'Trial by Media - The Michael Jackson Story'

myosotis

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'Trial by Media- The Michael Jackson Story' currently has a preview on Youtube.

[video=youtube;wZkGomtTL_Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZkGomtTL_Q[/video]

The Director / Producer Jin Chohan is currently raising funds on Go Fund Me to complete this project.

He previously Produced / Directed 'LN: The Aftermath'.

On Youtube he says:

I'm directing and producing a documentary picking up on one which I did in 2019 which was premiered at TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

This documentary will include interviews from key players and personalities to a feature investigation designed for a streaming service such as Netflix.

The documentary looks at the medias willingness to embrace stories and push a narrative in relation to what we think in the court of public opinion.

I'm raising funds to see this film being completed to it's highest standard, if you wish to make a donation the link is below. Thank you.


https://www.gofundme.com/f/themjstorydoc

On Go Fund Me he says:
Directed and produced by Jin Chohan, under Takeflight Film. A full feature streaming service ready documentary, an investigative look into the facts behind the allegations in Leaving Neverland and their validity as the media has shown very little push back in comparison to the court system finding the allegations unbelievable.

My name is Jin Chohan, I have produced and directed documentaries for myself and UCLA Semel Institute. I have also worked on a series of documentaries for CNN in the editorial department for the '2000s' series. I originally am a dancer and made the natural transition to visuals behind the camera a number of years ago from producing advertisements for companies to artists.

Trial By Media: The Michael Jackson Story
This documentary I decided to make was off the success of one I made previously designed for YouTube. I felt this story needs to be told and we all deserve a fair trial, whether it be in the court of public opinion or in a court room. I feel very strongly about this issue as it is a reflection of all our liberty if one person can be seen in two different lights in such extremity.

I am approaching this documentary as a journalist, weaving in a compelling story to tell the FACTS - whether good or bad, only the truth behind the allegations. It will be an investigation into how the media has treated 'The Michael Jackson Story', and if that has been fair.

Every donation helps so much in my goal to produce this to the highest quality I can, I believe in my story telling and experience in this field to be able to produce something of a very high standard. The donations will help with equipment from recording audio to lighting and more importantly to legal matters when the documentary is finished, from Errors & Omissions insurance and so on. I'm trying to hit this goal and appreciate so much every donation, I believe with my skills I can produce and direct this project to a standard which a streaming service on a large platform would want it.

Donations of $100 (£75) and over will be credited at the end of the documentary.
 
MJJ Justice Project has been organising “MJ Global Family Zoom Chats” on zoom.

In the new episode which happened on January 25, 2021, MJJJP spoke to Jin Chohan who is planning a new fan documentary called “Trial by Media: The Michael Jackson Story”.

During the call, Chohan spoke about being a Michael Jackson fan, a self-trained dancer, meeting some of the people who worked with Michael Jackson but also about the Fan Documentary he is doing about the media and how they report on Michael Jackson case.

Chohan is asking help to produce the documentary.

The second guest was Pez Jax who released the book “The Story of HIStory” last year.

Jax spoke about what he discover writing about Michael Jackson’s HIStory album and more specifically about the “Teaser” and “You Are Not Alone”.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/themjstorydoc

https://sixteen11.com/product/the-story-of-history/

[video=youtube;SdA4dB-ohYw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1990&v=SdA4dB-ohYw&feature=emb_title[/video]
 
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I haven't shared much on social media recently, I've been kept busy chasing up interviews and research as well as corporate work to help me fund this project since the holidays. So it's been quite busy. As I've had a moment to collect myself and am now back in Los Angeles, I thought I should post an update. Firstly I hope you are all well and have had a great start to the year. I once again want to mention how amazing it is the support I've been receiving, this project is helped hugely by the support and donations it receives, and I'm so grateful for the help.

As I started this project initially in 2020, the scope of the film has grown as my research has grown. The story is almost being written as we speak, as to what I am covering. Initially, I thought I'd have a one-and-a-half-hour documentary film, I now have almost 40 hours of footage and I know I still have a lot more to do to see this story through to the quality it deserves to be done. I don't know how I'll fit the whole film into one documentary so I am leaning towards a three-part series. The angle I am covering requires a lot more interviews to adequately tell the story.

I've shared some BTS from some interviews I conducted in the UK. I want to thank everyone who has been interviewed so far, it's an amazing journey being the interviewer. While in the UK I covered some insightful stories about the 'Daily Mirror', as well as a British TV shows tactics surrounding their views on 'Leaving Neverland', and also someone who won a Wade Robson dance contest in Europe and her experience. The POV the news media has had on the Michael Jackson story will be turned to analyze the news media itself in this documentary film.

Full steam ahead. Thank you.
 
The dehumanization of an American icon.

I like this, it is harsh and hard and the media will call this an overblown overdramatic subtitle but honestly it is the truth.
 
I am so excited for this series! All of Jin's footage looks amazing and so high quality. I am really hoping Hulu or Netflix will pick it up. I think it could have a similar impact as the Britney Spears' documentaries did last year. For years Britney's fans were the only people who believed she was being abused in her conservatorship. The mainstream media basically ignored it and treated her fans like conspiracy theorists. Then everything changed with the documentaries. That's what I am hoping will happen for Michael. It won't change everyone's minds. There will always be people unwilling to see the truth. But I'm hoping it will make a big impact.
 
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Director, choreographer, writer, Vincent Paterson. Fantastic interview, quite emotional at times. #TrialByMediaMJ I've been busy with the research side of this docu-series lately. Will be releasing some short nuggets from some intvs next week. Help support this film
 
The dehumanization of an American icon.

I like this, it is harsh and hard and the media will call this an overblown overdramatic subtitle but honestly it is the truth.
They probably will. And then, hopefully, someone else will come along and reference the James Baldwin 1985 essay, 'Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood' in which he talks about how certain public figures are perceived by mainstream American society as freaks or monsters and how they are then treated by that society. He focuses on Michael as the pre-eminent example of someone who defies conventional ideas of what a Black American male pop star should look like, how he should behave and how he should conduct his career and / or business affairs. He's basically saying, if I understand him correctly, that mainstream America did not expect Michael Jackson to achieve what he did and, when Michael defied those expectations, America could not forgive him.

This sub-title is a pretty good summation of what James Baldwin is saying in his essay, imo.
 
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They probably will. And then, hopefully, someone else will come along and reference the James Baldwin 1985 essay, 'Here Be Dragons' in which he talks about how certain public figures are perceived by mainstream American society as freaks or monsters and how they are then treated by that society. He focuses on Michael as the pre-eminent example of someone who defies conventional ideas of what a Black American male pop star should look like, how he should behave and how he should conduct his career and / or business affairs. He's basically saying, if I understand him correctly, that mainstream America did not expect Michael Jackson to achieve what he did and, when Michael defied those expectations, America could not forgive him.

This sub-title is a pretty good summation of what James Baldwin is saying in his essay, imo.
I may be wrong about this, but I want to say one of the three trailers so far for this project includes a James Baldwin quote about MJ. And it's powerful.

Thank you for including the title of the essay! I definitely want to read this.
 
I may be wrong about this, but I want to say one of the three trailers so far for this project includes a James Baldwin quote about MJ. And it's powerful.

Thank you for including the title of the essay! I definitely want to read this.
"The Michael Jackson cacophony is fascinating in that it is not about Jackson at all. I hope he has the good sense to know it and the good fortune to snatch his life out of the jaws of a carnivorous success. He will not swiftly be forgiven for having turned so many tables, for he damn sure grabbed the brass ring, and the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo has nothing on Michael."

James Baldwin - "Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood" - 1985

I bet it's this quote. It's the most famous James Baldwin quote about Michael. Pops up everywhere. I think this was published in Playboy.

I need to go and check this Baldwin stuff out properly. I've quoted the correct title here for the 'Freaks' essay. But I'm not sure if he also wrote another 1985 essay called 'Here Be Dragons' covering similar ground. I need to chase down both of them and compare and contrast. Or is the Here Be Dragons thing a subsection of the 'Freaks' essay? I need to find out. Definitely don't want to be disseminating incorrect information.
 
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I may be wrong about this, but I want to say one of the three trailers so far for this project includes a James Baldwin quote about MJ. And it's powerful.

Thank you for including the title of the essay! I definitely want to read this.
Just checked. It's me getting myself in a muddle. The essay in question is definitely 'Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood.'

The 'Here Be Dragons' bit is not a separate essay, it's merely a phrase he uses in the essay to illustrate a point he's making but it got lodged in my head as a separate thing. I haven't read the 'Freaks' essay in full but, IIRC, he looks at ideas of androgyny (sp?) and how that relates to various pop stars including Michael. I think the basic thesis is that America has faulty notions of masculinity, how men should look and behave etc. I think I've got that right.

Anyway, sorry for slight confusion there, lol.
 
Just checked. It's me getting myself in a muddle. The essay in question is definitely 'Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood.'

The 'Here Be Dragons' bit is not a separate essay, it's merely a phrase he uses in the essay to illustrate a point he's making but it got lodged in my head as a separate thing. I haven't read the 'Freaks' essay in full but, IIRC, he looks at ideas of androgyny (sp?) and how that relates to various pop stars including Michael. I think the basic thesis is that America has faulty notions of masculinity, how men should look and behave etc. I think I've got that right.

Anyway, sorry for slight confusion there, lol.
Thank you for clarifying and all the information!! I really need to read this. This sounds amazing and actually very connected to the book I want to write!

Also, it is definitely that quote you referenced above. I've seen that many places, but I'm almost positive it's in one of the trailers. I could be wrong though. I should probably do my due diligence like you have
 

Jin has given consistent, high quality updates on his documentary series throughout his process, and I personally have a ton of faith that this is going to be a solid project. It seems to me the biggest hold up is consistent funding. If he's aiming to raise 5k right now, that means if 5,000 fans could donate $1, or even 1,000 fans could donate $5... you get the picture.

 
I watched something mj related on really channel. It was mj faking it made me really mad! Did not watch for long!
I really hope people watch all these positive programs and biopic like they watch the negative shit!
 
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