When I thought about interesting people to document in my project, my mind went awol! I had to think back to my home up north and identify potential stories. Two really hit the spot.
One, a man called David Wade, an art teacher and head of sixth form, is very interesting. Working backwards – he is now the head of a sixth form and fully operates them effectively (also encouraging interests, travelling and extra-ciriculum activities); is an art teacher of tremendous ability; has worked for the police force; studied fine art and graphic design at university; ran away from home in India to go to university and get a better life; was born to a colonist family and moved to India at a very early age; struggled at academics at school (due to dyslexia discovered at university) but found a passion for art and was good at long distance running.
As well as footage of David, I would also incorporate photographs he has that document his life and also footage of maps.
The second person I thought about is a woman who I shall refer to as Claire. A sufferer of manic depression since her childhood and the unexpected life change of having a child while she was 17 and 18, led her to experimenting with drugs during her late teens – particularly heroin. As she moved into her twenties, Claire was an addict. Her life was hard, consisting of abusive partners, addiction sickness and low income. Due to the state she was in, the drugs helped her escape the life she hated; a life she hated because of the drugs. Addicts will do anything for their needs and Claire ended up working at a brothel; the only way she could fund her addiction. But there was a light at the end of her tunnel. She had had two children. And they needed a mum. They were looked after but it spurred Claire to get clean. In 1998, Claire woke one morning knowing she was going to die but how could she do that with so much to live for.
Everyone knows addictions are hard to kick…heroin is probably the worse. Their are stories of addicts committing disgusting acts (such as with animals) to not suffer the pain and illness getting clean. But Claire went cold turkey by herself and got off the smack.
She then met a man who I will refer to as William. She was madly in love with him and he her. It seemed like life was perfect. Then life took another hurtful turn toward Claire. In 2005, William had a completely unexpected heart attack. Claire could not physically and mentally cope with his death and turned to another drug, amphetamine, to escape. She was addicted to this drug for four years, eventually admitting herself to Lynfield Mount Hospital (a mental health hospital in Bradford) for sixth months to get herself off the amphetamine. With (now three) children to be a mum for, with the help of Lynfield Mount and with a will stronger than stone, Claire got clean in 2009, vowing never to abuse drugs again.
Although Claire got off the drugs, they still affected her health. She suffers from Psychosis and epilepsy as a (common) side effect to phet; she suffers Raynards disease from the smack. Claire also has Hepatitis C. This is not a result of being a dirty addict (a clean addict uses clean needles/doesnt share paraphernalia/safe sex etc) but from an old partner as he attempted a home made tatoo on her – it’s worth noting he only pricked her twice and not even deep into her skin. Claire’s story is full of love; her story is not just “I was an addict, now I am clean” it’s actually “Look what drugs did to me”.
I am going to go with Claire for the documentary project. She is up for it as long as her identity is not revealed, I dont post the video on the internet (facebook, youtube, vimeo etc) and in the future, I make a fuller document to bring awareness of post-addiction diseases and conditions. The one problem is that Claire lives in my hometown Bradford so filming may be an issue.
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