SBS
DATELINE
2023
EP 9
RAT
HUNTERS
|
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 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 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 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…
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 111th 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. |
[1]
https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/rat-sightings-in-nyc-are-at-their-highest-since-2010-051022
[2] https://www.fox5ny.com/news/huge-increase-nyc-rat-sightings
[3]
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/nyregion/new-york-crime-stats.html
[4] https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/basic-facts-about-homelessness-new-york-city/
[5] https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/03/new-york-city-rat-infestation-politics/673250/
[6]
https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/infrastructure/wasteremovalsystem.html
[7]
https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/infrastructure/wasteremovalsystem.html