Documentary films change minds, reach hearts, and create change. Good Pitch has been using documentaries to bring organizations together into powerful coalitions for over 12 years in 15 different countries. Over 3,200 organizations have attended Good Pitch worldwide, creating a network of foundations, NGOs, campaigners, academics, philanthropists, policymakers, brands and media.
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Ina: I’m Ina Fichman, the producer of The Gig is Up. I’m with Shannon Walsh, the film’s director.
In the last week, how many of you ordered dinner with a food delivery service? How many of you have used Google in the past day or past 10 minutes? Or have bought something on Amazon?
We use these services every day and many times a day. We love and hate this technology. But, we all use it.
My last question: How many human lives do you think you touch when you tap that app on your phone?
Shannon: In this doc, we do something there’s been a lack of till now in the conversation about new technology – we actually center the voices and stories of workers.
I’ve met a diverse group of people around the world doing this work:
Undocumented workers
Caregivers
Young people entering the job market and those who feel they’ve aged out of it
Felons in the US who have few job options
You name it. But their work conditions are often dangerous, their pay changed without notice, and they can be effectively fired through deactivation or a bad rating.
In our film we meet:
Leila in France, who was prompted to action after her best friend and fellow food delivery rider had a serious injury leaving him paralyzed with no recourse or support from his employer.
Mitchell in Nigeria, who sleeps with his computer, always on, supplementing AI systems with human intelligence – and gets paid in Amazon gift cards.
Al in San Francisco, a Yemeni immigrant leading the movement organizing drivers and gig workers to create fair and equitable working conditions.
Jason
This is a global issue and we are at the dawn of a global movement around the world of gig workers rising that this film will be a part of. This movement is starting strong, worldwide. With the passing of Prop 22 in California, workers, more than ever, are fighting for fair conditions and compensation.
Ina: We have three key impact goals:
Create consumer and tech industry consciousness around the digital platform economy, especially around those who work for these companies.
Assist pro-labour organizations in centering the conversation around platform worker needs.
Initiate the first steps towards policy change centered on legal and tax implications of platform worker.
Our specific asks:
We have tremendous partners for the production of our film: CBC’s documentary Channel, Telefilm, ARTE, CMF, and Rogers. Recently, the Merage Foundation in collaboration with Archer Grey, came onboard to support our impact campaign. We want this campaign to reach as wide a global audience as possible. I’ve been in touch with impact producer, Wendy Cohen of Picture Motion, and hope to bring her onboard when we release the film in early 2021.
Many workers feel like they are in an office of one. We’ve met workers who keep their phone lines open to feel connected to each other. We want to collaborate with a digital campaign strategist to help us bring this film to the workers themselves, starting with the ‘digital water coolers’ that they have already built on Reddit and WhatsApp groups.
We hope for support in launching targeted impact screenings in high-leverage areas like Silicon Valley, Vancouver and other communities who are at the forefront of app creation and innovation. We need introductions to key players in the tech industry. We’d love someone from this world, a tech company, a start-up to sponsor these screenings and all of the costs associated with them.
We need support to create and distribute Worker Pocket Guide, which will include a money management tool for workers as they ride the boom-bust cycles of this kind of work. We also want to create a Consumer Pocket Guide so those who use these apps and services can better understand how they work and how to be responsible consumers. We plan to hand these out at screenings and make them available as digital downloads. In our first Good Pitch Vancouver in February, we received an important contribution from a graphic and web designer.
Finally, we want to build a new mini-platform reputation repository where workers can collect consumer reviews and ratings that will stay with them across platforms. It’s a way for workers to manage their own data and, more importantly, their own work future.
WHO ATTENDED?
Carolyn Bauer, Spokesperson - BC Taxi Association
Pledged continued advocacy.
Chelsea Nash, Journalist - Rabble.ca
Suggested a possible media partnership with rabble media, offered to put the team in touch with the right person to discuss that. Provided contact info for folks to reach out and chat about anything they're involved with regarding the issue.
Denise Moffatt, Director of Government Relations and Political Action - BC Federation of Labour
Pledged to speak more to the filmmakers about the policy objectives outlined in the film. Interested in hosting a screening or incorporating the film in future events around precarious work. Would like to contribute to a consumer pocket book, and to the worker pocket book if it centres workers rights.
Elvy Del Bianco, Cooperative Portfolio Manager - Vancity
Supporting or sponsoring an online viewing of the film.
Fred Phelps, Executive Director - Canadian Association of Social Workers
Bring the film to their network of 20,000 social workers to raise their consciousness around the issue, and then collectively push the board to address the issue directly.
Jerome Mayaud, Lead Data ScientistS - pare Labs
Offered to sreen the film and spread the message to network agencies, including Whistle, a ride hail service. Interested in distributing the pocketbook to their drivers and to work with film team to refine the
Julian Posada, Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Information - U of T Faculty of Information
Interested in finding synergies between his current work and the impact goals of the film, would like to discuss more with the team about it.
Laura Tribe, Executive Director - Open Media
Offered some of their expertise/experience on advocacy and policy changes. Offered a network connections to folks in their circle doing shareholder activism. Pledged to help strategize around who and how to ask for change.
Liisa Schofield, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Pledged to take the film back to the gig workers she is organizing with and offer the film as a tool. She is currently part of a coalition pushing to see legislative change and will take this film back to them as well.
Pablo Godoy, Regional Director of Western Provinces - UFCW
Using the film to empower some of the organizers and the drivers themselves who have led the movement to fight for their rights. Wants to showcase it in their conferences, conventions across Canada, to the U S as a way to further the conversation on labor rights Explore how they could actually help propel the film in spaces that that involves their own members - there's a conversation piece that is needed both internally with their membership, but also the broader public.
Stephen von Sychowski, President - Vancouver and District Labour Council
Offered a screening.
Sue Renner, Executive Director - Merage Foundation
Interested in finding ways to get this in front of a tech industry audience. Has made a financial contribution.
Thorben Wieditz, Campaign Manager - Ridefair.ca
Collaborate with some of the organizations that already support them, be these labor organizations or civic organizations like the friends of Canadian broadcasting, for example, with whom they have a very good relationship, for a screening or event like they have done in the past, to build capacity and membership support, um, in local communities around these issues.
WHAT PLEDGES WERE PREVIOUSLY MADE AT OUR LIVE EVENT?
Futurpreneur, Joanne Norris
Introductions to philanthropists and Pro-Bono strategy Sessions
UBC Department of Sociology, Sylvia Fuller
Promoted film on social media and organized a film screening at UBC. Helped develop curriculum materials so film team has a set of pre-made curriculum available.
Fadinta Design, Michael Levett
Pro-bono time for marketing and communications and website build. Union support and introductions to tech companies.
Human Biography, Sharad Khare
Share & Connect to CEO’s and other in the Tech world. V-LOG story of filmmakers.
Hello Cool World, Kat Dodds
Pro-bono consultation to strategize on how to build the impact campaign.
Shannon Emmerson
Lend union support and expertise where needed. 5 hours of consultation time to create a story driven impact campaign.
Shannon Daub
Screenings and public outreach collaboration locally and in different parts of the Canada.
AUDIENCE PLEDGES
CBC Docs and Documentary Channel, Sandra KleinfelD
Subscription based documentary streaming service support. Combine impact campaign with Ramona Pringle's columns and broadcast.
Voice Story Foundation, Winston Yeung
Reserve two spots at a future show, and access to VoiceStory’s story architects to create message for the story. Donation of personal airmiles to send producers anywhere in Canada to produce the film.
SFU Vancity Office for Community Engagement, Paige SmitH
Screening at SFU Woodwards building. Find good partners for the screening.
The Highbury Foundation, Ashley Sangha
$2500
Human Rights Lawyer, Jessi Dhanju
At least 10 hours pro bono on legal work. Offer to be an ambassador for film or offer any support.
Co-op Radio, Don Shafer
1 hour radio segment and podcast.
Individual Pledges
Donation of $50 from Julia Stash
Donation of $1000 Matching from Hilary Prada
TEAM
Sue Biely
Anthony Swan
Jonny Morris
Brianna Girdler
Jenny Lee Craig
Anastasia Gaisenok
Natasha Shukor
Em Lubbers
Anis Annisa Maryam
WITH GREAT APPRECIATION
Good Pitch Vancouver Virtual
Program Donors
David Paperny
Audrey Mehler
Story Money Impact Donors
Leonard Schein
Laura Plant
Erika Harrison
Tracey Friesen
Dr Hilary Pada
Annette Frymer
David Goorevitch
Wayne Busse
David Zitzerman
David Richardson
Leola Purdy Foundation
Sandra Garossino
Tinu Mathur
Mark Busse
Ruth Hahn
Ring Five Impact Docs
Tatiana Nemchin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Annette Frymer
John Dippong
Laura Plant
Leonard Schein
Liz Shorten
Loc Dao
Mark Busse
Sharon Farrish
Tinu Mathur
Tracey Friesen
PAST BOARD MEMBERS & ADVISORS
Al Etmanski
Bonnie Foley-Wong
Carol Biely
Gulnaaz Z. Lalji
Joel Solomon
Andrea Nemtim
