Re: Spam Film Idea

That's not going to be an info-mercial is it?

"Steve Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message 
news:[email protected]...
> Seems that education is the ultimate way to defeat spam, or at 
> least to
> reduce it dramatically.  The sharper the consumer, the less 
> likely he or
> she is to fall victim to an online con. With that in mind, I am 
> thinking
> of producing a film on spam and how to fight it. This would be 
> a
> professional job. Filmmaking is my business. It would probably 
> run about
> a half-hour and appear on public television.
>
> The film would focus on spamfighting tips (do not unsubscribe, 
> do not
> use your e-mail address in online conversations, do not click 
> on links
> and, of course, report through SpamCop) and would include 
> interviews
> with spamfighters (how do you do it, how far do you take it, 
> etc.).
> Let’s dissect each of the common types of spam and come-ons, 
> point out
> the warning signs and tell folks where to report it. We would 
> have some
> fun, too, detailing the 419 reverse scams such as 419eater.com 
> and
> featuring a scene, done with professional actors, created 
> entirely from
> spam gibberish.
>
> Though spammers may be viewed by the public as a bunch of 
> small-time
> hucksters, I’m not letting the big guys off the hook. It’s 
> important to
> hold Qwest, UU, Sprint and other big providers and domain 
> brokers
> responsible for their role in UCE. I’d like the film to raise 
> bigger
> issues, too, such as the rights to privacy and free speech.
>
> Questions:
>
> 1) Are there other films about spammers?
>
> 2) Does anyone have a demographic profile of spammers (age, 
> gender,
> etc.)?  This would come in handy since I plan to bring in 
> actors to read
> some of the most outrageous spam lines I’ve received (among my
> favorites: “powerful enlargement: How A Man can do it like a 
> lesbian”).
>
> 3) Know where I can find an ex-spammer, one who’s been jailed 
> or has
> reformed?
>
> 4) I’m looking for spamfighters to inverview within a 300-mile 
> range of
> my home bases, Iowa City, Iowa and Joplin, Missouri. Any leads 
> or
> volunteers?
>
> 5) Any thoughts as to what angles you feel a film on spam 
> should cover?
>
> If you’d prefer to contact me offline, try sigerson at 
> shpvideo.com.
> Thank you.
>
> --
> Steve Holmes
> Executive Producer
> "The New Ball Game"
> "RailFAN"
> 319-337-9507
>