Table of Contents
Table of Contents Letter From the Filmmakers Before the Screening Program Overview What You’ll Need Getting Ready
At the Screening Introductions Watching the Film Talking About It Taking Action Closing
Resources Recommended Top 10 Actions Links
We recommend THRIVE for people over 16. It is a beautiful and hopeful movie, and at the same time includes serious information that we would want to see before exposing our children. If you are under 16 and you feel ready, of course you are welcome. We just want to acknowledge that THRIVE is a true story about our lives, and we have some deep work to do.
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Š 2011 Clear Compass Media, LLC.
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A Letter from THRIVE Filmmakers, Foster and Kimberly Gamble Thank you for hosting a THRIVE screening! We’re delighted to have you as a partner helping mobilize millions of people to create a world where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. It is our deepest wish that viewing the film with others will spark vibrant conversations about what it means to thrive, the truth about what’s in the way, and the actions each of us can take to make a real difference. THRIVE is a film about the core patterns that engender and sustain life. It is a wake up call to the extent to which power has been consolidated and abused by an elite few, and it is an invitation to join in the brightest possibilities that can be liberated when we think critically and take a stand for liberty. In short, THRIVE is about real ways in which ordinary citizens can actively shift the power structures blocking the free flow of energy that enables all of life to thrive. We don’t expect you or your guests to agree with everything in the film; we do hope it motivates you to check out the facts for yourselves, engage in rich dialogue with others, and take the actions that are right for you. To support you we’ve packed our website with resources. In fact, we like to think of the film as a trailer for the website. We hope that by exploring and using the site fully, it will become the trailer for a global, self-organizing movement. Screenings can help form that movement. To help you make your screening as rich and fruitful as possible, we’re providing you with resources for answering questions and inspiring and sustaining engagement. Thank you for being part of this exciting movement and for all that you’re doing to create a thriving world. Foster Gamble Kimberly Carter Gamble
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BEFORE THE SCREENING
BEFORE THE SCREENING If you are unfamiliar with hosting a screening, this step by step guide is intended to help you feel confident that you have covered your bases. It is offered as a helpful suggestion. Of course we welcome you to design and host whatever kind of screening best serves you and your community. Screenings will vary, ranging from small gatherings in private homes to large public events in communal spaces. This kit provides a range of options and resources that you can adapt for your own screening.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW Here’s a basic program that you can modify however you like. This takes about three and a half hours. Welcome and introductions Watch the film Break Talk about it Take action
15 min. 132 min. 5 min. 30 min. 30 min.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED Technology •• The THRIVE DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD), a DVD/BD player or a computer with enough bandwidth to reliably stream the movie. •• For large groups you might need a projector to show the movie on a big screen or a big blank wall. If so, make sure you have the right adapters ahead of time for connecting your computer to the projector. •• Resources – These are all links to resources and support materials on the THRIVE website. You can bookmark them on your computer so they're readily available. •• Recommended Top 10 Actions •• Success Stories •• Conversation Starters •• How to Follow the Money •• Answers to FAQs •• Critical Mass Actions •• Foster’s Blog •• Fact Checking •• The Resource Tree
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BEFORE THE SCREENING
WHAT YOU’LL NEED (continued) Materials Consider if you want to include any of these: •• Name tags for larger groups if guests don’t already know each other. •• A sign in sheet to get names and contact information so you can stay in touch with each other. •• Paper and pens handy for people who want to take notes. •• Snacks - you can always share the load by asking your guests to contribute some food. •• DVDs or Blu-ray Discs to sell to your guests - wholesale bundles of 30 and 100 are available in our online store.
GETTING READY Set Up to Stream •• You can stream the movie for free through our website at http://thrivemovement.com/the_ movie. Simply click on "Watch Now" and follow the prompts. The online version of the movie is hosted by YouTube and the quality largely depends on your Internet connection, so be sure to test out in advance. For large groups, we recommend watching the DVD to get the best quality without interruption. •• It’s ideal to be connected physically to the Internet with an ethernet port while streaming. A wireless connection is slower and can cause delays and pauses. •• To view full screen, click the square button in the lower right of the video player. To go back to the smaller viewing window, hit Escape on your keyboard. •• You can adjust the quality of the stream by clicking on the gear icon in the lower right corner of the video player. If you have a fast Internet connection, you can adjust it to a higher number (720). If you have a slow Internet connection, you can set it to a lower number (480 or 360) which will reduce the quality but ensure a continuous stream.
Get Informed •• Consider if you want to watch the film before your screening. Doing so is likely to help you feel more prepared to host a fruitful conversation since you won't yourself be dealing with your own reactions for the first time. •• Get to know the website (http://www.thrivemovement.com). Not only will you get answers to a variety of questions, you’ll also be able to point your guests to the resources they need.
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AT THE SCREENING
AT THE SCREENING INTRODUCTIONS You might want to help your guests settle in by having them introduce themselves. For large groups people can turn to their neighbors on both sides and share what inspired them to attend the screening. For smaller groups you can go around the room and invite each person to say their name to the whole group and share what brought them there.
PREPARE PEOPLE TO WATCH THE FILM You can let people know that they can find chapter summaries, a full outline of the film, as well as thoroughly researched fact checking on the THRIVE website, so they’re free to watch without feeling like they need to take notes to retain all the information.
WATCH THE FILM When the film ends it might be helpful to wait until the titles finish before turning up the lights and starting the dialogue. Letting the credits roll with the theme song playing all the way through gives people a little time to reflect before engaging.
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AT THE SCREENING
TALK ABOUT IT Getting the Conversation Started For Groups of Any Size: •• If the conversation doesn’t start easily, you can suggest people take some quiet time to reflect on their own first. Then, when they’re ready, they can turn to someone near them and take a few minutes to share their initial thoughts and feelings. •• If nobody talks at first, remember that a lot might be happening in the silence. If it continues you can get the conversation going by sharing your own feelings and/or offering a few dialogue questions. For Large Groups: •• You can invite larger groups to break out into smaller groups of 3 - 5 for a more lively discussion. •• You might suggest guests start by turning to someone near them and sharing what overall impact the film has had on them.
Hosting Tips 1. Remember the purpose of the film isn’t to get people to adopt new beliefs but to generate critical thinking. There’s no need to convince anybody of anything. Instead, allow them to express their perspective, whatever it may be, and invite them to try on another perspective for a short time to see if it has value. 2. If someone starts dominating the conversation ask them politely to make room for more comments and experiences. 3. If people have questions about what was actually in the film, remind them that they can watch the film again and download chapter summaries and a full outline on the website.
•• After sharing the initial impact of the film you can invite people to talk about what inspired them, what challenged them, and what questions they now have, if any. •• You can choose dialogue questions from the list on the next page and post them in front of the room to help keep the conversation going, or hand out a printed page with the dialogue questions on them to each group. For Smaller Groups: •• People might launch right into conversation. If so, great. Your job is easy. You can also throw some questions from the list of dialogue questions on the next page into the mix if that feels like it would help. •• If there’s a chance, before the dialogue gets going you can ask people what overall impact the film has had on them. •• Once guests have had a chance to share, you can open the broader conversation by asking, “What inspired you, what challenged you, and what are your questions?”
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AT THE SCREENING
TALK ABOUT IT (continued) Gauge the Group Response With a Show of Hands You and your guests can see the wide range of responses people might be having to different content covered in the film by doing the following exercise. You can tell them: I’m going to name some of the topics covered in the film. Raise your hand to the height that best represents your level of agreement with the perspective represented in the film. That means all the way up if you’re fully aligned or on your lap if you’re not aligned at all. Hold it up anywhere in the middle to reflect your feelings.
Dialogue Questions Here are some questions that might help spark conversation. You can highlight questions that particularly interest you so they’re easy to find once people arrive. Initial Impressions •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
How do you feel having watched the film? What’s the hardest information for you to take in or believe? What’s the easiest information for you to take in or believe? What beliefs and assumptions did the film confirm? What beliefs and assumptions did the film challenge? What did you see in the film that you also see happening in the world? Where do you see evidence of some of the claims of the film? Do you see evidence to the contrary? •• What in the film is most helpful to you on your own path to thriving? Going Deeper •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
What was the most interesting part of the film for you? What do you want to know more about? What do you imagine would be different if we could tap into a source of free, infinite energy? What makes it easy or hard to consider that so few could become so powerful? What makes it easy or hard to consider that so few could become so cruel? Do you think the US could have its own revolution? Why or why not? Can we make meaningful change within the political system? What are the limitations? What do you think are effective strategies for creating a thriving world?
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AT THE SCREENING
TAKING ACTION Some people might be ready to take immediate action, others might need time to sit with it all, do more research, talk to friends, or watch the film again. All of these are valid actions. One thing to consider is there's no such thing as not taking action. Every dollar you deposit in a bank, is a vote of support. What are you supporting? Here's an opportunity to have your actions line up with your values. Here are some ways your guests might be moved to engage. 1. Connect the Dots Once you’ve seen the film, you might start to connect your own dots as you notice news reports and global events fitting the pattern. You might also want to read Kimberly’s tips on How to Follow the Money. 2. Learn More We hope you’ll do lots of your own research. You can start by going to the THRIVE website. 3. Talk About It Talking about the topics in the film will help you decide what you believe and integrate what you’re learning. You can keep meeting with people who just saw the film with you and/or share it with others by hosting your own screening party. We’ve written some Conversation Starters which you can download from the website to help you initiate meaningful dialogues. We’ve also included some conversation sparking facts in the recommended Top 10 Actions page at the end of this kit. 4. Our Recommended Top 10 Actions These are some of the most highly leveraged actions you can take. You can learn more about the details in the What Can I Do section of the website, and at the end of this kit. 1. Get Informed, Speak Up & Connect with Others 2. Bank Locally 3. Buy and Invest Responsibly 4. Join the Movement to Audit and End the Federal Reserve 5. Keep the Internet Fair & Open 6. Support Independent Media 7. Support Organic, Non-GMO Farming 8. Require Election & Campaign Finance Reform 9. Advocate for Renewable and Free Energy 10. Take Part in Critical Mass Actions www.thrivemovement.com
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AT THE SCREENING
TAKING ACTION (continued) Self Organizing Invite people to share areas of engagement that interest them most. You can then ask for a show of hands to see if others are interested. Once everyone has had a chance to announce their interests and find others who share them, let the interest groups meet for discussion and planning. Here are a few ideas for possible public offerings, but feel free to brainstorm your own: •• Form a local action group to go through each of the top 10 action steps together. •• Create or join a Critical Mass Action. •• Start a THRIVE study group using thrivemovement.com and the Resource Tree. You can even earn academic credit for studying THRIVE solution strategies and resources through Gaia University and Wisdom University. To learn more about it, click here. •• Start a Facebook group around each action. We suggest that those meeting in interest groups be sure to collect each others’ names and contact information, establish a point person, and establish a next step they want to take. You can remind them of this a few minutes before you reconvene as a large group. Invite people who aren’t part of interest groups to shop around and listen-in on other groups to see if they are inspired or want to join. For Small Groups: Invite anyone who wants to share with the whole group one thing they or their interest group will be doing after they leave. For Large Groups: Invite anyone who’s interested to tell one other person what actions they’re going to take after they leave.
CLOSING Remember to have people sign a guest list if they want to stay connected. Invite them to share any actions they end up doing on the Thrive: What Can I Do? page of the website so they can inspire others.
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RECOMMENDED TOP 10 ACTIONS
Each action below is accompanied by an interesting fact that many people would be surprised to learn. You can start interesting conversations by sharing these facts.
1. Get Informed, Speak Up & Connect with Others Did you know… that every movement that has generated any lasting change started when informed, motivated citizens shared their passion and knowledge with others? What you can do… One of the most powerful things we can do is to not shut each other up when we encounter challenging new information. Considering possibilities is not the same as committing to them. So encourage an atmosphere of genuine inquiry and exploration when talking with others.
2. Bank Locally Did you know… that large commercial banks are the main funders of environmentally and socially harmful industries and they use your deposits to fund destructive corporations? In 2010, Bank of America provided more than $3.9 billion in financing to the coal industry. What you can do… If you bank at a large commercial bank, follow this simple, easy 3-step process to move your money to a local bank.
3. Buy and Invest Responsibly Did you know… that by making more environmentally and socially conscious purchases you can create a higher demand for better products and thereby lower the price, lessen your negative footprint on the environment, and support better working conditions for people around the world? Every transaction is an action. Every time you buy something you are voting with your dollars. What you can do… Make conscious, informed decisions about what you buy. Many resources are available here to educate yourself on the benefits of buying local, organic, and fair trade products as much as possible.
4. Join the Movement to Audit and End the Federal Reserve Did you know… that the Federal Reserve isn’t even federal? It’s run by private bankers. And since they took control in 1913, the purchasing power of the dollar has declined more than 96%. What you can do… Sign up for Critical Mass Actions to audit and end the Federal Reserve.
5. Keep the Internet Fair & Open Did you know… that in the past five years, Congress has made several attempts to pass an internet censorship bill? Each subsequent bill gives more censorship power to the government and to major media corporations. What you can do… Join the “Save the Internet” Coalition. Their website constantly features important actions. You can join the coalition and receive the latest news, sign petitions, and get involved.
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RECOMMENDED TOP 10 ACTIONS
6. Support Independent Media Did you know… that in the US, just five major corporations dominate the media industry: Bertelsmann, News Corporation, Time Warner, Viacom, and Walt Disney? This small group controls what you read, watch, and hear on a daily basis without disclosing their financial or other conflicts of interest. What you can do… Listen, watch, and read independent news.
7. Support Organic, Non-GMO Farming Did you know… that genetically modified foods are proven to have serious health consequences, but are not required to be labeled in the US? That means you could be eating them without even knowing it. Many counties and even whole countries are banning the use of GMO’s because of concern over their health and environmental impacts. What you can do… Sign up for critical mass actions to create GMO-Free Zones and demand labeling of GMO products; support organizations that are working to protect people and the environment from unsafe GMO practices; and support organic farmers by eating organic food as much as possible.
8. Require Election & Campaign Finance Reform Did you know… that a Supreme Court ruling in 2010 (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission) allowed corporations to anonymously fund political advertisements? That means that an oil-friendly politician can now have all his or her TV ads completely funded by oil companies without our knowing. What you can do… Insure your right to know who funds politicians so you can make the most informed decisions. Check out Public Campaign: Clean Money, Clean Elections to help bring about campaign finance reform.
9. Advocate for Renewable and Free Energy Did you know… that the U.S. government protects nuclear power plants so taxpayers are ultimately responsible for the consequences of any accidents — both financially and with their lives? There are safer alternatives. What you can do… Join with a critical mass of others to promote the development, protection, and dissemination of New Energy Technologies.
10. Take Part in Critical Mass Actions Did you know… that seemingly against all odds, women successfully reduced the ancient tradition of female genital cutting in many villages throughout Africa? If just one woman had refused the practice she would have been ostracized, but when entire villages agreed to refuse together, they had the leverage they needed. Once one village succeeded, the campaign spread successfully throughout much of Africa and now thousands of women are able to safely avoid this violation. What you can do… join or initiate social change initiatives that leverage a critical mass to be effective. You can sign up and make suggestions for Critical Mass Actions on the THRIVE website. www.thrivemovement.com
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RESOURCES
LINKS We suggest you familiarize yourself with the content at each of these links and have the links ready/bookmarked in case they come in handy during your screening. The Movie FAQs Recommended Top 10 Actions Critical Mass Actions Conversation Starters Success Stories Foster’s Blog Fact Checking Resource Tree Chapter Summaries
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