is a sample of a young female immigrant, pursuing her passion of life by adopting another culture, learning a new language and seeking college education. It is not only about learning new language, but also a voice to make me to be individuals.

Director’s Statement (1-2 pages):
I am the best person to make this film is because this is a story I am live in, and I understand the most. I grew up in a society always looking for common. Everyone should abbey social norms. People are looking for to become part of organization. I was a follower, who never think independently what I want to be? I choose this subject to indicate thousands of young immigrants like me. There is lots of hard working girls travel far away from home to pursue a dream. We lost our voice in the new environments, but on the same time we learn and develop our individual voice. In my Four years learning journey in America, I explore my life with thousands of possibilities. America frees me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. As a new Chinese immigrant, I feel culture conflict, and passionate in communication in the same time. Learning to accept our accent, to identify myself is a hard but necessary lesion for all of immigrants. Research in the Asian Immigrants issues always be my favorite topics. American identity and communication between eastern-western cultures always fasnating to me. There are three research papers I have written in this kind of topic, Made in China explores issues concerning cheap labor and contemporary immigrant culture; Chinatown Voting Issues reflects Asian American’s political approach in American democracy; and The Song of Chang-Gan, the critical thinking of Ezra Pound's translation about the eight century ancient Chinese poem. The Song of Chang-Gan is selected in CUNY library research paper content, and the Chinatown Voting Issues is selected as a sample essay by Urban Sociology department.
This is a hard life experience, But I will make this a comedy film full of positive actions. I prefer contemporary documentary style, Like Favelas Rising. Jinglish will be a documentary poetry which full of young energies. I plan to Use a lot of fast pasting jumping cut images, and animation effect on the reaction frames.


Part1- Listening
Director’s voice over, “I am not a good listener. In china, we are happy to follow the social norms and are proud to belong to an organization. “Footages of different groups of Chinese girls wear uniform in elementary school, middle school, High school and a group of Chinese women in business suit. An animation communism hero character Lei feng says, “We are all accessories of the big machine.” My mom says in her Interview, “Jing has too much fantasy in her head. I named her “Jing” because Its my wish for her. I wish she can be a grace lady. I dream she can be a good student in school, find a stable office job, have a simple marriage and a happy kid.” Animation character Jing Doll changing in to different customs. But no matter what my parent’s wishes are, I do the opposite. Images of me acts, learn arts, sing rock & Roll. One day, I decided to run across the world, so I don’t need to listen to mom’s old talk anymore. An animated me land by statue liberty.
Voice over, “In fact, I was landed on Connecticut country side. Suddenly I was around by sounds of perfect English.” Jing listens to American’s conversation on street, in the store… Shots of Jing make phone calls. She listens to the machine talks for half hour to wait it breathe so she can talks to it. Footages of me stop someone on the street to ask direction, I nod and say thank you all the time. But I go to opposite direction right after. Animated Jing Doll becomes a stupid potato. Interview with my friend Yong, he says, “We all thought that Jing attending college in America, and supporting herself was a joke four years ago. She even can’t speak a full sentience at that time.” A voice over says, “I have to be a good listener in America. “ Footage of Jing watches Kids show for 3 years old children. Jing goes to language school, smiles, nods and she is excited as Elmo. I learn black street talk and Spanish accent on the subway. Shots of me use my face and body expressions to pretend that I understand American conversations.
Part2-Reading
Shots in a literature class, Teacher asks everyone to read 100 pages for next class and writes reflection papers based on reading. Jing runs between three jobs after the class. At night, she sits down for 2 hours with help from translator machine, she reads on page5. One of the best ways to learning reading is when I drive alone for interviewing a babysitter job. Jing is driving with a map on my hand and read signs on the high way in the same time. Doing research to find jobs and read from immigrants’ website is also very helpful for improving my reading too. Reading is not only helps me understand signs, moreover reading enlighten me appreciate American culture. I am really enjoy reading and I am eager to read more, Shots of my books collection under my bed. Varieties of books open the door to understanding America.
Part3-Speaking
On Yong”s interview, he says, “Jing is always eager to talk, since she first comes to America. I remember she smiles to everyone on street. People have to stop and say hi. Then she will call her mom, “Americans are so friendly everyone talks with me.” Jing barely speaks English, But She never afraid of speaking. ” A voice over with moving photo images. “When Jing just arrived CT, She talks to everyone who has an Asian face. After a month she knows most of the Chinese people in the little town. This is how I find my first job as a mandarin teacher. Teaching American Kids is a great way to practice speaking and self confidents. Shots I teach in my mandarin classroom, but Kids laugh at my accent in the sometime. I create a lot of chance for me to speak in public. I always sit in the front of the classroom, I ask question to my favorite film director. I stand up to be a volunteer translator in film festival….
Part4-Writing
Some shots of my face book posters. Yong reads my face book poster. He makes fun of my grammar. “One time I read Jing’s face book, I can’t bear her grammar mistake. I write to her, don’t think your English is good. Do you know you do not use English? W Hat you use should call JINGLISH.” Shots in Jing’s script writing class, classmates set part to read Jing’s script. They has trouble to read through, and they don’t understand what I am talking about. I try to express deep thought with an elementary level English writing skill. My formal English teacher reads her comments on my first draft, and last draft of the poetry research paper. Images of Jing standing on research competition stage and reading paper with Jinglish Accent.
Jing drive a car crossing the white stone bridge. The skyline of Manhattan slowly appear behind the huge bridge gate. Jing drives pass the gate.