CA+-+Annotation+4+-+The+New+Recruits

Claudia Anzini Annotation 4 3/7/14 //The New Recruits // Word Count: 1,164


 * 1. Title, director, and release year? **

//The New Recruits//. Directed by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger. Released 2010.

 **2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?**

The central theme of this film is globalization of other countries by the United States. Three young entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to work in other countries for small start-up companies. They are bringing their business expertise that they gained in the United States and applying these business practices to developing companies. Their goal is help the workers develop new business models and grow these businesses that are offering sustainable solutions to large problems being faced by the individual countries and cities.


 * 3. How is the argument or narrative made and sustained? How much scientific information is provided, for example? Does the film have emotional appeal? **

To support these ideas, the film follows the three entrepreneurs as they journey from their homes to oversees locations where they face many new challenges they did not expect. While specific facts are not really presented during this film, the viewer is allowed to form their own opinions on what is occurring. It follows they’re everyday life and actions that are being taking during the duration of their time abroad and focuses on the challenges these students face. The film does not really have an emotional appeal and at times it even feels like it is distancing itself from the viewer. Most of what is occurring is not relatable to the viewer and moments during the film are laughable when the entrepreneurs seem clueless to why their actions aren’t working or being well received.


 * 4. What sustainability problems does the film draw out; political, legal, economic, technological, media and informational,organizational, educational, behavioral, cultural, or ecological? **

This film attempts to focus on the sustainability concern of globalization. While each individual project focuses on a different aspect of sustainability, the purpose of the film is to address the results of pushing sustainable development on other countries. The individual projects focus on pollution in Kenya caused by not having access to public waste rooms, water consumption caused by poor irrigation systems in Pakistan, and lighting concerns in India. The whole concept plays into the idea that capitalism can fix the world’s problems. By selling these eco-friendly products to impoverished communities, it gives the consumer control and a voice to sway the market in their favor. The film looks into how American business practices can be translated overseas and used in these tiny markets to help businesses flourish and reach the people they are meant to.


 * 5. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why? **

The film had a good insight into the communities where these issues were present. By following the daily lives of the entrepreneurs sent abroad, instead of just interviewing them after this project, it made the facts about their experience more credible. It gave the viewer more insight into exactly what was happening and the backlash or triumphs that occurred.

 **6. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The least convincing aspect of this film was that I felt it was not very relatable. While I appreciated the up close and personal look into the lives of these entrepreneurs, I was left wondering what does this have to do with me and what can or even what should I do to enact change. I didn’t know if I should be more concerned with the issues these countries are facing or if I should support capitalism as a form of development within the countries. The fact that I felt more like laughing at many situations within the film also distracted from the serious tone it should have been going for. I felt that to some of the people involved, this whole project was just a joke and the businessmen being helped couldn’t care if these American students were there to help or not.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">7. What audiences does the film best address? Why? **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not entirely sure who this film is meant to target is it is even meant to target a specific audience. There aren’t enough facts for this film to be relevant as a sustainable education tool and there is no emotional appeal to grasp at a viewer’s heartstrings. I think possibly this film would be best aimed at young entrepreneurs that want to get involved in practices like this, as it would give them a better insight as to what challenges they could face and how to address them differently. It could even be aimed at business students as an educational tool for alternative business practices and not just focus on American-based businesses.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">8. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value? **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">As an environmental education tool, this film falls a bit flat. To increase its educational value, this film would be better if the focus was more on the issues a country faced and use these businesses as the solution to the problems. Another benefit would be to look at the growth of these companies and where they are now. This would help the viewer to better form an opinion on whether capitalism is beneficial to the development of countries or just infringing on the current business structure put in place.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">9. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The film is all about one point of intervention, capitalism. It focuses on how capitalism is the solution to helping the impoverished citizens within developing countries. It also addresses some solutions to sustainable issues that specific countries are facing. In Kenya, slums are highly polluted because there are no public waste-rooms for residents to use. This is being addressed by building for pay waste-rooms within the slums. In India, most people don’t have access to electricity or even light for their homes. Many use kerosene, made from nonrenewable resources, which also put the homeowner at a high risk for a fire. D.light Design is attempting to solve this problem by introducing solar powered lamps. In Pakistan, poor irrigations systems are being used to water small farms, which is problematic because they are expensive and water availability is declining. Micro Drip is offering an alternative irrigation system that is better for the crops and cheaper overall to the farmer.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">10. What additional information has this film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references.) **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">After viewing this film, I was really interested in the businesses that were involved and where they are now. According to Micro Drip, they have impacted 21,000 lives with about $500,000 already invested into their business. D.light Design has impacted over 28,000,000 lives and saved over $900,000,000 in energy-related expenses. These businesses are growing and seeing a positive impact on the lives of the customers they have reached.


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Citations __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Impact Dashboard." //dlight//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. <http://www.dlightdesign.com/impact-dashboard/>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Micro Drip Provides Affordable Drip Irrigation for Farmers in Pakistan." //Acumen Micro Drip Comments//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. <http://acumen.org/investment/micro-drip/>.