notes on a film, or 3

I'm posting the film treatments for my three possible documentary subjects here for comments and ideas. Mainly, if anyone has any contacts or leads in these areas, please forward them to me.

1. Funeral Director

What are the emotional issues involved in the job? Is it possible to separate business from the personal dealings with clients? How do you comfort someone who is distraught and still take care of the business end? Where do you draw the line so you are not too emotionally involved? What are the conflicts involved in a business where you depend on death to survive? Ie. Death is good for business. What is it like to see kids getting killed on the street or in war, perhaps kids you know, then having to prepare them for burial?

2. Migrant Stories

A documentary series of short vignettes, possibly for working into a longer piece in the future, focusing on the following issues:
A. Follow one family’s/individual’s struggle to find work and make a living. The legal issues, fear, desperation, cultural barriers. Where have they traveled from and why did they come all this way to work? What are conditions like at home? What is the work like? Are there any alternatives?
B. The church- how have they facilitated people coming here? What have they done to ease the transition? Why is it important to support this? What part does religion and spirituality play? Is it more of an issue of justice and charity?
C. Farmers- how much do they depend on migrant workers? Legal issues? Are they afraid of reprisals?


3. Islamic Fundamentalism-Perceptions

What forms of discrimination do you face based upon your religion? Is it outwardly evident? Do you avoid or dread certain situations, change behavior when you anticipate discrimination, eg. an airport? Is it hard to practice your faith in a culture where you are in the minority? What changed for you after 9/11, Iraq invasion? Have you questioned your faith? How do you explain your belief system to skeptical outsiders who see Islam as a religion of violence?