Post Number Four: My latest attempt at bothering people while out with friends

My latest story for my broadcast class involves Jefferson City, Missouri trying to pass an ordinance that would ban smoking inside public places within the city limits, and what better video could I have than people inside a bar and trying to make my central compelling character a person that would be affected if this ordinance went into effect. After talking to bar owners in the city, I decided to try a place called TG's Lounge. I went to the lounge at the busiest time of the night.

I foresaw a problem of having dark video. I knew that if I wanted to see anything at all at TG's, I'd have to have a light on my camera there. That didn't go over too well with many of the customers inside, not to mention the fact that many of them were intoxicated at the time. I got many, 'what the hell are you doing?' stares in my vicinity and 'get that damn light out of my face' looks as well. I'll be honest, the light shined very brightly, but I needed some video, so I decided to forge on anyways.  

People thought I looked so weird shooting video of people at a bar that one group actually decided to start taking pictures of me shooting video. The restaurant had a couple of specials that night which really made it crowded, so besides the fact I looked like a stalker, it had very lots of people there. After a good five or ten minutes of shooting as many cigarettes I could find and getting evil stares from across the bar, I decided to leave. I didn't know whether I should risk making anybody else more mad at me. Before leaving the entire city though, I decided to stop by another place in town, Spectators, and talk to an owner I spoke to on the phone earlier.

He had a much more mellow crowd this night. He didn't have any specials going on or anything, so he had a smaller number of people heavily drinking. This restaurant had good lights too!!!! Ahh yes, what I had been looking for the entire night! This way, I didn't have to shine a really really bright light into a person's face and have them give me dirty looks the rest of the night. Perfect. While at this second bar, I got great shots of cigarettes on the table, smoke coming from them, and shots at different levels. It turned out very good. I have plans on going back to the city today to talk to another bar, C Dub's Pub and Grub. Their business might get hurt even more than Spectators.

With a story like this, I feel like I didn't give up. I could have 'thrown in the towell' so to speak after leaving TG's, but I saw this other bar as I drove to my first destination and thought to myself, the people inside here might be willing to 'play ball.' I left feeling much better about myself, which always helps me mentally after trying to shoot a piece. Now I need more sound bites.  

                                                              
                                                      Check out TG's Lounge at: http://www.alexandrosandtgs.com/index.html