Anticipation builds....

With just a week to go before I head off round-the-world there is a ceratin amount of excitement and anticipation building... Balance that with the fact that the hours in the office seem to be dragging even longer than usual, it's all adding up to put me in a strange mood....

Spent some time scanning my usual World Cup pages for the latest information and news, but with every passing hour my work focus slips and I find myself hunting for another fix of World Cup news or travel information. I brought a German phrase book this morning in preparation for the enevitable drunken attempt at speaking with the natives...., or at least helping when trying to bargain my way out of a night in the cells...!

Time just won't go by quick enough....

On a related subject, there is a documentary being made about England fans to show how we behave before, during and after the World Cup to dispell the perception that all England fans are holigans. (Check out: http://www.ivisualise.co.uk/3lions/project.html )

There has been a general shout out to people wantting to be involved in this project and as I think that Myself, Yates & Fiona represent a positive image of people attending the World Cup, I contacted the producer.

Hi Jamie

Myself, Steve, an Englishman, and my American best friend 'Yates', (plus my partner Fiona, a New Zealander), will be travelling to the World Cup in Germany this summer. This will be the 4th tournament that Yates and I have been to together, and no matter what we are doing or where in the world we might be, we always look
forward to our 4 yearly pilgrimage.

I am not exactly sure whether we can be described as ardent football fans, although we are both passionate about our respective teams, or just fans of where football, travel, beer and culture collide. Even though we have been desperately trying to get hold of tickets for as many games as possible this year, we will be equally as happy to find a local German bar with a big screen TV, a good selection of beers and a friendly crowd to call home for a few weeks.

We will be in Frankfurt for the 1st four weeks and then in Berlin for the finals. If you
want to catch up with some real fans of the 'World Cup Experience' then drop me an email...

Regards
SteveG

Here is Jamie's reply: -

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your interest in the documentary. Yes, indeed you guys sound like just the people I am looking for in this film - it is all about the interaction between nations, and I would very much like for you to be involved.

With regard to the film - I am really looking for fans, like yourselves, to show the real side of the story, in terms of interaction with other England fans, and fans from other nations. As you will have seen from the brief information provided the main concept is to eradicate this myth of the England fan as a hooligan, and the interviews I have already filmed with the FA, fan organisations and ex-hooligans seems to show this to be true... but the only way to prove this theory correct is with video evidence of it happening.

So what exactly am I looking for? It would be interesting to get your whole take on the relationship between fans - if there are blossoming friendships or brutal fights that take place, to film them. Furthermore, interviews/footage with other nationality fans, to get their opinions on the England fans and their behaviour. The more identifyable the better - for example in their national team shirt, with face painted or carrying a flag etc. Also any kind of singing or activities, against or together with the English fans are of real interest. The atmosphere in and around the stadiums, or at the big screens in the cities - the whole emotion of the World Cup experience from your own perspective. Also, the perspective of your American friend as an opposing nation, but a friend and the friend from New Zealand as a female football fan - what the attraction is, if her opinions towards the fans and
games is different to your own. And your own personal story is also of interest - the journey to Germany, what you get up to during your stay and travelling back etc.

Technical Details
If you were able to film on MiniDV that would be the best format for me - this is a fairly standard camcorder format nowadays, so hopefully this will be possible. Simply send the tapes to me (at the address below, during or very shortly after the World Cup) - labelled up with your details, and as much information as you can provide about the content of the tape - ie the date and location.

I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to work with you on this project.

If you have any more questions dont hesitate to ask.
All the best,
Jamie McDine

So the Camcorder's been charged up and packed, ready to record some footage of our travels round the world and our World Cup fan experience. You never know, we may even make it into the documentary...