In the Name of Security : UK ID Card Drama

In 2009, the UK national ID card scheme is in full swing. Leave home without one and you're a suspect.

Benjamin Novak chooses to opt-out of the scheme on ethical grounds. When police are called in to investigate the vandalism of his business, he finds the investigation taking a disturbing turn - he himself is detained whilst the authorities 'verify his identity'.

Ben quickly finds himself in a test of courage against a hot-shot detective, and facing a family he doesn't recognise anymore...

DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS...
This was the final film made as part of my BA (Hons) Television Production degree at Bournemouth University. I wanted to make a film that was provocative and would encourage debate on an issue that I feel is extremely important: mandatory ID cards.

BBC News clips are used under the Creative Commons licence, from the BBC News Open Archive.

Almost every shot in the film is handheld, and hopefully this gives it a greater sense of realism (this element was inspired by the awesome Battlestar Galactica). As it's set in the future, there's an issue of getting the audience to suspend their disbelief, and I think the doc-style was ultimately the right choice (if a little too shaky at times).

What do you think about the film, and the ID cards debate?

This film is made by a filmmaker based in Wigan, Manchester, United Kingdom.

CAST

Ben
Matthew Blackmore

Serena
Katie Pattinson

Cartwright
Phill Keiman

Maya
Stephanie Fereday

PC Ashurst
Barry Squires

PC Holland
Dave Cullinane

Youths
Sam Nutt
Sam Rogers

CREW

Director / Writer / Editor
Ric Forster

Production Manager
Catherine Sneddon

Camera
Andrew Litt

Lighting
Alex Simpson

Sound
Will Higo

Runner
Jenny Milward-Oliver

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• identity
• card
• id
• drama
• uk
• state
• gordon
• brown
• spooks
• police
• battlestar
• galactica
• terrorist
• terrorism
• wigan
• tony
• blair
• civil
• liberty
• no2id
• 90
• days
• detention
• without
• trial

[ricforster]

YouTube have messed up the quality of this clip. Please see my video response for a HQ version of this short film, thanks.

[td84]

ricforster, very good job on this video. This reminds of the best of Mi5 and 24. I hope your career takes off in this direction, because I can't wait to watch full series of this type of work.

[ricforster]

Thanks for your kind words td84. Glad you liked the film.

[jaycek]

A brilliant piece of video and a great statement contained within.

[ricforster]

Thanks for your feedback jaycek

[ricforster]

Thanks for your comments - glad to see the film has stirred up some debate!

[GordonBrownLabour]

If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

Simply give me your fingerprints, iris scan, DNA, political views and affiliations, and I shall continue to ensure you safety.

Any dissenters will not be tolerated and shall be duly reprimanded.

Sieg Heil.

[jamieo370]

sign up to NO2ID

say no to these fascist shits!

[angol42]

Good film, well done, dont worry about the quality, it was passable

[HardeyLeone]

Thank god they never did.

[Xen1aserman]

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

[durringtonatlive]

fuck the new world order, if we are subject to these im not getting one

[mmtot]

If you gIve up your liberty you will only get tyranny, not security. Wake Up !

[82mozn]

compulsory id cards, fuck off you idiots, never will i have one, not just me bit many. many others too..

[ControlFreakElite]

Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

[ControlFreakElite]

so what's new

[82mozn]

never will i prove myself to anyone, i will fight to my death never will i be a slave.