More Research

http://0-search.ebscohost.com.uncclc.coast.uncwil.edu:80/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nfh&AN=2W62520228922&site=ehost-live

This article from the Charlotte Observer describs how the new Johnnie Mercer's Pier was being built of concrete rather than wood. It goes on to discuss the ups and downs of choosing concrete. In our documentary the information on how concrete should make the pier withstand storms can be a good arguement for people to support the reconstrcution by donating when they wish to go out on the pier. This might put our film into the category of a legislative or delibrative rhetorical documentary, meaning our goal is the encourage/discourage - in our case encourage- people to pay the two dollars to enjoy the new pier.

Posted by Sarah

Research Link

Pier Owners Hope Concrete Will Weather Storm

This article discusses the decision to rebuild the pier using concrete. The owners are still concerned that the pier could crumble if a hurricane was powerful enough. The article also discusses the cost of building a pier out of concrete and the fact that concrete piers are becoming more popular across the nation.

http://0-web.ebscohost.com.uncclc.coast.uncwil.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=115&sid=26e4a98b-1a7e-4f16-9b11-d1f1dcae06c1%40sessionmgr106

New Research Links

I've found several new sources through the library databases. I'll post the links on the right side of the blog, and a synopsis with the link title here.

1) Vacationers barely stop for Bertha's beach blast
This article talks about the damage that occurred to Wrightsville Beach during Hurricane Bertha, the first hurricane that damaged Johnnie Mercer's Pier.

2) The Legendary Johnny Mercer
This article explains that Johnny Mercer the musician is unconnected to Johnnie Mercer's Pier, and talks about the pier's original owner, JohnnIE Mercer.

3) Concrete A Way To Ride Out Storm
This article talks about the decision to rebuild Johnnie Mercer's pier out of concrete.

4) Common Sense
This article gives some history on the pier and talks about the trouble reopening.

5) Permission Granted
This article details the reconstruction of the new pier.

6) Pier moves one step closer to opening
More on the struggle to reopen Johnnie Mercer's Pier once it was rebuilt.

7) Go Fish
Talks about the struggle to drum up business for the pier once it reopened.

8) Johnnie Mercer's Pier won't reopen before Labor Day
More on the struggle to get the pier reopened after reconstruction.

9)HEEEERE'S JOHNNIE!
Article on the pier finally reopening.

Audience

I think the audience for our film will be very broad and diverse. Locally, our film would interest anyone who goes to Wrightsville Beach since it is such a huge physical landmark. Everyone I've met who even just vacations here knows of the pier, so I think it would be of interest to anyone who lives here or passes through. Anyone interested in coastal architecture or the history of the area would also be interested in our film because we plan to cover the pier's history and reconstruction.

On a broader scale, our film will also be targeted at anyone who has experienced the destruction of a hurricane (or any natural disaster really). We hope the overall tone of our film will be one of hope, and that anyone who has experienced similar destruction will see that while it may be difficult, it is possible to rebuild and recover.

Experts

For our project we will be interviewing two to four people. Right now we have a man named James Neal who talked our ear off at the pier the day we went to take pictures. He told us he has been working there longer than anyone else, so we figured he will probably be our main man. He gave us some good information as well as a few other names to interview. He mentioned a man named Matt Johnson, who I believe is the owner of the pier. Either way Matt Johnson has footage of the reconstruction of the pier that he had to keep for insurance purposes. Our goal is to check out that video. To top it all off, Mr. Johnson probably has a list of names of people with good information on the pier. We are also planning on interviewing historians at the Cape Fear Museum and the Wrightsville Beach Museum.

Shooting schedule

Our group plans on shooting Thursday. We normally have group meetings at 12:30 on Thursdays because we are available that day. If we need more time our shooting could possibly spill over into the weekend. Also, since this shoot is observational we may decide we could get better footage on Saturday when the beach/pier is busier.

Posted by Sarah

Observational Documentary Assigment

For this assignment our group has come up with a rough idea of what our project is going to be focused on and how our video and photographs can portray that idea. We want to focus on the history of the Johnnie Mercer pier and the reconstruction of it, while also giving the audience a sense of what Johnnie Mercer pier essentially is and why it is so appealing to tourists and locals. We would like to get some shots of people inside the shop eating, talking, and shopping. Also, we want to get footage of fishermen out on the pier and spectators looking out over the water. We plan on doing a little research to find the most popular times for fishermen to be out on the pier so we can make arrangements to be there for that. This is a popular place for surfers to come, so we would like to get some footage of surfers with the pier behind them or to the side. We also want a few shots of people underneath the pier, possibly children playing or building a sandcastle. Mainly we want footage of the popular activities that draw people to the pier. We will have to watch the weather carefully and try to find the warmest days that we can so we are able to get footage with more people on the beach. We might try and find out if there are any events going on in the next couple of weeks that would have more people out on the beach.