For my final project, I want to focus on a family that has been affected by divorce, parenting mistakes, and courts. The entire story is quite complex, but Carey L. Fitzgerald (“Big Carey”) never knew his father because his mother told him his father was dead. She gave him the last name Cox when he was born, her maiden name. He got married when he was 19, had three children with his wife when he was in his twenties, and got divorced when he was 29. Around the time of the divorce, he discovered that his father was alive. He contacted his father, Neil, and ended up changing his last name to his father’s last name, Fitzgerald. They grew quite close. In the mean time, Carey’s wife kept him away from his sons as much as possible. In the summer of 2007, Carey’s oldest son, Carey J. Fitzgerald (“Little Carey,” then Carey Cox), who was 23, contacted his dad to try to reconnect. They spent time together and became quite close. In September of 2008, Little Carey changed his last name to Fitzgerald so he would have the same name as his dad and grandfather. As I said, it’s a complex story. I want to try to simply this story, and interview the three men about their experiences and figure out why they made the choices they’ve made. I want to tell their stories about the issues they’ve had with their mothers, the courts, and the divorces. This is a personal example of what divorce and lies can do to a family (and what they must do to get through it).
The working title I have chosen for this story is “Through it All.” I want to have four segments for my video: one that focuses most on Big Carey, one that focuses most on Little Carey, one that focuses most on Neil, and one that focuses on the three of them now (how they interact now that they’re back together, how they get along, etc.). Each segment will be two or three minutes long.
My point of view for this video is from the men’s perspectives. I want this from the male point of view and from a personal point of view. Generally, divorce stories are told from the woman’s point of view; but in this case, the men were harmed the most by this divorce and lies. I want to tell the historical part of this story, how it has affected the men, and how they have overcome it. I plan to do this by spending time with all three men, seeing how they interact with one another, and by doing interviews. I want to interview all three men separately, as well as doing an interview with the three of them together.
The three characters, Neil, Big Carey, and Little Carey, will be seen spending time together at home, outside (probably in a bar, since it’s an Irish family and they spend a lot of time bonding while drinking), and with the rest of their family. I will also include some pictures in the project that are provided by the Fitzgerald family, pictures of when Little Carey was younger. I would also really like to include some images of the actual court papers, to show the work that the men had to go through to change their names and reunite.
I want to keep this video as documentary-ish as possible. I want a lot of low angles showing the men together, spending time together and with the rest of the family (Neil is married and Big Carey is now remarried and has two daughters). I want shots of them playing games, at the bar, or just sitting around drinking beers. I want it to seem as if I’m not there. On the flip side, I would also like to include some footage of the interviews I do with the men, just to show them and the emotions they feel when telling their story. I picture these interviews being done at the dining room table with just an overhead light. Raw and vulnerable. I cannot promise tears, but I would love it if it came to that.
As for the audio aspect of the story, I do want the overview to be the men’s stories and the historical context of what they’ve been through. But I also want natural sounds of the three of them together: playing a card game, watching a football game, at the bar, etc. It will be them just being them and showing the audience how they are now. I expect a lot of swearing and loud talking.
I want to do this story because the family is very close to me and the parts of the story that I have heard have been intriguing to me. I have been dating Little Carey for about a year and a half and am quite close with the rest of the family. I know how strongly they feel about this story and how glad they are to be reunited (especially Big Carey). They are all very important to me and I want to be able to tell their story. I think the story will turn out better because I am so close with the subjects. I have some insight into their lives already that will give me some reference as to where the story needs to go, instead of going in blind.
I want my audience to be able to see the affects of divorce, even decades later. I want people to know the struggles that this family has been through just so they can share their family’s last name and spend time together. But most of all, I want the audience to be able to see how happy these men are now that they have been reunited and are able to spend time as a family.
SPORTS: alphARace
11 years ago