New Obesity Documentary Wants Your Story

ShineBox Media Productions is filming an obesity documentary

Get ready, America, because there are a whole bunch of obesity awareness documentaries coming out in the next year following in the footsteps of surprising hits like Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" and the recently-released Eric Schlosser film "Fast Food Nation."

I am aware of three new documentaries currently in production, including this one looking for people who have been scammed by weight loss gimmicks and another one that will feature a host of experts (including low-carb supporter Dr. Michael Eades, among many others) as well as influential people who are seeking to educate people about getting healthy.

The third one is from a company called ShineBox Media Productions based in Salt Lake City, Utah. This yet-to-be-titled documentary will be examining the political and socio-economic effects of the global obesity epidemic in an edgy, off-the-street account from real people struggling to figure out how we got in this obesity mess to begin with.


Obesity film director Steven Greenstreet and producer Bryan Young

The dynamic duo brainchild behind this movie are film industry veterans Steven Greenstreet and Bryan Young. Young says obesity has become much too large, both figuratively and literally, to ignore any longer.

"The issue of obesity is absolutely staggering," he said. "When you think of the sheer numbers of it, more than 65% of all Americans are overweight or obese, and being overweight or obese causes problems that decrease our length and quality of life significantly. And we're finding that there are more causes to the problem than simply the notion that Americans are eating more and exercising less."

This is a point I make quite often here at my blog and I'm glad to see an independent film company is seeking to get the word out about it as well. I am especially pleased to learn they will expose the special interests in the fast food and soft drink industries who have convinced our government leaders to refrain from criticizing their products when there is clear culpability with what they are selling.

"It's important to note that there were no representatives from any credible medical associations on the list of those attending the President's recent conference on obesity," Young added. "It seems to me that one would want to consult the leaders in the field of obesity when discussing private sector strategies to deal with it."

Since Young's documentary is still in the filming stages and is scheduled for release later this year, he is looking for people to share their story with him. There are two very specific needs he is looking to fill, including an obese single mother who is stressed out as well as a burning-the-candle-at-both-ends overweight business man. Does this describe YOU? If so, then they want your story!

But they are pretty much open to reading the experience of ANYONE who has something relevant to share that is somewhat unique and would fit the overall theme of the film. If you aren't afraid of being filmed and want to take advantage of this opportunity to share your journey--whether you are already a weight loss success or still trying to figure out how you got to be overweight in the first place--then simply send an e-mail to contact@shineboxmp.com.

Don't delay because production will be wrapping up soon! Let them hear from you and all the sordid details of what you have to offer them TODAY.

2-8-07 UPDATE: The filmmakers added a link to this post at their blog today. :)

Now Serving Hot Off The Grill Lies Courtesy Of Schlosser's 'Fast Food Nation' Movie

Culture-altering shockwaves set to land in movie theaters on November 17

In 2003, the cinematic world was shocked into reality with the highly-acclaimed release of independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's eye-opening documentary Super Size Me. The ripple effects from that film are still being felt to this day as McDonald's and other fast food restaurants are making certain changes to address the problems that were exposed in Spurlock's masterpiece.

Well, it's about to happen again in late 2006. Based on the 2001 New York Times bestselling book by Eric Schlosser entitled Fast Food Nation comes a movie that is much more than a documentary. Instead of taking the same tactic that Spurlock used for his film, Schlosser brought on director Richard Linklater to creative a compelling narrative based on the book. The end result will be coming to the silver screen on November 17, 2006.

It's FAST FOOD NATION--THE MOVIE!

Have you seen the trailer for this movie yet? Check it out:


Unlike Spurlock's movie, this one has some familiar faces that moviegoers will recognize, including Patricia Arquette, Bobby Cannavale, Luis Guzman, Ethan Hawke, Ashley Johnson, Greg Kinnear, Kris Kristofferson, Avril Lavigne (her Hollywood acting debut), Esai Morales, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Lou Taylor Pucci, Ana Claudia Talancon and Wilmer Valderrama.

The star-power of this remarkable cast helps weave the tale of a marketing executive named Don Henderson, played by Greg Kinnear, who works for a fast food restaurant called Mickey's (hmmm, I wonder who this could be?!) and is charged with helping promote the bestselling burger for the chain called "The Big One." Unfortunately for Mickey's, the corporate executive learn that the frozen hamburger meat has been contaminated with cow manure.

So Henderson is sent back through the process of making that burger to find out the source of the problem. He visits the slaughterhouses run by immigrants, the meatpacking company that creates these burgers, the strip malls where the Mickey's fast food restaurants are located to observe why millions of unsuspecting people are lured into the business with such a lack of knowledge about what they are consuming.

We also get to meet a teenager named Amber who works at Mickey's while in school as well as a slew of illegal immigrants coming across the border straight from Mexico to the meatworks assembly lines. Make no mistake about it: THIS FILM IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! If you don't want to know the truth behind what goes into that burger and fries you eat at your favorite fast food restaurant, then DON'T go see FAST FOOD NATION. But Schlosser and Linklater are betting many people will.

Behind the scenes, we learn why this film was made into a narrative story:


Released by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America, the nearly two-hour FAST FOOD NATION movie is going to rock the boat not only of the fast food industry, but of the ethical compass of corporate America itself. This movie will get you to thinking about other businesses that may be taking advantage of our nation's collection ignorance to make insane profits at the expense of the health of our society.

Wanna know why FAST FOOD NATION was made into a movie? Watch this:


Already honored with an official selection by the Cannes Film Festival 2006, FAST FOOD NATION could very well put another large dent in the profits of companies like McDonald's who continue to reap the profits of destroying the health of people who have not adequately educated themselves about the harm they are doing to their bodies eating Big Macs, French fries, and milkshakes. This goes much, much deeper than obesity, too, and FAST FOOD NATION is a must-see for anyone who truly cares about the health of themselves and their fellow citizens. GO SEE IT!

For more information about FAST FOOD NATION, visit their official web site or the entertaining companion web site DoYouWantLiesWithThat.com.