PTT  

Evocative thought track from Richard re: rats, NYC & the war against them

Night-time drone of NYC (stock footage)

MUSIC

Grimey shots of NYC

Options below:

D3_C300_C2_255 - people throwing out trash

D3_C300_C2_268/273-278 - homeless person going through trash

D3_C300_C2_280-283 - big pile of trash

D5_C300_C3_087 - person going through trash D5_C300_C3_092/117 - trash dump truck

D6_C300_C3_247/248 - homeless person picking up trash around Lower East Side

D6_C300_C4_014/015 - homeless person

Rats in the city at night

D5_C300_C3_085 - rat in a garden

D5_C300_C3_094 - rat on subway platform

D5_C300_C3_095-097 - rats on subway platform near trash bags

D5_C300_C3_100/101/112/115 - rat on subway track

D5_C300_C3_103-111/114/116 - general subway shots to cut with rats

D6_C300_C3_165

New York subway shots

D1_C300_C1_072-076

D2_C300_C2_062-64

02:05:13:01

Richard: Americans are war like people.

02:04:58:12

We have a war on everything. We have a war on disease. We have a war on poverty, we have a war on drugs

02:05:29:09

Right now, it's …

02:07:30:20

..rats!

Iconic videos of rats and NYC pop culture/iconography (pizza rat etc)

(See third party footage)

MUSIC CHANGE
VO: The Norwegian brown rat is a NYC icon. 

There’s thought to be 2 million of them living in NYC. That’s one for every four New Yorkers. 

Viral videos of rats/People responding/reacting to rats (shot by themselves)

RAT PRESSER - Mayor Eric Adams Signs Rodent-Related Bills Intros. 414-A 442-A 459-A and 460-A (1080P - no audio).mp4

Mayor Eric Adams Signs Rodent-Related Bills Intros. 414-A 442-A 459-A and 460-A.wav (AUDIO)

VO: Since the pandemic, sightings of the rodent have exploded and the City’s Mayor has declared war.

UPSOT RAT PRESSER: Everybody who knows me knows I hate rats. We’re going to kill some rats.

Short scene of dogs killing rats from rat hunt - frantic/chaotic (use GoPro footage from Jason/supplied from Cal)

VO: Can this group of volunteer rat hunters and their dogs help turn the tide?

PETA IV mixed with rat hunt footage

D6_C300_C3_005 11:37:30:

ASHLEY (PETA): We have enough violence in our city without a bunch of deranged Elmer Fudds running around with dogs who they've tormented into being violent…

Rat hunt

D1_C300_C2_061 01:25:59:10 - 01:26:16:06

JERRY: Cleaning up New York one rat at a time baby!

TITLE GRAPHIC

RAT HUNTERS

By Calliste Weitenberg and Louis Dai

1.      

1.     RICHARD AT HOME w DOGS

Establishers of New Jersey +

Exteriors of Richard’s place

D1_C300_C1_137-141

MUSIC

Could use a sequence of shots to indicate moving to the outside OR just have shots of them standing outside already after house cutaways

Walking to the back

D1_C300_C1_132 02:24:13:08

Wides of them next to Marcus

02:27:26:08

02:27:41:02

Close up of Marcus

02:25:09:23

D1_C300_C1_132 02:28:56:04 (walking to Rommel and Fritz)

VO: About an hour from New York City, I’m in New Jersey to meet Richard Reynolds, a dog show judge and certified breeder.

CAL: And so where are the hunters at?

RICHARD: Come on…

VO: At 78 years old, Richard is also a bona fide rat-killer.

2:25:02:23

Cal: This is an interesting looking dog

Richard: This is a Bedlington terrier…

He’s been hunting the city’s rats for 35 years using a centuries old technique…

WHITE DAWG SCENE

2:27:13:15
Cal: He looks way too cute to be a rat killer. He looks like a sheep…
Richard: Bedlingtons were designed to be a poacher’s dog…

2:28:12:00…They sneak up and they say come on I’m not going to bother you and then WHUMP!

2:28:44:09…So he’s cute but he’s a silent assassin. And what about the ones up the back here?

Cutaways of Rommel jumping up and down - 02:41:23:22

Cal reversals and noddies at D1_C300_C1_132 02:36:05:08 - 02:37:30:22

Cutaway of Rommel going nuts - 02:33:27:09

RICHARD: This is Rommel. His registered name is Blue Barn Desert Fox. He's about five years old. He's a very adept hunter, a joy to hunt with.  

CAL: And what about this one here?

RICHARD: This is Fritz.

CAL: He is literally busting out of the cage right now.

RICHARD: This is Rommel's younger brother.

(Go to cutaways of Fritz locked up at 02:40:58:00)

02:36:49:07

RICHARD: These are push dogs. They don't get too many rats, but they're the force that enables the other dogs to get the rest…

So these are the frontline.

CAL: They go in and….

RICHARD: They get no credit.

02:45:05:18

(CAL LOOKING AT DOGS GOING BALLISTIC)Oh my god. I can't believe this guy. Look at him.  He just does this over and over and over.

Well, he'll do it all night.

Oh, my goodness. I've never seen a dog do this.

Shots of dogs

Establishing master IV shots – cutaways of room like the photo next to him

MASTER IV

(Breathing space – just see dogs going wild in their cages)

MASTER IV USA_RATS_CAL_D1_C300_C1_129

01:00:04:09-01:00:11:11

CAL: So, Richard why do terriers make good rat hunters?

RICHARD: Because that's what they're bred for.  

01:00:37:16-01:00:51:10

They're fearless, they're tenacious, they're lightning quick. They have a drive that just doesn't stop.

10

See shots of Richard’s dogs

Wides of them next to Marcus dog

02:27:26:08

02:27:41:02

Close up of Marcus dog

02:25:09:23

VO: With New York city’s rat crisis amongst the worst in the world, Richard believes he’s doing a public service.

Master IV

D1_C300_C1_129 01:14:46:12:

New York City’s infested with rats

01:13:27:23-01:13:38:10

They'll feed on garbage, they'll run across the road in front of you and whatever…

01:50:59:09-

01:07:45:07 So… we're doing a service. How much you value the service is open to some discussion. But...

01:51:36:

An exterminator is not going to handle rats on a street unless they get paid …We do the same thing for nothing.

D1_C300_C1_172-177

Slow mos of Richard putting dog-hunting clothes on 

Chaotic self-shot videos of rat hunts by RATS members (use GoPro footage from Jason/iPhone footage from Cal)

VO: With an estimated kill count of over a thousand rodents, Richard is the de-facto leader of a vigilante hunting group.

VO: They call themselves the Ryders Alley Trencher-fed Society a.k.a RATS.

2.      

2.     RICHARD AT DOG TRAINING

D3_C300_C2_031-36

People milling about/fire/dogs

Nice wide here

D3_C300_C2_037 04:31:47:02

D3_C300_C2_030, 058, 109-136, 153-157

Extra: General cutaways of farm

D3_C300_C2_163-169

Extra: Establishers of farm

See shots of rats - D3_C300_C2_037 04:28:46:21-04:29:07:04

See shots of dogs/people watching on etc

04:29:45:02- 04:29:50:11

04:26:52:11

See close-up shots of rat

04:33:25:11

VO: Today, at a farm in New Jersey, the group is hoping to recruit new members.

D3_C300_C2_037 04:27:30:07

What we’re gonna do..

04:26:17:13-04:26:20:13

…is test your dog’s gameness and…

04:25:26:13-04:25:33:02

...hardwired innate inclination to go after quarry, namely rat.

VO:

Since the Mayor’s announcement, Richards’ seen new interest from New Yorkers wanting to join.

04:26:24:02-04:26:46:04

We’re gonna shake a rat or two in front of your dog… and if the dog responds to the rat, then it will make the team and if it doesn’t there’s always tomorrow.

People milling around looking on excitedly

Vox pops with attendees establishing reason for joining/extent of New York’s rat problem

D3_C300_C2_110 05:54:14:02

CALLI: Tell me, how bad is the rat problem in New York?

ANNE: One of the worst there is, I think, in all the cities in the world it's one of the worst ranked for rats.

D3_C300_C2_103 05:44:04:19

You'll walk along and all of a sudden, a rat will scoot right in front of you. You know, they scoot up on the side. They're scooting in the street.  

D3_C300_C2_056 04:58:20:17: 

SEAN: LOLA’S OWNER: They carry disease. They can chew wiring, they can create fires. They are truly a pest.

ACTUALITY OF TRAINING

VO: But before they can join a rat hunt, the dogs … and their owners… must prove their worth.

D3_C300_C2_041 04:37:10:05 - 04:38:08:05

Start with woman in black jacket with hesitant dog then move onto ANNE (woman in purple down jacket) with ETTA JAY who does well

CAL AND RICHARD IN SITU

Cut to Cal talking to Richard at D3_C300_C2_137

D3_C300_C2_138 06:23:37:23

CAL: So Richard, what training is happening today?

D3_C300_C2_137 06:15:35:20

RICHARD: This is the absolute first exposure that these dogs have to doing anything useful in their lives. We're simply exposing the dogs to a rat and seeing what their reaction is…

D3_C300_C2_138 06:23:42:09-06:23:49:15

CAL: And so what skills, in particular, are you looking at developing?

D3_C300_C2_137 06:16:19:13

We call it the epiphany.

RICHARD UPSOT: Come on, good, good, shake the cage Sean.

RICHARD: When the light goes on and all of a sudden the dog realizes that it has an instinct to hunt

D3_C300_C2_053 04:56:52:20

Cut to different dogs having a go at the rat/close up of rat

D3_C300_C2_071 05:13:57:00

See shots of trainers setting up rats in trash while Richard is finishing up

D3_C300_C2_071 05:17:09:22

Close ups

D3_C300_C2_066 05:10:27:05

Richard:  What we're going to do at this point is we're going to conceal the rats in between some plastic bags. How typical of New York City can you get?

ACTUALITY OF ROO FINDIN G RATS

VO: USING LIVE RATS AS BAIT TO TRAIN DOGS IS CONTROVERSIAL.

ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMN THE PRACTICE AND CLAIM BAIT ANIMALS SUFFER UNECESSARY INJURY AND DISTRESS.

CAL: Watching the dogs sort of go for the rats...it does seem a bit stressful.

RICHARD: Not at all.

RICHARD: We have rats that go to sleep while they're being used in a test. And…they have a long lifespan here, whereas they don’t in the wild.

See wides of farm - D3_C300_C2_103 115/121

People out and about on farm

See shots of Roo and owners talking to Richard - D3_C300_C2_103 114

3.      

4.     ARCHIVE CITY’S WAR ON RATS

See archive of rats in New York

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpdvtQZO8vI/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=  https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnxnsXLvAov/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=https://www.instagram.com/reel/CktENcfJz9J/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjbSSi3j9C2/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPXUG8q4jKU  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFF5C3ZR_I 

https://twitter.com/Jazzie654/status/1621604045357191168

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpgUcxEJgho

VO: New York City’s rat problem is centuries-old but since the pandemic, recorded sightings have soared, and are now at an all-time high.[1]

ALT TAKE:

Complaints to the city’s rat hotline jumped 70%[2] last year after months of empty offices, barren subways, and a slashed sanitation budget….

UPSOT RAT PRESSER: Mayor Eric Adams:

For far too long, the population of rodents have been able to roam around this city with a level of impunity and we're saying no to that…

 VO: prompting the Mayor to look for a ‘Rat Csar’

UPSOT: ‘Rat Czar’: You’ll be seeing a lot of me. And a lot less rats.

KANIELLE SHOWS RAT INFESTATION

Subway shots and commuters

D1_C300_C1_072-076

D2_C300_C2_062-64

D5_C300_C3_103-111/114/116

Rats in subway

D5_C300_C3_094

D5_C300_C3_095-097

D5_C300_C3_100/101/112/115

Rats on New York’s streets

D5_C300_C3_085

D6_C300_C3_165

Grimey New York night time shots/homeless/trash/dump trucks

D3_C300_C2_268/273-278

D3_C300_C2_280-283

D5_C300_C3_087

D5_C300_C3_092/117

D6_C300_C3_247/248

C6_C300_C4_014/015

Segue to Alphabet City establishers 

D6_C300_C4_022/023

Could also use any of these

D4_C300_C2_186-212

VO:  The war against rats is being waged in a city seemingly fraying at the edges.

This year, there’s been a dramatic increase in major crime[3], poverty and homelessness[4].

But for some hardened residents, this is just what life looks like in the ‘city that never sleeps.’

D6_C300_C3_176 13:22:51:21-13:22:54:24

See Cal walking to meet Kanielle

CAL: Hi Kanielle

KANIELLE: Hi!

See establishers/cutaways of area -

D6_C300_C3_234

D6_C300_C3_243

D6_C300_C4_001

D6_C300_C4_020/021

See cutaways of her place:

D6_C300_C3_238 bin with NYCHA sign

D6_C300_C3_239 NYCHA bins

D6_C300_C4_002 bin with NYCHA sign

D6_C300_C4_004 NYCHA bins

D6_C300_C4_004/008 trash pile

D6_C300_C4_006 number of project

D6_C300_C4_007 bikes

D6_C300_C4_009 CCTV camera

D6_C300_C3_241/242 

D6_C300_C3_233 Marian Housing sign

(See her recordings of them fighting and scrambling - https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUoEqbpp939/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=)

VO: Kanielle Hernandez is a single mother who lives in one of the poorest districts in New York’s Lower East Side.

D6_C300_C3_180 13:38:13:11-13:38:22:03

CAL: So I hear you guys have a rat problem?

D6_C300_C3_176 13:24:03:15

KANIELLE: I’m having a rat war with these rats…New York City rats are different!

VO: Those suffering from the worst effects of the rat problem can often be found here - in low-income public housing developments.

D6_C300_C3_176  13:24:09:12

CAL: Take me. Show me. Show me the problem.

KANIELLE: Yes, this is where the trash is at. This is where they hang out for the most part.

D6_C300_C3_176 - 13:24:56:14-13:25:01:09

At one point this whole thing was filled with piles and piles and piles of garbage. And it became like the epicenter for the rats, like it was their home. And my window is right here.

See cutaway of windows D6_C300_C3_241/242

…and I would literally hear them fighting and scrambling and I started recording and I would record dozens of them just…

D6_C300_C3_176 - 13:28:30:10

*chew chew chew* like they were fighting each other and they just kept making me come out…

D6_C300_C3_176 - 13:28:35:07

I would just look out the window to see and I would be astonished. I would, I would see. I'm like, Oh, my God, look at all these rats!

D6_C300_C3_182 13:40:36:16

These three bags of garbage, the rats would be on these three bags of garbage! (see garbage D6_C300_C3_183 13:41:13:07, 184, 185)... And they run back and forth….Woah! (quickly cut to shot of rats on garbage)

CAL: Woah, here’s one, here’s one.

KANIELLE: Do you see it in there? I’m on my tippy toes for whatever reason I think that’s gonna help.

D6_C300_C3_210 14:14:46:14

CAL: Tell me what you're seeing right now. We are seeing about three rats! And they're jumping and fighting. Look at them. They're just playing and chasing each other. And this is what we see on a daily basis.

VO: The infestation in Kanielle’s building, is so bad the rats have even invaded residents’ car engines.

D6_C300_C3_192 13:46:55:17

(See them walking to cover up audio cut)

Okay. This is my jeep…

(Just audio - D6_C300_C3_189 13:44:54:11 - 13:44:57:13)

…and it’s just like their home…

D6_C300_C3_200 14:08:38:08-14:08:48:20

See her pressing button to unlock boot and open boot

CAL: Wow (keep visuals from this running until 14:08:55:10 before cutting to close-ups visuals at D6_C300_C3_200 14:09:17:08-14:09:34:04)

D6_C300_C3_192 13:48:13:21-13:48:22:00 (audio): No one in there right now

What is the red stuff?

Oh, the dust is…

…my attempt to spice them out…

D6_C300_C3_193 13:49:19:02

You know, chili powder and all these things. It makes it hot to their paws and their fur…

D6_C300_C3_193 13:49:28:09-13:49:31:07

…but as you can see it’s not really deterring them so I’m probably going to have to look for something else.

D6_C300_C3_193 13:49:36:06-13:49:52:06

There are what look to be wet patches on here. What is that?

That’s their urine. And then if you look on top of here, that’s their body prints like…

D6_C300_C3_200 14:09:14:02-14:09:25:00

Huh! It was lying in this?

Yeah you can see how they imprinted it.

Down there, there’s rat poop

D6_C300_C3_206 14:12:21:12

And the most telling one is this rat tail slab there, it’s kinda gross when you think about it.

D6_C300_C3_206 14:14:00:03 - 14:14:06:06

See her pointing and showing curvature of rat tail

D6_C300_C3_206 14:13:14:02-14:13:25:01

…It just always smells like a rat. Yeah, you put it down and walk right by it and it just has, like, a funky smell.

VO: IT’S BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM…

AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO HER LAST CAR.

D6_C300_C3_193 13:51:05:21-13:51:20:08 

KANIELLE: Yes, I had a car before this in the same spot. And they ate through my wires and caused an electrical fire and the whole car burnt down.

D6_C300_C3_193 13:52:32:22 - 13:52:37:08

the whole neighbourhood basically…we all just watched my car burn and it was charcoal. Like the seat that I was just in was charcoal.

D6_C300_C4_004 NYCHA bins

D6_C300_C4_003 Open trash

See rat come out of bottom of trash

D6_C300_C3_211 14:16:21:23

Rat behind trash

D6_C300_C3_214 14:16:57:03-14:17:00:01

Rat running across tarmac

D6_C300_C3_215 14:17:22:14-14:17:26:00

VO: IT’S NOT JUST THE RATS THEMSELVES THAT ARE THE PROBLEM. IT’S WHAT THEY LEAVE BEHIND.

A TOXIC COCKTAIL OF WASTE AND PARASITES THAT CAN LEAD TO DISEASE.

In 2021, 14 New Yorkers contracted leptospirosis – a disease spread by rats. One person died.[5]

Shots of her and her son

D6_C300_C3_193 14:00:43:20

KANIELLE: I've heard people say they're just rats or this is New York City, deal with it and that's not the proper answer…

D6_C300_C3_193 13:59:20:00

CAL: Are you worried about the health impacts of that for you and your kids?

KANIELLE: Yeah, absolutely. We shouldn't be ingesting that…

14:01:13:00: I might not see the damage now, but maybe I’ll see damage later in life from ingesting this smell you know…

13:59:59:00: …It’s definitely not good….

Night-time wides of area

5.      

6.     RAT WALK WITH RICHARD

Establishers and cutaways of Lower East side

D3_C300_C2_171-176, 192-193, 203, 224, 225, 226, 227 237, 239, 240, 243-250

D6_C300_C3_131, 132, 146

Additional grimy shots

D4_C300_C2_113, 163-166, 184

Refer to Dailies for more cutaways

Shots of Richard walking about town without Cal

D3_C300_C2_178 06:44:30:07-06:44:33:10

D3_C300_C2_178 06:45:13:03

Mixed in with shots of trash

D3_C300_C2_192, 194, 208

Cut to a cutaway of the area before going back to next shot

Richard: How you doing?

VO: In Lower Manhattan, Richard is taking me on a tour to identity potential rat sites for the next hunt.

Use cutaways of Lower East Side and additional grimey shots to help cut this scene

Establishers and cutaways of Lower East side:

D3_C300_C2_171-176, 192-193, 203, 224, 225, 226, 227, 237, 239, 240, 243-250

D6_C300_C3_131, 132, 146

Additional grimey shots

D4_C300_C2_113, 163-166, 184

Refer to Dailies for more cutaways

Cal noddies at D3_C300_C2_185  07:03:28:00

Shots of trash

D3_C300_C2_205 07:10:05:17- 07:10:15:13

Oh, yeah. There you go.

Oh, wow. So that's been completely chewed through.

Okay, that's guaranteed rat action.[6]

RICHARD AND CAL LOOKING AT TRASH

VO: According to Richard, the root cause of New York City’s rat problem is the endless amount of trash the city produces - about 50 000 tons of residential and commercial waste every day, much of it food waste.[7]

D3_C300_C2_206 07:11:24:24

Here's one for you. You don't even have to work very hard to find that.

That's incredible.

RICHARD AND CAL WALK-ALONG STREET WITH TRASH

VO: Here, trash is left on the sidewalks until a garbage truck comes and hauls it away.

D3_C300_C2_235 07:29:14:00 (them walking along street full of trash):

Cal: So it's all along the street. And so how long will this stuff sit out here for?

Richard: I suspect it'll be picked up first thing in the morning. But we don't know how long it's been here.

CAL: Probably all weekend.

RICHARD: Probably

VO: For a rat, the time in between is the ‘Golden Hour’ the time to feed.

D3_C300_C2_235 07:31:42:08 - 07:32:11:24 (camera pans to giant rat running along street)

CAL: There it is! Oh, my God

CAL: That has got to be the largest rat I've ever seen. And it has no fear. It's just come out broad daylight and taken a stroll down the street. It's obviously very comfortable around here and very well fed.

RICHARD AND CAL WALKING TOGETHER

Noddies in D3_C300_C2_211

See signs of rat activity in community garden

End with cutaways of area plus Lower East side sun-setting shots found at D3_C300_C2_235 255, 268, 273-278

General sunsetting shots USA_RATS_CAL_D3_C300_C2_251-286

VO: If the city is to solve its rat problem, Richard says they must first tackle its trash.

But in a city as big as New York, that’s not such an easy fix.

Richard: Once you say, clean up your house, you set all of the city politics in action. You set all people's prejudices in action. Who gets the money? How does it spread? How do you go about doing it? It becomes a political football and the rats just keep on going the way they've been going for 400 years.

5.      

6.      SANITIATION RIDE ALONG

NY waking up shots -

D1_C300_C1_001-051

New York wakes up

(Note: most shots in D07 will need to have some post-stabiliser applied)

D07_C300_011 - 00:13:41:06/00:13:59:16 internal establishers over VO

D07_C300_002 - morning gathering shots over VO

Establishers and gathering shots

Alright, good morning everybody

VO: IN AN ATTEMPT To control New York’s rat population, the City has embarked on a multi-agency approach to clean up its streets worth $14.5 million US dollars. [8]

Actuality of discussions:

This location is going to be on 111^th Avenue

See people filing off, people getting into trucks, driving off, shots in trucks over, arriving over VO - D07_C300_003, 005 00:07:31:18-00:07:40:21, 006, 009, 010, 063-068, 023

VO: Today, this new Department of Sanitation taskforce is targeting illegal dumping sites.

ACTUALITY OF CLEANING

D07_C300_034 00:50:42:02

MIKE: This is all illegal dumping. Some household material, some waste, some food containers, bottles, mattresses, there's a mix of everything in this location… 00:50:23:22…basically it’s a habitat, food and nourishment for rodents and rats.

VO: More than 1500 of these sites have been identified across the city.

Use cutaways of cleaning from 040-042

01:35:04:02

CAL: And so this isn't the only initiative the Sanitation Department is running here to tackle rats. What else are you doing?

01:27:28:20

REP: We're doing a lot…We're studying containerization to see is it possible to containerize our waste, and we're also drastically reducing the number of hours that trash sits out on our sidewalks.  

CAL: Australians will be looking at it and going, why don't you just put this trash in garbage bins? Why isn't it in garbage bins?

01:28:44:18:

REP: New York City is home to 8.8 million people. We're one of the most densely populated areas in the world. And it's a very complicated undertaking to…we can't just containerize the waste.

01:30:34:16:

New Yorkers throw out more than 24 million pounds of trash and recycling every single day. That's a lot of trash. In addition, we have New Yorkers who don't put trash in its proper place, as you saw here today.     

01:36:46:05 

Whose responsibility is it then to clean up the trash and fix the rat problem?

01:31:53:00:

Well, it's our responsibility to take away the trash. And we don't have control over what New Yorkers put out. But our 10,000 member workforce is out there every day to pick up whatever comes our way.

See shots of people cleaning

7.      

8.     RICHARD GOES ON RAT HUNT

Night-time establishers:

D4_C300_C2_186-212

Cutaways of area (if needed)

D1_C300_C2_109-113

D1_C300_C2_058

D1_C300_C2_072

Wides of group assembled

D1_C300_C2_003/006

D1_C300_C2_004/005 - sign of Richard’s car

VO:

ALT ALT

THE city’s health department is also responsible for tackling the rat problem.

It’s collecting data to identify hot spots, and sending inspectors to problem areas.

But Richard and his team are intent on more immediate results. 

Cal piece-to-cam

D1_C300_C2_006: 00:06:07:08

Use cutaways of dogs hanging around in same clip/Richard preparing his dogs to mix in with Cal’s piece-to-camera

Cal: So we’re here in Harlem in Upper Manhattan, it’s about -2 degrees here, the dogs are all assembled and it’s time to go hunt some rats.

Refer to Dailies breakdowns for shots

UPSOT: Come on guys, everyone keep up.

Shots walking off D1_C300_C2_006 00:09:53:12-00:09:58:11

UPSOT:It’s an open gate over there, if you want to go around

RICHARD IV: Oh the rats fight back. There’s no question about it.

Shots of dogs trying to get rats but missing, people reactions.

RICHARD MASTER IV: 01:06:11

The rats are very intelligent, very fast. You have to understand the rat before you can hunt it.

Show chaos of first site with dogs missing rats:

00:15:48:13 - 00:17:20:12

RICHARD MASTER IV: The rats’ programmed behaviours, the rats’ responses. They bite!  

Right here, here!

They got it, they got it!

CAL PTC

00:17:28:15 - 00:18:12:09

CAL: You’ve really got to be quick. I mean, within seconds of hitting this trash, a rat flew out and was gone so fast. These dogs gotta be fast.

Refer to dailies

Walking around

People around, dogs etc.

RICHARD MASTER IV 01:08:21

On occasion, when we're doing things, we block their known escape route. It's a very effective way of corralling them…

ACTUALITY: Right there, right there!

Good boy Leo!

RICHARD MASTER IV The dogs will sometimes get standing ovations. I’ve had people come out from the projects and try to give us money

UPSOT: Can I pet him?

RICHARD MASTER IV: The reason we’ve been able to continue doing what we do is because of community support

D1_C300_C2_018 00:31:14:00

CAL to ONLOOKERS: What do you think of the rat hunters?

ONLOOKERS: Amazing…Hell yeah! We need them out here!  

See more dogs catching rats, people watching on

D1_C300_C2_028 00:44:18:10-00:44:23:04

That part of the project that's called Showtime. You're going to see why…

D1_C300_C2_030/31

Another good bit of rat-action

D1_C300_C1_129 01:07:46:03:

RICHARD: The dogs know how to kill a rat instinctively

UPSOT: THIS IS CRAZY

...By picking it up, shaking it once and throwing it.

CAL:  Jeez.

RICHARD: Quick.

00:49:45:13: JERRY (with three rats): That's a hat trick.  

CAL: That was seven or eight rats in one go.

Above sequence could be cut with extra footage from this clip including close up of dog killing rat and rat running away - D4_C300_C2_215

Refer to dailies

D1_C300_C2_016

Wide of them approaching another trash site

CAL:Do the dogs ever get injured whilst hunting?

RICHARD: Yes.

UPSOT: We got one!

RICHARD IV: A rat bite on the tongue, that’s common. Getting bit a few times educates the dog on how to get the rat. See more dogs catching rats, people watching on

Refer to dailies

Group moving off D1_C300_C2_055

Refer to dailies

Another good site

MOVE TO STREET:

Wide street shots - D1_C300_C2_039/42/43/44/45

Street trash rat action D1_C300_C2_052 

CAL: Who else would be doing this if it weren't for you guys?

JERRY: Nobody.

More street rat action

D1_C300_C2_065 01:30:15:11 - 01:31:04:03

D1_C300_C2_065 01:33:19:03

RICHARD: They're getting heavy enough for ya?

No...let's fill it up little bit more

Richard laughs

See shots of them laying the dead rats out - D1_C300_C2_093/94/100/101)

VO: As the hunt wraps up, Richard and his team tally their kills. 

01:48:20

JASON: 35! 35! Am I good? 35  I said

D1_C300_C2_102 01:51:39:13

Cal: So 35 rats, what do you think of that?

01:51:53:00

ALEX: This is…I tell you, you could come out here every night. We could come back tomorrow night. As a matter of fact, if we do another lap, we'll get another thirty. It's out of control. It really is. Everywhere you walk, you see rats like this.

01:52:02:14

CAL: Do you think you’re making a difference?

01:52:33:08

ALEX: Well, you could ask any of the people that live around here and they all praise us for coming out and helping because they got to walk by this every day. So they appreciate when we come down.

01:54:04:21:

CAL: Do you ever feel sorry for the rats?

ALEX: Not at all. Not at all. Sorry. I'm sorry there wasn't more. Sorry it wasn't 100.

D1_C300_C2_096 01:49:53

War dogs! War dogs!

Night time shots of NYC

9.      

10.  PETA REAX

New York daytime shots

Options include:

D1_C300_C1_052 - trash dump truck

D1_C300_C1_053 -57 - street cleaner

D1_C300_C1_058-67 - Brooklyn bridge

D1_C300_C1_077-081/097-106 - More NYC shots

D1_C300_C1_126-127 - streets

D3_C300_C2_170 - three dogs in pram

D3_C300_C2_227 - street

D3_C300_C2_237 - wide of street

D3_C300_C2_240 - street

D5_C300_C3_001 - police

D5_C300_C3_002 - school bus

D6_C300_C3_065 - dump truck

D5_C300_C3_067 - main city street

D6_C300_C3_002 - cleaners

Throughout VO see establishers and see Cal walking to Ashley’s house (D6_C300_C3_085-102), and meet and greet (D6_C300_C3_009/10/12/13/17)

Cutaways of PETA paraphernalia in her house throughout IV (D6_C300_C3_063-70)

VO: Even though Richard and his dogs have the support of the local community - there are some who oppose not just his efforts, but the City’s broader war on rats.

D6_C300_C3_007 11:55:52:19

So Ashley, the mayor has declared a war on rats. I mean, what do you make of that?

D6_C300_C3_005 11:28:49

To say that we have a rat problem is incorrect. We have a human behaviour problem, The city is covered in garbage…. There are public trash cans that are overflowing so killing rats is not the solution. Until we deal with the issues that are attracting the rats, they're just going to keep on coming.

VO: Ashley Byrne is from PETA, that’s People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – a controversial animal rights organisation that has advocated against factory farming, fur farming and animal testing.

D6_C300_C3_007 11:57:58:12

(And so…) Cal: What do you make of those who hunt and kill rats with dogs?

D6_C300_C3_005 11:37:30

We have enough violence in our city without a bunch of deranged Elmer Fudds running around with dogs who they've tormented into being violent…Just the fact alone of training a dog to viciously attack any animal. It's cruel and it's senseless. 

D6_C300_C3_007 12:02:04:22

Cal: I think those that are hunting rats with dogs would say that it's no more cruel than other forms of extermination being used. Is it?

D6_C300_C3_005 11:45:04

Killing rats with dogs means that the rats experience a terrifying run for their lives and then a grizzly, bloody, painful attack. And I think the way.. the people who participate in it kind of brag about it and portray it is a glorification of violence. And this city has quite enough violence.

RICHARD REAX TO PETA

Establishers of New Jersey

Exteriors of Richard’s place

D1_C300_C1_137-141

Shots of house interior cutaways

D1_C300_C1_156-171

D1_C300_C1_129 01:46:56:16

RICHARD: Glorifying violence? God, I've never been accused of that…No I don’t think so. It's something we have to do…

D1_C300_C1_129 01:42:33:10

Does anybody want to die? No. Is it painless? No. Is it amongst the more humane methods? Absolutely. 

CAL: Is there a humane form of extermination when it comes to rats?

RICHARD: If you end up dead, no.

VO:  For now, City Officials pay no attention to Richard’s hunts – perhaps because their presence on the street gives the impression of victory. However illusive it may ultimately be.

UPSOT: Fritz scores

01:53:24:00

Are we going to solve New York City's rat problem? Not a chance. If I take 30 rats out, if I take a hundred rats out, if I take 150 rats out, not going to make the slightest difference in the world.