00:00:01.550 --> 00:00:03.749
- I genuinely, I would really
like it if you would start.

00:00:03.751 --> 00:00:05.909
- No, no, I think you
said you would start

00:00:05.911 --> 00:00:06.989
and now you're changing it.

00:00:06.991 --> 00:00:09.149
- No because then it's like
more funny if you're like-

00:00:09.151 --> 00:00:09.989
- It's not.

00:00:09.991 --> 00:00:10.829
- Esmé you can't stand at the back.

00:00:10.831 --> 00:00:12.149
- It's not funny.

00:00:12.151 --> 00:00:12.989
- Okay.

00:00:12.991 --> 00:00:13.829
- It's not funny anyway.

00:00:13.831 --> 00:00:15.349
- Okay, all right then.
Is it not funny?

00:00:15.351 --> 00:00:16.149
- Esmé.
- Esmé.

00:00:16.151 --> 00:00:16.989
- That's not fair
- If you do this,

00:00:16.991 --> 00:00:19.069
you're not gonna be
an actor, genuinely.

00:00:19.071 --> 00:00:19.909
You can't...

00:00:19.911 --> 00:00:23.269
This is what acting is
it's like it's cold,

00:00:23.271 --> 00:00:24.790
it's embarrassing.

00:00:25.870 --> 00:00:28.109
Hello, we're the Edelstyn family.

00:00:28.111 --> 00:00:30.190
(lighthearted music)

00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:53.719
(playful music)

00:00:53.721 --> 00:00:56.839
(doorbell ringing)

00:00:56.841 --> 00:00:58.559
- Oh shit, bit of a...

00:00:58.561 --> 00:01:00.320
- Oh, for God's sake.

00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:04.959
- [Interviewer] And might I trouble you

00:01:04.961 --> 00:01:07.120
for a large glass of milk?

00:01:08.800 --> 00:01:12.399
So what happened with your
first film or was it successful?

00:01:12.401 --> 00:01:13.359
- Successful, yes.

00:01:13.361 --> 00:01:15.199
I mean it had a cinema release.

00:01:15.201 --> 00:01:17.079
It went to London Film Festival.

00:01:17.081 --> 00:01:20.319
It was you know, it was well reviewed.

00:01:20.321 --> 00:01:23.119
(Banker gurgling)

00:01:23.121 --> 00:01:25.959
You know, it was a great
film and people loved it.

00:01:25.961 --> 00:01:28.319
You know, if anyone ever asked me

00:01:28.321 --> 00:01:29.719
if I regret making that film

00:01:29.721 --> 00:01:31.159
then the answer is definitely no.

00:01:31.161 --> 00:01:32.920
I wanna make another.

00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:36.319
It was a critical success.

00:01:36.321 --> 00:01:37.279
I mean...

00:01:37.281 --> 00:01:40.999
- Financially speaking,
was it a success?

00:01:41.001 --> 00:01:43.520
- Well, it didn't make
as much money as it cost

00:01:43.522 --> 00:01:44.999
if that's what you're asking.

00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:46.899
You know, there's so much
suffering in the world.

00:01:46.901 --> 00:01:48.879
People are in pain.

00:01:48.881 --> 00:01:50.499
I feel like I have to
make a film, you know.

00:01:50.999 --> 00:01:53.000
I've got to find the purpose of it.

00:01:53.002 --> 00:01:55.999
I just need you to help
cut me a bit of slack here.

00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:58.399
- You're deeply in debt.

00:01:59.520 --> 00:02:01.559
And you're asking me for more money

00:02:01.561 --> 00:02:05.439
to blow it on another film adventure

00:02:05.441 --> 00:02:07.239
which there are no guarantees

00:02:07.241 --> 00:02:09.039
won't just end up exactly the same

00:02:09.041 --> 00:02:11.480
as your first film adventure.

00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:16.079
- This is my work, I'm
providing something of value.

00:02:16.081 --> 00:02:20.959
- Debt, perhaps that's what
your film can be about.

00:02:20.961 --> 00:02:24.479
After all it is something
you seem to know

00:02:24.481 --> 00:02:26.000
quite a bit about.

00:02:32.200 --> 00:02:34.800
(upbeat synthpop music)

00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:44.520
(printer humming)

00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:28.620
Three...two....one....

00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:31.440
Firing now!

00:03:33.160 --> 00:03:36.160
(explosion booming)

00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.439
- [Interviewer] State
your name for the camera.

00:03:50.441 --> 00:03:51.800
- Hilary Powell.

00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:54.400
- Dan Edelstyn.

00:03:55.920 --> 00:03:57.879
- [Interviewer] And what was your role?

00:03:57.881 --> 00:03:59.600
- Head of explosives.

00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:01.880
- Governor.

00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:08.759
- [Interviewer] So back
in 2014, how did it start?

00:04:08.761 --> 00:04:12.599
- Don't ask me,
I wasn't involved then.

00:04:12.601 --> 00:04:14.239
- [Interviewer] Okay Mr. Edelstyn,

00:04:14.241 --> 00:04:17.399
you wanted to make
a new film about debt.

00:04:17.401 --> 00:04:19.319
But then the next time
you appear on our radar

00:04:19.321 --> 00:04:21.559
you're in New York, why?

00:04:21.561 --> 00:04:23.959
- I mean I'd heard of
the group Strike Debt.

00:04:23.961 --> 00:04:26.319
They were raising money
and buying up millions

00:04:26.321 --> 00:04:28.799
and millions of dollars worth
of student and medical debt

00:04:28.801 --> 00:04:30.039
and then abolishing it.

00:04:30.041 --> 00:04:32.879
They're a splinter group
from Occupy Wall Street.

00:04:32.881 --> 00:04:36.439
Professor Andrew Ross, who
wrote this book "Creditocracy",

00:04:36.441 --> 00:04:39.959
he argued that welfare
systems and public goods

00:04:39.961 --> 00:04:43.439
were now being accessed only
through creditor gatekeepers.

00:04:43.441 --> 00:04:46.040
(bouncy music)

00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.039
- Creditocracy is the kind of society

00:04:53.041 --> 00:04:54.879
that we're now living in.

00:04:54.881 --> 00:04:58.919
The comparison I make really
is with our credit card issuers

00:04:58.921 --> 00:05:02.119
who don't want us to
pay off our balances

00:05:02.121 --> 00:05:03.319
at the end of the month.

00:05:03.321 --> 00:05:05.199
If you happen to do that

00:05:05.201 --> 00:05:07.479
the name they
give you in the industry

00:05:07.481 --> 00:05:08.679
is dead beat.

00:05:08.681 --> 00:05:09.879
They don't want dead beats.

00:05:09.881 --> 00:05:12.279
They don't profit from dead beats.

00:05:12.281 --> 00:05:14.519
They profit from revolvers,

00:05:14.521 --> 00:05:18.119
people who can't make their ends meet.

00:05:18.121 --> 00:05:19.919
So the goal in a creditocracy, really,

00:05:19.921 --> 00:05:22.399
is to make revolvers of us all.

00:05:22.401 --> 00:05:27.400
The goal is to wrap debt around
every single possible asset,

00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:30.199
social good, income stream,

00:05:30.201 --> 00:05:34.920
and generate revenue from
almost every corner of society.

00:05:42.161 --> 00:05:44.119
- [Dan] Alright, so what
is the Rolling Jubilee?

00:05:44.121 --> 00:05:45.679
Do you wanna just
tell me what that was?

00:05:45.681 --> 00:05:48.359
- So, it's a project to
buy and abolish debt

00:05:48.361 --> 00:05:49.359
for pennies on the dollar,

00:05:49.361 --> 00:05:51.919
expose secondary debt markets.

00:05:51.921 --> 00:05:55.119
Talk about things like ask
questions about who owes

00:05:55.121 --> 00:05:55.960
what to whom.

00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:59.639
And it allows us to rethink

00:05:59.641 --> 00:06:01.319
the way that we might
want to finance access

00:06:01.321 --> 00:06:02.759
to basic necessities.

00:06:02.761 --> 00:06:05.759
- Can you tell me a bit about
the thesis of "Creditocracy"?

00:06:05.761 --> 00:06:08.239
- Most people are very deeply in debt

00:06:08.241 --> 00:06:10.519
that can never be paid off.

00:06:10.521 --> 00:06:12.999
And the gut liberal
response to that is to say,

00:06:13.001 --> 00:06:14.599
"Well, that's not fair.

00:06:14.601 --> 00:06:16.599
Surely if we're gonna take out loans

00:06:16.601 --> 00:06:19.599
we should have a chance to
pay it all back," right.

00:06:19.601 --> 00:06:21.639
But that's missing the point.

00:06:21.641 --> 00:06:24.519
The point is that the creditor class

00:06:24.521 --> 00:06:28.680
wants us to be in a
lifetime of debt service.

00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:32.079
They don't want us to pay
off our debts entirely

00:06:32.081 --> 00:06:34.239
because if you pay off
your debt entirely,

00:06:34.241 --> 00:06:38.199
you're no longer a source
of profit to creditors.

00:06:38.201 --> 00:06:39.759
So they want to keep us on the hook

00:06:39.761 --> 00:06:43.079
for as long as possible,
until the day we die.

00:06:43.081 --> 00:06:44.599
And in fact beyond the grave

00:06:44.601 --> 00:06:47.319
in the case of certain kinds of debts.

00:06:47.321 --> 00:06:48.479
- Things are not going to change

00:06:48.481 --> 00:06:50.759
unless people start to
actually act themselves

00:06:50.761 --> 00:06:53.079
and build power at
the grassroots scale

00:06:53.081 --> 00:06:55.480
and in the financial markets.

00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:00.799
We're not going to have a
system change from above.

00:07:00.801 --> 00:07:02.559
It's not going to happen.

00:07:02.561 --> 00:07:05.759
- Our elected officials
have had six years now

00:07:05.761 --> 00:07:07.279
since the financial crash,

00:07:07.281 --> 00:07:10.279
and they've shown that they
cannot protect the citizenry

00:07:10.281 --> 00:07:12.119
from economic harm.

00:07:12.121 --> 00:07:15.879
So as a result we think the
citizenry is perfectly justified

00:07:15.881 --> 00:07:19.679
in taking debt relief
for itself, you know,

00:07:19.681 --> 00:07:20.879
by any means necessary.

00:07:20.881 --> 00:07:23.480
- [Dan] That's it, yeah, exactly.

00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.600
- You raised about
$750,000, eventually.

00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:32.959
You use that money to
buy medical debts,

00:07:32.961 --> 00:07:34.960
about $14 million of it.

00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.879
The basic idea, however,

00:07:37.881 --> 00:07:42.279
behind the Jubilee was really
to expose the operations

00:07:42.281 --> 00:07:44.719
of the secondary debt marketplace.

00:07:44.721 --> 00:07:46.799
- [Woman] Hey if it's
not right, good morning.

00:07:49.001 --> 00:07:50.100
- [Dan] Hi, pleased to meet you.

00:07:50.641 --> 00:07:51.919
- [Dan] Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you.

00:07:51.921 --> 00:07:54.559
So you're the actual
people who bought the debt

00:07:54.561 --> 00:07:56.359
on the secondary debt
market for Strike Debt,

00:07:56.361 --> 00:07:57.439
is that right?

00:07:57.441 --> 00:07:58.279
- [Craig] Yeah you're right.

00:07:58.281 --> 00:07:59.199
- [Dan] What's your background?

00:07:59.201 --> 00:08:00.079
You don't look like someone

00:08:00.081 --> 00:08:03.159
that I would initially
think of as an Occupy.

00:08:03.161 --> 00:08:04.079
- I guess the simple way

00:08:04.081 --> 00:08:07.479
to describe it is I'm a bill collector.

00:08:07.481 --> 00:08:09.560
And then Occupy happened.

00:08:10.640 --> 00:08:13.639
And I went down there and
I looked and I listened

00:08:13.641 --> 00:08:17.039
and I talked to and I worked
with different groups.

00:08:17.041 --> 00:08:18.880
Met some great people.

00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:23.358
And I began to see that
it wasn't the debt,

00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.279
it wasn't the fact that
people were in debt,

00:08:28.281 --> 00:08:31.479
it was the fact that
debt itself even existed

00:08:31.481 --> 00:08:32.639
in such a fashion.

00:08:32.641 --> 00:08:34.519
Then I found out those
that created the debt

00:08:34.521 --> 00:08:38.199
were the ones who were never
punished for creating the debt.

00:08:38.201 --> 00:08:39.919
- Well I did tell you yesterday

00:08:39.921 --> 00:08:43.079
that we're abolishing a billion
dollars of medical debt,

00:08:43.081 --> 00:08:43.919
this year.

00:08:43.921 --> 00:08:44.759
- That's amazing.

00:08:44.761 --> 00:08:45.799
- Had to be a--

00:08:45.801 --> 00:08:47.959
- And that would not have happened

00:08:47.961 --> 00:08:51.599
if it had not been for our
experience in Occupy Wall Street

00:08:51.601 --> 00:08:54.519
and the groups in there
like Alternative Banking,

00:08:54.521 --> 00:08:56.680
the students, Strike Debt,

00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:00.119
and everything that they've created.

00:09:00.121 --> 00:09:02.839
We take inspiration from them.

00:09:02.841 --> 00:09:05.919
- Yeah, that's been a real
pleasure to speak to you both.

00:09:05.921 --> 00:09:08.239
So what's your advice for me, then?

00:09:08.241 --> 00:09:10.919
- You're doing this because
you have a moral imperative.

00:09:10.921 --> 00:09:14.879
This is a documentary
which has to be made.

00:09:14.881 --> 00:09:17.560
(gentle rock music)

00:09:27.160 --> 00:09:29.759
- [Dan] So basically what
I want to find out is,

00:09:29.761 --> 00:09:32.399
have you heard anything
about that group in America?

00:09:32.401 --> 00:09:34.199
- [John] They coined
the phrase "creditocracy."

00:09:34.201 --> 00:09:35.639
- That's right, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:09:35.641 --> 00:09:39.279
Do you think that's coming to Britain?

00:09:39.281 --> 00:09:40.839
- I think people have
had enough of debt.

00:09:40.841 --> 00:09:42.439
They realize it's a real issue now,

00:09:42.441 --> 00:09:43.959
someone's got to tackle it.

00:09:43.961 --> 00:09:46.639
Just as a constituency MP, all right,

00:09:46.641 --> 00:09:51.079
I represent working class
multicultural community

00:09:51.081 --> 00:09:53.399
where actually there's quite
high levels of employment

00:09:53.401 --> 00:09:57.559
but low levels of wages and
housing costs really high.

00:09:57.561 --> 00:09:59.199
So, debt's crippling people.

00:09:59.201 --> 00:10:00.879
It is absolutely crippling them.

00:10:00.881 --> 00:10:04.159
Now we had the crash in 2007, 2008.

00:10:04.161 --> 00:10:06.679
A lot of money was used to
quantitative easing to bail--

00:10:06.681 --> 00:10:08.479
to bail the banks out,
get liquidity going.

00:10:08.481 --> 00:10:10.359
And in addition to that,
the economy collapsed

00:10:10.361 --> 00:10:11.999
so tax revenues weren't coming in.

00:10:12.001 --> 00:10:13.679
- The way in which our country

00:10:13.681 --> 00:10:15.999
has responded to the 2008 crisis

00:10:16.001 --> 00:10:17.239
in terms of economic policy--

00:10:17.241 --> 00:10:18.319
and it's not your policy,

00:10:18.321 --> 00:10:19.959
I'm not trying to
put it at your door.

00:10:19.961 --> 00:10:20.919
- [John] Well, it's the austerity.

00:10:20.921 --> 00:10:22.399
- It's hair of the dog basically.

00:10:22.401 --> 00:10:24.759
Let's get the banks lending
again in the same way--

00:10:24.761 --> 00:10:26.959
- Well it was austerity, it was
two things wasn't it, really?

00:10:26.961 --> 00:10:28.599
Quantitative easing that went in

00:10:28.601 --> 00:10:30.719
and that inflated assets, asset prices

00:10:30.721 --> 00:10:32.759
rather than actually helped
in productive investment,

00:10:32.761 --> 00:10:33.679
but there you are.

00:10:33.681 --> 00:10:35.679
And the other thing was the austerity.

00:10:35.681 --> 00:10:36.879
Who paid for that crisis

00:10:36.881 --> 00:10:38.399
were ordinary working people.

00:10:38.401 --> 00:10:39.799
If there was another crisis

00:10:39.801 --> 00:10:40.999
I don't think ordinary working people

00:10:41.001 --> 00:10:45.000
would accept them paying
it out again, basically.

00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:48.800
(playful music)

00:10:53.640 --> 00:10:56.239
- After the 2008 financial crash,

00:10:56.241 --> 00:10:57.719
there was a huge desire

00:10:57.721 --> 00:11:00.799
to return to positive GDP growth.

00:11:00.801 --> 00:11:04.519
The Western economies
chose debt-fueled growth

00:11:04.521 --> 00:11:07.760
to jumpstart the
beleaguered economies.

00:11:08.800 --> 00:11:09.879
(Dan groaning)

00:11:09.881 --> 00:11:11.879
I want to set up a
grassroots movement,

00:11:11.881 --> 00:11:13.759
raising money to purchase debt

00:11:13.761 --> 00:11:18.279
at least £1 million worth of
household debt in the UK.

00:11:18.281 --> 00:11:21.920
If I can do it, believe me,
anyone can do it.

00:11:23.560 --> 00:11:25.000
(whoosing sound)

00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:27.719
- [Interviewer] Uh,
excuse me, Mr. Edelstyn,

00:11:27.721 --> 00:11:30.119
but debts can't be bought and sold.

00:11:30.121 --> 00:11:33.239
- Actually you can,
there's a market for debt.

00:11:33.241 --> 00:11:35.279
And it gets bought and
sold the whole time.

00:11:35.281 --> 00:11:38.919
It's like, it's a commodity
like sugar or metal.

00:11:38.921 --> 00:11:41.039
And it gets traded in bulk.

00:11:41.041 --> 00:11:42.279
- [Interviewer] You what?

00:11:42.281 --> 00:11:46.679
- Well just imagine you borrow £1,000,

00:11:46.681 --> 00:11:50.439
but then for some reason or
another you can't pay it.

00:11:50.441 --> 00:11:51.919
They don't want it on
their books for too long

00:11:51.921 --> 00:11:54.479
so they sell it to another company.

00:11:54.481 --> 00:11:56.320
Say, 50% discount.

00:11:57.920 --> 00:12:01.679
So then your debt gets
sold not for £1000,

00:12:01.681 --> 00:12:04.520
but for £500 in the first instance.

00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:07.199
- Now the new people

00:12:07.201 --> 00:12:08.679
that own that debt
are gonna contact you.

00:12:08.681 --> 00:12:11.159
They're gonna try and make
you pay the full amount.

00:12:11.161 --> 00:12:13.319
However, if they're
unsuccessful in their attempts

00:12:13.321 --> 00:12:14.680
to make you pay,

00:12:15.520 --> 00:12:17.839
they'll sell part of
that portfolio again

00:12:17.841 --> 00:12:20.559
at another discount of
another say 50%.

00:12:20.561 --> 00:12:24.080
So now your £1000 debt is £250.

00:12:25.400 --> 00:12:27.399
- And this keeps going on
and on with more

00:12:27.401 --> 00:12:30.159
and more discounts till
your debt is then sold

00:12:30.161 --> 00:12:33.199
for 1% or 2% of its original value.

00:12:33.201 --> 00:12:34.799
- [Interviewer] Okay, okay I get it.

00:12:34.801 --> 00:12:37.439
So as the debt gets old,
it loses value.

00:12:37.441 --> 00:12:40.119
- Yes, so Strike Debt, that's
what they were doing in America.

00:12:40.121 --> 00:12:42.079
They were exposing the system

00:12:42.081 --> 00:12:44.159
that not many people even know about.

00:12:44.161 --> 00:12:45.439
- But no one had done it in Britain,

00:12:45.441 --> 00:12:48.800
and we wanted to see
if it was possible.

00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:51.879
This idea of bringing
the Occupy Wall Street

00:12:51.881 --> 00:12:53.959
Strike Debt campaign over to Britain

00:12:53.961 --> 00:12:58.559
and buying up debts and
then burning those debts

00:12:58.561 --> 00:13:00.239
and setting debtors free,

00:13:00.241 --> 00:13:02.959
is that something that
is possible over here?

00:13:02.961 --> 00:13:04.479
- Probably what you're
gonna come up against

00:13:04.481 --> 00:13:08.759
is the big wall of secrecy
and lack of transparency

00:13:08.761 --> 00:13:10.159
around the financial markets

00:13:10.161 --> 00:13:12.159
and the debt markets that exist.

00:13:12.161 --> 00:13:13.359
And once you open that
door and start saying

00:13:13.361 --> 00:13:17.279
actually some of this debt
is unjust and illegitimate

00:13:17.281 --> 00:13:19.319
and should people shouldn't
have to pay it back,

00:13:19.321 --> 00:13:20.639
then where can that go?

00:13:20.641 --> 00:13:23.119
Really that starts to pull down

00:13:23.121 --> 00:13:24.559
some of the sort of foundations

00:13:24.561 --> 00:13:26.519
of the exploitative
global finance system

00:13:26.521 --> 00:13:28.079
as it is at the moment.

00:13:28.081 --> 00:13:29.879
- What I was thinking of is
starting in the borough

00:13:29.881 --> 00:13:30.919
where I live.

00:13:30.921 --> 00:13:31.879
You know, Walthamstow.

00:13:31.881 --> 00:13:34.399
It's a relatively deprived area

00:13:34.401 --> 00:13:37.879
and there's more and more
payday loan places coming in.

00:13:37.881 --> 00:13:41.639
So it seems like a quite,
a good area to start with.

00:13:41.641 --> 00:13:44.200
(mellow instrumental music)

00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:03.559
What's your feeling about debt, then?

00:14:03.561 --> 00:14:06.039
- It's up to the individual
to make up their mind

00:14:06.041 --> 00:14:07.519
what they want.

00:14:07.521 --> 00:14:10.279
As long as the terms of
the lending, you know,

00:14:10.281 --> 00:14:12.559
once the terms are made
clean and clear to you

00:14:12.561 --> 00:14:15.279
and you understand it,
you know, you take the plunge

00:14:15.281 --> 00:14:16.199
and it's up to you.

00:14:16.201 --> 00:14:17.239
- Really, yeah?

00:14:17.241 --> 00:14:19.039
What about the payday loans?

00:14:19.041 --> 00:14:21.519
Like down there there's
a new payday loan shop

00:14:21.521 --> 00:14:22.599
that's opened.

00:14:22.601 --> 00:14:25.220
676% APR, apparently.

00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:27.399
- Well I think that's

00:14:27.401 --> 00:14:30.999
exorbitantly high, unjustifiable.

00:14:31.001 --> 00:14:34.399
But then if that is
explained to the borrower

00:14:34.401 --> 00:14:36.759
and they're happy with it,
well I think--

00:14:36.761 --> 00:14:38.839
- But what if they have
no choice at that point?

00:14:38.841 --> 00:14:40.599
What if they're paid unfairly

00:14:40.601 --> 00:14:43.559
and they have no other way
to feed their children?

00:14:43.561 --> 00:14:46.440
- Yeah, well that's a
different kettle of fish then.

00:14:50.040 --> 00:14:52.799
- I've lived in this area
all my life, I'm 54 now.

00:14:52.801 --> 00:14:54.439
And the situation is getting worse.

00:14:54.441 --> 00:14:57.519
It's interesting, there's
117 billionaires in London.

00:14:57.521 --> 00:15:00.039
And I mean this nonsense
about trickle-down, where?

00:15:00.041 --> 00:15:01.479
You see it around here?

00:15:01.481 --> 00:15:03.719
Betting offices, pawn brokers,

00:15:03.721 --> 00:15:06.719
payday loan sharks, pound shops,

00:15:06.721 --> 00:15:08.359
say's it all really, doesn't it?

00:15:08.361 --> 00:15:10.159
This is austerity Britain.

00:15:10.161 --> 00:15:10.999
- We share food to the

00:15:11.001 --> 00:15:14.799
local people
in need every evening.

00:15:14.801 --> 00:15:15.879
Few years ago,

00:15:15.881 --> 00:15:19.599
we would normally have,
like, 25 would come.

00:15:19.601 --> 00:15:23.799
And now we see over 50,
50 to 60 people coming.

00:15:23.801 --> 00:15:25.479
- Oh, this is a lifesaver.

00:15:25.481 --> 00:15:26.319
This is a lifesaver.

00:15:26.321 --> 00:15:27.359
This is the only place

00:15:27.361 --> 00:15:30.719
where we can actually
know we're gonna get fed.

00:15:30.721 --> 00:15:33.560
(mellow instrumental music)

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.719
- So we started off by handing out

00:15:42.721 --> 00:15:45.439
just a couple of cans here and there.

00:15:45.441 --> 00:15:48.679
And it quickly grew
out of all proportion.

00:15:48.681 --> 00:15:51.999
For most people this is something
that you either do this

00:15:52.001 --> 00:15:52.920
or you die,

00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:55.679
not come here for a bit of fun.

00:15:55.681 --> 00:15:57.279
This is just life or death.

00:15:57.281 --> 00:15:58.360
This is food.

00:15:59.560 --> 00:16:02.559
And most of these families
have full-time jobs,

00:16:02.561 --> 00:16:05.559
but the job doesn't pay
enough to pay the bills.

00:16:05.561 --> 00:16:08.799
Obviously our ultimate
goal is not be needed

00:16:08.801 --> 00:16:10.279
and to close down.

00:16:10.281 --> 00:16:12.039
But I can't see that happening,

00:16:12.041 --> 00:16:15.440
especially not in the
next five years (chuckles).

00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.199
- [Saira] Today we're
here in the Scout's club

00:16:23.201 --> 00:16:24.039
in Wood Street.

00:16:24.041 --> 00:16:25.919
- [Dan] Is it called PL84U Al-Suffa?

00:16:25.921 --> 00:16:28.399
- PL84U Al-Suffa,
"al-suffa" meaning kitchen.

00:16:28.401 --> 00:16:29.279
- Oh, it means kitchen?

00:16:29.281 --> 00:16:30.080
- Yeah.

00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.519
- Well we provide a hot meal,

00:16:33.521 --> 00:16:37.959
companionship, board games,
food parcels, clothes bank.

00:16:37.961 --> 00:16:41.699
This is our fifth year that
we're running this service.

00:16:42.201 --> 00:16:43.999
- [Dan] Why do you need
to provide this service,

00:16:44.001 --> 00:16:44.839
do you think?

00:16:44.841 --> 00:16:47.319
- Well surprisingly
the United Kingdom,

00:16:47.321 --> 00:16:49.559
one of the richest
countries in the world

00:16:49.561 --> 00:16:53.159
is, well, it needs support
from people like ourselves

00:16:53.161 --> 00:16:57.080
to help the community
with providing hot meals.

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:06.679
- How's my hair looking?

00:17:06.681 --> 00:17:07.519
- [Man] Terrific.

00:17:07.521 --> 00:17:08.839
- Is it? (laughs)

00:17:08.841 --> 00:17:10.239
I'm ready for an update.

00:17:10.241 --> 00:17:11.759
Is it really looking that bad?

00:17:11.761 --> 00:17:13.639
I should go and get my
hair cut this afternoon.

00:17:13.641 --> 00:17:14.879
(speaking faintly)

00:17:14.881 --> 00:17:15.720
So, update.

00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:19.480
We are in 2016, April.

00:17:20.560 --> 00:17:22.719
It's been a busy year so far.

00:17:22.721 --> 00:17:25.159
'Cause I've been sweating,
thinking, oh my God,

00:17:25.161 --> 00:17:29.599
I've got to borrow money
to buy up this debt.

00:17:29.601 --> 00:17:32.919
But who do I borrow the money from?

00:17:32.921 --> 00:17:37.119
And I was thinking of
the bank, credit cards,

00:17:37.121 --> 00:17:38.759
all those kind of usual suspects.

00:17:38.761 --> 00:17:39.839
And then I thought no,

00:17:39.841 --> 00:17:42.119
all of these things, that's wrong.

00:17:42.121 --> 00:17:45.159
I've come out with the idea
that what we actually need to do

00:17:45.161 --> 00:17:48.159
is print our own bank
notes and sell them as art.

00:17:48.161 --> 00:17:51.940
That way we don't have to
borrow money from anyone.

00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:54.839
- Hello.

00:17:54.841 --> 00:17:56.839
- Hi, it's a stinker out there.

00:17:56.841 --> 00:17:57.680
- So rainy.

00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:03.719
- Well, Hil, I just wanted to come

00:18:03.721 --> 00:18:06.519
and talk about this new idea with you

00:18:06.521 --> 00:18:08.439
that we've had.

00:18:08.441 --> 00:18:10.999
Like, to create our own currency.

00:18:11.001 --> 00:18:12.399
(laughing)

00:18:13.241 --> 00:18:15.399
This is natural.

00:18:15.401 --> 00:18:17.079
Could it be a little bit more natural,

00:18:17.081 --> 00:18:19.559
like, from the angle of the camera?

00:18:19.561 --> 00:18:20.919
A little bit more camera natural,

00:18:20.921 --> 00:18:22.559
you know what I mean?

00:18:22.561 --> 00:18:24.399
- So we have to create
our own currency.

00:18:24.401 --> 00:18:26.159
- We have to create our own currency

00:18:26.161 --> 00:18:30.119
and your job is gonna
be making the notes.

00:18:30.121 --> 00:18:33.359
- So I've got to think of a way
of making this reproducible.

00:18:33.361 --> 00:18:34.199
Yeah, not easily reproducible.

00:18:34.201 --> 00:18:35.879
- Non-reproducible, not reproducible.

00:18:35.881 --> 00:18:37.999
- No, no but easy for not well-

00:18:38.001 --> 00:18:40.039
- No not easy for anyone
apart from us to reproduce.

00:18:40.041 --> 00:18:42.099
- Yeah that's what I mean,
for us to make.

00:18:42.601 --> 00:18:44.159
- [Dan] Well that's gonna
be a bit of a challenge.

00:18:44.161 --> 00:18:45.519
- So this one says, "The Governor

00:18:45.521 --> 00:18:48.559
and the Company of
the Bank of England."

00:18:48.561 --> 00:18:51.039
So ours will say-- what will ours say?

00:18:51.041 --> 00:18:52.679
- [Dan] The Governor

00:18:52.681 --> 00:18:55.319
and the Company of
Optimistic Productions?

00:18:55.321 --> 00:18:56.719
- But it has to mean something.

00:18:56.721 --> 00:18:58.839
So we can't just put any
old random crap on it,

00:18:58.841 --> 00:19:02.119
although that's basically
the Queen and Charles Darwin.

00:19:02.121 --> 00:19:04.679
- [Dan] We need someone
trustworthy on the note as well.

00:19:04.681 --> 00:19:06.039
So let's have a good think about it.

00:19:06.041 --> 00:19:09.279
- Yeah, it could be if it is,
like, people on notes,

00:19:09.281 --> 00:19:10.479
the man from the food bank

00:19:10.481 --> 00:19:12.319
and then scenes from the food bank.

00:19:12.321 --> 00:19:14.759
- The people from Walthamstow
who we're working with

00:19:14.761 --> 00:19:15.679
go on the notes.

00:19:15.681 --> 00:19:16.479
- [Hilary] Yes.
- It's a nice idea.

00:19:16.481 --> 00:19:17.319
- I like that.

00:19:17.321 --> 00:19:20.079
And so basically down in
the shed down the garden,

00:19:20.081 --> 00:19:23.279
a new currency (laughs)
is being wheeled out.

00:19:23.281 --> 00:19:26.760
- Right, come on, come on,
let's get going.

00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:32.879
- [Interviewer] Okay, all this
stuff about money creation,

00:19:32.881 --> 00:19:34.759
I mean, why've you got
such a bee in your bonnet

00:19:34.761 --> 00:19:35.559
about it?

00:19:35.561 --> 00:19:37.959
- Most politicians don't
even understand this.

00:19:37.961 --> 00:19:41.279
There was a survey in 2017 by
a group called Positive Money

00:19:41.281 --> 00:19:44.479
that found that 85%
of them didn't know

00:19:44.481 --> 00:19:46.279
how money was created.

00:19:46.281 --> 00:19:47.399
So you borrow some money

00:19:47.401 --> 00:19:49.479
and you think you
imagine that it might be

00:19:49.481 --> 00:19:51.999
from this big pile of
other people's savings,

00:19:52.001 --> 00:19:53.399
but it's just not like that.

00:19:53.401 --> 00:19:55.159
The money didn't even exist

00:19:55.161 --> 00:19:57.399
before you took out that loan.

00:19:57.401 --> 00:20:00.159
- [Interviewer] Was that why
you made your little animation?

00:20:00.161 --> 00:20:01.479
- Yeah.

00:20:01.481 --> 00:20:05.239
- [Narrator] In 1960, our commercial
bank money in circulation

00:20:05.241 --> 00:20:07.559
was equivalent to £10 billion.

00:20:07.561 --> 00:20:12.279
By 2010, this had
gone up to £2.4 trillion,

00:20:12.281 --> 00:20:14.999
an increase of 23,900%.

00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:18.399
- [Cartoon Man] As we've been
creating all this money

00:20:18.401 --> 00:20:20.319
as interest-bearing debt,

00:20:20.321 --> 00:20:23.399
it means that the British debt burden

00:20:23.401 --> 00:20:25.960
has increased 23,900% too.

00:20:29.080 --> 00:20:31.239
- [Narrator] That means that in the UK,

00:20:31.241 --> 00:20:35.519
we're paying £192 million
in interest to the banks

00:20:35.521 --> 00:20:36.920
every single day.

00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:46.759
- If everyone did pay off their debts,

00:20:46.761 --> 00:20:49.319
there'd be hardly any
money left in our economy.

00:20:49.321 --> 00:20:50.480
So ironically,

00:20:51.360 --> 00:20:53.559
we need to be in debt
in order for our economy

00:20:53.561 --> 00:20:55.039
to be pumping 'round.

00:20:55.041 --> 00:20:57.239
What Positive Money is saying is,

00:20:57.241 --> 00:20:59.919
we could create money free of debt.

00:20:59.921 --> 00:21:02.759
And we could actually
remove a bit of the power

00:21:02.761 --> 00:21:04.959
from commercial banks to create money

00:21:04.961 --> 00:21:07.599
and instill it back into
a sovereign, accountable,

00:21:07.601 --> 00:21:10.679
transparent process in
the form of a central bank

00:21:10.681 --> 00:21:13.679
who could create money free of debt.

00:21:13.681 --> 00:21:15.599
And they could give that
to the government

00:21:15.601 --> 00:21:18.399
who could spend it
on productive things.

00:21:18.401 --> 00:21:20.959
For example, if we need
more affordable homes

00:21:20.961 --> 00:21:22.559
they could decide, actually,

00:21:22.561 --> 00:21:24.999
"We're gonna invest in a
big house building program,"

00:21:25.001 --> 00:21:26.079
and that would create jobs

00:21:26.081 --> 00:21:29.219
and give society some
of the things it needs.

00:21:30.521 --> 00:21:34.279
- You can obviously in principle
use the creation of money

00:21:34.281 --> 00:21:35.559
to fund government.

00:21:35.561 --> 00:21:36.959
You can't create too much.

00:21:36.961 --> 00:21:38.799
It's still the case that if you
create too much money

00:21:38.801 --> 00:21:40.079
you'll get hyperinflation.

00:21:40.081 --> 00:21:41.399
I'm not arguing for that.

00:21:41.401 --> 00:21:42.719
But you could imagine

00:21:42.721 --> 00:21:45.359
that in a system in which
commercial banks

00:21:45.361 --> 00:21:47.319
no longer do money creation,

00:21:47.321 --> 00:21:49.679
will be used to fund the government.

00:21:49.681 --> 00:21:53.759
And that is a good, a
sustainable way to manage demand.

00:21:53.761 --> 00:21:56.319
It takes tremendous discipline
by government to do this.

00:21:56.321 --> 00:21:57.159
I understand very well

00:21:57.161 --> 00:21:58.919
why people are frightened about this.

00:21:58.921 --> 00:22:01.999
It will be a revolutionary
upheaval of the banking sector.

00:22:02.001 --> 00:22:03.839
Clearly all these things are true.

00:22:03.841 --> 00:22:07.959
But these proposals
are logically coherent,

00:22:07.961 --> 00:22:10.999
and that's why I've been
very keen to discuss them.

00:22:12.001 --> 00:22:14.079
- [Interviewer] Okay,
so you made your point.

00:22:14.081 --> 00:22:16.319
You found the economic
system was unfair

00:22:16.321 --> 00:22:18.159
and you felt it could be changed.

00:22:18.161 --> 00:22:19.279
I get that.

00:22:19.281 --> 00:22:21.239
I even have some sympathy.

00:22:21.241 --> 00:22:24.279
But then you start planning
the counterfeiting.

00:22:24.281 --> 00:22:25.919
That's where you lose me.

00:22:25.921 --> 00:22:28.080
- It's not counterfeiting.

00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:34.919
- We wanted to imagine that
we had the power of a bank

00:22:34.921 --> 00:22:36.319
to create money at will.

00:22:36.321 --> 00:22:38.719
- But instead of using it
to indebt people,

00:22:38.721 --> 00:22:41.560
we'd use it to set all of us free.

00:22:43.520 --> 00:22:44.879
- After you.

00:22:44.881 --> 00:22:46.359
- Hi.

00:22:46.361 --> 00:22:47.519
- [Gary] Hi, how are you doing?

00:22:47.521 --> 00:22:48.319
- [Hilary] Good.

00:22:48.321 --> 00:22:49.679
- [Dan] So how are things going?

00:22:49.681 --> 00:22:51.719
- [Gary] Not bad, busy as always.

00:22:51.721 --> 00:22:53.919
- [Dan] We've decided to
launch our own currency.

00:22:53.921 --> 00:22:54.959
- [Gary] Interesting.

00:22:54.961 --> 00:22:56.279
- Yeah, we were hoping

00:22:56.281 --> 00:22:59.519
that you would be interested
in being one of the figures

00:22:59.521 --> 00:23:01.879
on our currency. (laughs)
- Really, okay.

00:23:01.881 --> 00:23:03.079
- [Dan] It would be a real honor.

00:23:03.081 --> 00:23:04.159
- An honor for me.

00:23:04.161 --> 00:23:05.119
- [Hilary] Yeah, it's great.

00:23:05.121 --> 00:23:07.039
- But I remember the
last time coming in here

00:23:07.041 --> 00:23:09.159
and chatting to you and you saying

00:23:09.161 --> 00:23:11.799
that unless you managed to
get some kind of a funding

00:23:11.801 --> 00:23:16.319
for this, that you were
going to end up actually

00:23:16.321 --> 00:23:17.759
losing your house.

00:23:17.761 --> 00:23:19.439
- Well, I'm selling my house now.

00:23:19.441 --> 00:23:21.879
It is literally on the
market right now.

00:23:21.881 --> 00:23:25.159
I've moved in with my
parents up in Suffolk.

00:23:25.161 --> 00:23:28.599
So I'm hoping that's gonna sell soon.

00:23:28.601 --> 00:23:31.239
- I get carer's allowance
for my mum and dad,

00:23:31.241 --> 00:23:32.559
who I look after,

00:23:32.561 --> 00:23:35.919
but I can't take a job because
if Mum or Dad's not well

00:23:35.921 --> 00:23:37.679
I have to drive up to Suffolk.

00:23:37.681 --> 00:23:39.719
I can't just keep
walking out of a job,

00:23:39.721 --> 00:23:41.399
you know, "Again, sorry,
Mum's not feeling good,

00:23:41.401 --> 00:23:42.839
I've gotta go."

00:23:42.841 --> 00:23:44.879
So-- but this I can,

00:23:44.881 --> 00:23:47.799
'cause I can control it, I can
work from anywhere, you know,

00:23:47.801 --> 00:23:49.639
unless I physically need to be here.

00:23:49.641 --> 00:23:51.919
But I'll have to work on it.

00:23:51.921 --> 00:23:54.679
But yeah, I can't unfortunately
pay myself anything.

00:23:54.681 --> 00:23:55.519
- Lovely to meet you.

00:23:55.521 --> 00:23:56.359
- Yeah, pleasure to meet you.

00:23:56.361 --> 00:23:57.159
- Thanks very much.

00:23:57.161 --> 00:23:58.239
I really look forward to
what comes out.

00:23:58.241 --> 00:23:59.879
- Yeah, okay, yeah thanks Gary.

00:23:59.881 --> 00:24:00.719
- Thank you.

00:24:00.721 --> 00:24:01.559
- Okay, all the best then.

00:24:01.561 --> 00:24:02.599
- Bye.
- Take care.

00:24:02.601 --> 00:24:03.959
- So who else would be a
good character for this,

00:24:03.961 --> 00:24:08.960
so far that I've met or that
I know about within the area?

00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:13.239
- It is important that
we use local people

00:24:13.241 --> 00:24:17.399
because we're building a
community from the ground up.

00:24:17.401 --> 00:24:18.639
It's not all about Walthamstow,

00:24:18.641 --> 00:24:20.519
but Walthamstow is our home.

00:24:20.521 --> 00:24:22.319
And it's where we're
meeting more people

00:24:22.321 --> 00:24:24.799
that can tell their story.

00:24:24.801 --> 00:24:27.719
- And we're talking about, like,
building small things locally

00:24:27.721 --> 00:24:29.919
and the value of community.

00:24:29.921 --> 00:24:33.279
- This is playing with who
we value and, like, diversity

00:24:33.281 --> 00:24:35.119
and representation that
we can't just have

00:24:35.121 --> 00:24:37.079
middle-aged white men on the notes.

00:24:37.081 --> 00:24:37.999
- Quite right.

00:24:38.001 --> 00:24:38.879
- You know in Walthamstow,

00:24:38.881 --> 00:24:41.759
you find a microcosm
of all of the problems

00:24:41.761 --> 00:24:46.039
with the current financial system,
you know, within a city.

00:24:46.041 --> 00:24:48.519
But they stand for something more.

00:24:48.521 --> 00:24:51.519
So the note should be
about exploring debt

00:24:51.521 --> 00:24:54.879
and the impact of the financial
crisis on our society.

00:24:54.881 --> 00:24:55.919
But we're choosing people
from Walthamstow.

00:24:55.921 --> 00:24:59.119
- Right, yeah but so, it's not that...

00:24:59.121 --> 00:25:01.519
Yeah, but I mean it's
a microcosm, isn't it?

00:25:01.521 --> 00:25:02.359
- I just said that.

00:25:02.361 --> 00:25:03.319
- Did you?

00:25:03.321 --> 00:25:04.159
- Yep.

00:25:04.161 --> 00:25:04.999
- You didn't actually use the
word "microcosm" though.

00:25:05.001 --> 00:25:06.439
- I used the word microcosm. (laughs)

00:25:06.441 --> 00:25:07.679
- Did you?
- I did.

00:25:07.681 --> 00:25:10.239
- Well, you used it
not in a very loud way.

00:25:10.241 --> 00:25:12.519
- No, it's just, I suppose yeah
the louder you say things

00:25:12.521 --> 00:25:15.759
the more interesting
and important you are.

00:25:15.761 --> 00:25:16.599
- Thank you.

00:25:16.601 --> 00:25:19.520
(Hilary laughing)

00:25:21.520 --> 00:25:24.120
(pensive guitar music)

00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:32.039
What inspired you to start
off this Soul Project?

00:25:32.041 --> 00:25:35.079
- This is when my cousin was
killed through knife crime.

00:25:35.081 --> 00:25:36.839
He just died at college and,

00:25:36.841 --> 00:25:39.999
yeah, his neighbor was kind of

00:25:40.001 --> 00:25:42.399
being troubled by a
group of young people.

00:25:42.401 --> 00:25:43.639
He went out to try and help him

00:25:43.641 --> 00:25:46.359
and one of the boys had
a knife and he was killed

00:25:46.361 --> 00:25:48.759
and died in Hackney.

00:25:48.761 --> 00:25:52.679
That was my motivation to
leave my job and set this up.

00:25:52.681 --> 00:25:56.599
We created a safe place
for young people to go.

00:25:56.601 --> 00:26:01.519
...from everything from drama,
music, dance, photography,

00:26:01.521 --> 00:26:04.559
filmmaking, music production.

00:26:04.561 --> 00:26:05.919
- [Dan] So you're kind of role models.

00:26:05.921 --> 00:26:07.639
(laughing)

00:26:07.641 --> 00:26:11.759
- We try our best to do what
we can for the community

00:26:11.761 --> 00:26:13.399
and young people,

00:26:13.401 --> 00:26:15.719
especially in this current situation.

00:26:15.721 --> 00:26:19.999
Our young people are kind of
got a bad stigma about them.

00:26:20.001 --> 00:26:22.519
- It takes a lot to run this place.

00:26:22.521 --> 00:26:24.559
This year we didn't
have no funding at all.

00:26:24.561 --> 00:26:27.199
We had to just scrape
the money together.

00:26:27.201 --> 00:26:29.359
The sad thing about it is
that we might not see

00:26:29.361 --> 00:26:33.039
the impact of the cuts and
the austerity straight away.

00:26:33.041 --> 00:26:34.159
It's gonna be in a few years,

00:26:34.161 --> 00:26:38.479
it's gonna be the young people
turning 17 or 18, 19, 20,

00:26:38.481 --> 00:26:42.799
and they're trying to find
their way in the world.

00:26:42.801 --> 00:26:45.599
You cannot have these things
that young people used to do

00:26:45.601 --> 00:26:48.759
and used to engage in taken away

00:26:48.761 --> 00:26:51.159
and think that everything's
gonna be all right.

00:26:51.161 --> 00:26:53.800
(plaintive instrumental music)

00:26:58.120 --> 00:26:59.639
- [Dan] So what have you got there?

00:26:59.641 --> 00:27:01.559
- This is the letter from the school

00:27:01.561 --> 00:27:04.479
about the school funding
cuts that are happening.

00:27:04.481 --> 00:27:06.959
And I suppose that makes it
everything come that much closer

00:27:06.961 --> 00:27:10.200
when it's your child's
school directly.

00:27:11.080 --> 00:27:12.639
Goes, "Dear parents, carers,

00:27:12.641 --> 00:27:14.359
Many of you will have
heard about the funding cuts

00:27:14.361 --> 00:27:16.599
due to hit school budgets
this year in the media.

00:27:16.601 --> 00:27:18.279
This will create significant
pressures on schools

00:27:18.281 --> 00:27:19.919
as a result of changes to funding,

00:27:19.921 --> 00:27:22.179
and our school is no exception.

00:27:22.681 --> 00:27:24.639
We're deeply disappointed with
the government's proposals

00:27:24.641 --> 00:27:26.039
for school funding.

00:27:26.041 --> 00:27:27.839
During this time of
financial uncertainty,

00:27:27.841 --> 00:27:29.759
please rest assured
that we will continue

00:27:29.761 --> 00:27:30.639
to put your children

00:27:30.641 --> 00:27:32.559
at the heart of all
our decision-making.

00:27:32.561 --> 00:27:35.239
Our youngsters only have one
chance at their primary years,

00:27:35.241 --> 00:27:37.559
and we treat this responsibility
with the seriousness

00:27:37.561 --> 00:27:39.279
and dedication it deserves."

00:27:39.281 --> 00:27:40.120
- Come on.

00:27:41.080 --> 00:27:43.359
- Can you tell us what
the budget cut will be?

00:27:43.361 --> 00:27:47.239
- It's about-- I think this
year is something like 13%

00:27:47.241 --> 00:27:48.399
or something like that.

00:27:48.401 --> 00:27:52.959
By 2022, we'll have a hundred
grand less in our budget.

00:27:52.961 --> 00:27:54.119
So, that's two teachers.

00:27:54.121 --> 00:27:57.119
So the only way of not
getting rid of two teachers

00:27:57.121 --> 00:27:59.039
is to save money on the support staff,

00:27:59.041 --> 00:28:00.759
which again is gonna
put a lot more pressure

00:28:00.761 --> 00:28:03.679
on teaching staff,
you know, to do more.

00:28:03.681 --> 00:28:06.919
Some of the things that we do
might not get done, you know.

00:28:06.921 --> 00:28:09.839
So yeah, difficult decisions.

00:28:09.841 --> 00:28:12.839
- We want you to be one
of our currency units,

00:28:12.841 --> 00:28:13.719
which is why we're here.

00:28:13.721 --> 00:28:14.559
- Lovely.

00:28:14.561 --> 00:28:15.399
- So we're telling your story.

00:28:15.401 --> 00:28:16.999
- I will be a currency unit.

00:28:17.001 --> 00:28:18.039
(laughing)
- Yeah, excellent okay.

00:28:18.041 --> 00:28:19.079
So now we're gonna take your picture.

00:28:19.081 --> 00:28:21.519
So Hilary what do you think,
like, in terms of a picture?

00:28:21.521 --> 00:28:23.119
So can you guys just stand up

00:28:23.121 --> 00:28:25.639
and look heroic while I take
your picture to be bank notes?

00:28:25.645 --> 00:28:26.359
Perfect.

00:28:26.361 --> 00:28:29.719
We've recruited you guys
for your specialist skills.

00:28:29.721 --> 00:28:32.119
You're all of you
exemplars of the community.

00:28:32.121 --> 00:28:35.399
You're standing up and
fighting economic injustice

00:28:35.401 --> 00:28:38.679
and try to give people the
very best that you can.

00:28:38.681 --> 00:28:39.519
Okay go for that.

00:28:39.521 --> 00:28:41.119
Give me a whistle.

00:28:41.121 --> 00:28:42.959
(Saira whistles)

00:28:42.961 --> 00:28:45.119
You want to kind of stateliness,
don't you really?

00:28:45.121 --> 00:28:46.439
- [Gary] I've got portliness.

00:28:46.441 --> 00:28:47.239
(Hilary laughing)

00:28:47.241 --> 00:28:49.159
- [Dan] "I'm spending time
here being immortalized

00:28:49.161 --> 00:28:51.599
but I could crush you
because I'm so powerful."

00:28:51.601 --> 00:28:53.600
You know, merchant look.

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.959
- Fantastic, that was amazing, yep.

00:28:55.961 --> 00:29:00.960
- It's like the purveyor of
goods being proud of his shop.

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:03.119
- That'd be four different
personalities on our notes,

00:29:03.121 --> 00:29:05.959
and each one will be available
in five denominations.

00:29:05.961 --> 00:29:08.359
We're going to use half
of the money raised

00:29:08.361 --> 00:29:10.599
towards the purchase of £1 million

00:29:10.601 --> 00:29:14.639
worth of locally targeted
predatory payday debt.

00:29:14.641 --> 00:29:15.479
- Not only that,

00:29:15.481 --> 00:29:18.199
but the sale of the bank
notes will channel funds

00:29:18.201 --> 00:29:20.239
directly back into
those organizations.

00:29:20.241 --> 00:29:21.599
So 50% of the proceeds

00:29:21.601 --> 00:29:24.199
from the sale of these
limited edition bank notes

00:29:24.201 --> 00:29:27.159
will go back into those causes,

00:29:27.161 --> 00:29:29.359
taking money back
directly to the community.

00:29:29.361 --> 00:29:31.599
(upbeat dance music)

00:29:31.601 --> 00:29:34.279
- We're gonna do the job because
if money wasn't an issue,

00:29:34.281 --> 00:29:37.119
kids from all around deprived areas,

00:29:37.121 --> 00:29:39.159
all different types of backgrounds,

00:29:39.161 --> 00:29:41.239
wouldn't need our services.

00:29:41.241 --> 00:29:43.800
We just need to give them hope.

00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:50.839
- We're doing this bank job

00:29:50.841 --> 00:29:54.079
because the school cuts mean
I can't deliver the education

00:29:54.081 --> 00:29:55.959
that I want to my children.

00:29:55.961 --> 00:29:59.519
Arts, music, drama, all being
cut from the curriculum.

00:29:59.521 --> 00:30:02.319
Teachers and teaching
assistants are being lost.

00:30:03.321 --> 00:30:05.079
- I'm doing the job because I think

00:30:05.081 --> 00:30:07.239
it's important to end poverty.

00:30:07.241 --> 00:30:08.679
We need to get rid of this system

00:30:08.681 --> 00:30:11.319
that people have to
line up to food banks

00:30:11.321 --> 00:30:13.239
and access soup kitchens.

00:30:13.241 --> 00:30:15.679
- I'm doing the job because
if money was no object,

00:30:15.681 --> 00:30:17.839
people wouldn't need
to use my food bank.

00:30:17.841 --> 00:30:19.359
People could buy their own food.

00:30:19.361 --> 00:30:20.999
They could pay their own bills.

00:30:21.001 --> 00:30:22.919
So it's important that we do this job.

00:30:22.921 --> 00:30:26.400
(upbeat dance music)

00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.879
- Right, go, go, go!

00:30:33.881 --> 00:30:36.960
(car engine revving)

00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:40.479
- [Dan] I think, no,

00:30:40.481 --> 00:30:41.799
I think we should have
a cup of tea really.

00:30:42.801 --> 00:30:45.239
- [Man] Oh right, we're
going for triangles?

00:30:45.241 --> 00:30:46.759
- [Dan] Oh yeah, naturally.

00:30:46.761 --> 00:30:48.009
- [Hilary] Always triangles.

00:30:48.161 --> 00:30:49.759
- Okay, thank you for
coming to the garden today

00:30:49.761 --> 00:30:51.359
to launch the mint.

00:30:51.361 --> 00:30:54.079
We're hoping that this
mint will be an opportunity

00:30:54.081 --> 00:30:56.999
to explore the way money is produced

00:30:57.001 --> 00:31:00.240
and hoping that this
small intervention

00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:02.919
will open people's minds

00:31:02.921 --> 00:31:07.839
to start thinking about
what's really underpinning

00:31:07.841 --> 00:31:11.760
the relationship between
people in our society.

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:15.159
(fireworks crackle)
(screaming)

00:31:15.161 --> 00:31:18.199
(garage rock music)

00:31:18.201 --> 00:31:19.759
- [Dan] These are gonna be the Gary's.

00:31:19.761 --> 00:31:23.039
- That kind of format of the
man and denomination.

00:31:23.041 --> 00:31:26.519
You'd have the number there
and the signature there.

00:31:26.521 --> 00:31:29.119
But until I actually test
things out practically,

00:31:29.121 --> 00:31:30.639
and they're all quite
prolonged processes,

00:31:30.641 --> 00:31:33.599
I don't really know what I'm doing.

00:31:33.601 --> 00:31:37.119
(metal clanking)

00:31:37.121 --> 00:31:37.959
I do like this. (laughs)

00:31:37.961 --> 00:31:40.039
But I just hope it works out

00:31:40.041 --> 00:31:42.239
when I actually etch it.

00:31:42.241 --> 00:31:45.359
These processes down the
shed in the freezing cold

00:31:45.361 --> 00:31:49.020
are quite DIY and erratic.

00:31:49.760 --> 00:31:50.599
- [Dan] But we're not gonna have

00:31:50.601 --> 00:31:52.279
that black writing in the back, are we?

00:31:52.281 --> 00:31:53.799
- No we're not!

00:31:53.801 --> 00:31:56.199
You're just so silly, you
do not understand testing.

00:31:56.201 --> 00:31:57.039
Do you know what I've been doing

00:31:57.041 --> 00:31:57.999
for like two weeks in this shed?

00:31:58.001 --> 00:32:01.220
Testing, testing, testing,
because it's a process.

00:32:06.800 --> 00:32:09.199
(press clacking)

00:32:09.201 --> 00:32:10.039
- [Dan] How'd you make £20?

00:32:10.041 --> 00:32:12.799
- [Hilary] I'm making 50 of £20 worth.

00:32:12.801 --> 00:32:14.279
- [Dan] You made 50 £20s?

00:32:14.281 --> 00:32:17.119
Okay, so that makes a grand.

00:32:17.121 --> 00:32:19.999
We do need to make a lot
more notes than that, though.

00:32:20.001 --> 00:32:20.999
- [Hilary] We have to
get a production line.

00:32:21.001 --> 00:32:22.479
- [Dan] I'm just wondering that myself.

00:32:22.481 --> 00:32:24.039
Yeah, we're gonna need
the production line.

00:32:24.041 --> 00:32:27.359
But how quickly can we go
into production on our notes,

00:32:27.361 --> 00:32:28.199
do you think?

00:32:28.201 --> 00:32:30.639
- Well, if we get a space and a team

00:32:30.641 --> 00:32:32.479
it could go over quite fast

00:32:32.481 --> 00:32:34.119
to produce the money.

00:32:34.121 --> 00:32:38.120
At the moment it's not
going too fast. (laughs)

00:32:39.560 --> 00:32:41.639
- [Dan] It's beautiful.

00:32:43.641 --> 00:32:48.239
- ...because we still need to
raise some more funding.

00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:52.359
No, I didn't know about that.

00:32:52.361 --> 00:32:53.959
Where's that?

00:32:53.961 --> 00:32:54.799
Funny, I've never noticed that.

00:32:54.801 --> 00:32:56.079
- [Dan] Well, is there another space?

00:32:56.081 --> 00:32:59.199
- Had you heard about
this co-operative bank?

00:32:59.201 --> 00:33:01.559
- Yeah, I know there's
a co-operative bank.

00:33:01.561 --> 00:33:04.199
- It's an empty space on Hoe Street.

00:33:04.201 --> 00:33:06.359
- Oh my God, 'cause we always
wanted to do it in a bank!

00:33:06.361 --> 00:33:07.199
- [Nicky] Exactly!

00:33:07.201 --> 00:33:08.039
- Like its the...
- [Dan] Is it?

00:33:08.041 --> 00:33:09.399
(laughing)

00:33:09.401 --> 00:33:10.640
- It's perfect.

00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:15.999
(traffic noise and sirens)

00:33:18.440 --> 00:33:23.360
So people can walk in
immediately from the...yeah.

00:33:24.760 --> 00:33:27.359
So it's like this way into the bank.

00:33:27.361 --> 00:33:30.679
And this could be the
place we take for now

00:33:30.681 --> 00:33:32.760
as our bank headquarters.

00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:35.479
- [Naomi] Quite exciting, though.

00:33:35.481 --> 00:33:36.359
It's a blank canvas, isn't it?

00:33:36.361 --> 00:33:37.919
- Yeah.

00:33:37.921 --> 00:33:39.439
- But shall I show you around a bit?

00:33:39.441 --> 00:33:40.279
- [Hilary] Yeah, yeah.
- Yeah.

00:33:40.281 --> 00:33:41.679
- [Hilary] Have you got the light?

00:33:41.681 --> 00:33:43.799
- [Dan] Naomi can be
the lighting instructor.

00:33:43.801 --> 00:33:46.359
- So there's two important signs here,

00:33:46.361 --> 00:33:50.119
"No smoking"
"Caution, this door is alarmed"

00:33:50.121 --> 00:33:51.399
That's a lie.

00:33:51.401 --> 00:33:52.759
And we know you're not
allowed to smoke inside,

00:33:52.761 --> 00:33:54.439
so we'll just ignore it.

00:33:54.441 --> 00:33:56.479
So please don't lock anyone in here.

00:33:56.481 --> 00:33:57.879
- Oh my God.

00:33:57.881 --> 00:34:00.559
(metal clanking)

00:34:00.561 --> 00:34:01.439
- [Dan] It's satisfying.

00:34:01.441 --> 00:34:03.599
You guys both just had
a little satisfied sound

00:34:03.601 --> 00:34:04.959
at the same time.

00:34:04.961 --> 00:34:07.119
- [Dai] This is the storage.

00:34:07.121 --> 00:34:08.359
- This is great to have it empty

00:34:08.361 --> 00:34:10.719
and then just like have piles of money

00:34:10.721 --> 00:34:13.279
just sitting in there in wads.

00:34:13.281 --> 00:34:14.999
- [Dan] Shut the door, Naomi.

00:34:16.441 --> 00:34:17.519
And lock it.

00:34:17.521 --> 00:34:20.240
(metal clanking)

00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:25.159
That was kind of scary...

00:34:25.161 --> 00:34:27.319
- [Hilary] Oh look,
what is there in here?

00:34:28.121 --> 00:34:29.319
- [Naomi] Oh, is that the checks?

00:34:29.321 --> 00:34:32.839
- [Hilary] Ooh, oh wow this is cool.

00:34:32.841 --> 00:34:35.280
Co-operative bank PLC credit.

00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:38.799
"Society's Own Account
as per Agency Statement."

00:34:38.801 --> 00:34:40.239
Cashier's stamp.

00:34:40.241 --> 00:34:41.279
(chuckles)
This is cool, I like it.

00:34:41.281 --> 00:34:42.559
- [Dan] You look like you're
in your element.

00:34:42.561 --> 00:34:44.159
(laughing)

00:34:44.161 --> 00:34:46.759
- Cheque guarantee card
and free banking.

00:34:46.761 --> 00:34:47.959
- [Dan] So yeah, how did it feel

00:34:47.961 --> 00:34:49.359
going around the bank today?

00:34:49.361 --> 00:34:50.919
- Good, so exciting.

00:34:50.921 --> 00:34:53.119
So-- oh yes, I'm writing in my diary.

00:34:53.121 --> 00:34:56.719
We're moving into the
bank on the 15th.

00:34:56.721 --> 00:34:57.999
- [Dan] 15th of December.

00:34:58.001 --> 00:34:58.959
- Next Friday.

00:34:58.961 --> 00:35:00.559
- [Dan] That's exciting, doesn't it?

00:35:00.561 --> 00:35:01.400
- Yep.

00:35:04.080 --> 00:35:06.559
- If we're going more
around banks and notes

00:35:06.561 --> 00:35:08.399
then we have to kind of
get that balance right

00:35:08.401 --> 00:35:11.319
so it doesn't look too kind of kitsch.

00:35:11.321 --> 00:35:12.159
Once we see this,

00:35:12.161 --> 00:35:13.799
it might give us an indication

00:35:13.801 --> 00:35:15.039
of where we should go with it.

00:35:15.041 --> 00:35:16.079
Just "Bank Job."
- [Hilary] Bank.

00:35:16.081 --> 00:35:17.599
- [Phil] Is that what you're saying?
Not "The Bank Job."

00:35:17.601 --> 00:35:19.119
- [Hilary] Well there's a thriller...

00:35:19.121 --> 00:35:19.959
- [Dan] Bank job.

00:35:19.961 --> 00:35:21.799
- ...called "The Bank Job" from 2015

00:35:21.801 --> 00:35:23.879
or something with, Jason Statham--

00:35:23.881 --> 00:35:24.919
- I was gonna say that,

00:35:24.921 --> 00:35:27.079
it's bound to have
Jason Statham in it.

00:35:27.081 --> 00:35:29.279
(blissful funk music)

00:35:29.281 --> 00:35:31.559
- [Phil] So, we'll start with--

00:35:31.561 --> 00:35:32.560
- [All] Ooooh!

00:35:33.640 --> 00:35:34.479
- [Dan] Oh my God.

00:35:34.481 --> 00:35:35.439
- Oh it's good.
- [Dan] Look at Tracey.

00:35:35.441 --> 00:35:36.599
- And then all the little kids.

00:35:36.601 --> 00:35:38.399
- [Phil] And then so we're
moving on to the next note,

00:35:38.401 --> 00:35:39.799
which is the Steve.

00:35:39.801 --> 00:35:41.519
- [Dan] Wow, that's so cool.

00:35:41.521 --> 00:35:43.999
- It's very much about sports, games,

00:35:44.001 --> 00:35:46.480
activities for younger people.

00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:53.680
(hammer and chisel tapping)

00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:07.759
- We are smashing up the bank.

00:36:07.761 --> 00:36:09.199
Taking out all the crap

00:36:09.201 --> 00:36:10.879
that's been layered in over the years

00:36:10.881 --> 00:36:14.279
when it was a Midland
Bank and a co-op bank.

00:36:14.281 --> 00:36:16.879
I think this was from Midland Bank

00:36:16.881 --> 00:36:19.079
and it's, like, got the
security procedures

00:36:19.081 --> 00:36:21.199
for people coming to
pick up the money.

00:36:21.201 --> 00:36:22.679
(ceiling panel clanking)

00:36:22.681 --> 00:36:25.680
(spray can hissing)

00:36:25.710 --> 00:36:27.920
(traffic noise and sirens)

00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:30.919
Now it feels like there's
something happening.

00:36:30.921 --> 00:36:34.560
(blissful funk music)

00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:38.039
We're recruiting a team
of local people

00:36:38.041 --> 00:36:40.159
to work in this bank
printing the money,

00:36:40.161 --> 00:36:42.479
being trained in the
print techniques needed,

00:36:42.481 --> 00:36:45.079
and then working to the
challenge of producing

00:36:45.081 --> 00:36:50.080
all of these bank notes to our
HSCB Hoe Street Central Bank.

00:36:50.640 --> 00:36:53.159
- So this is just to
make sure you can line up

00:36:53.161 --> 00:36:54.319
your first bit of paper.

00:36:54.321 --> 00:36:56.879
When it comes to the first
day you're printing here,

00:36:56.881 --> 00:36:58.999
I'll be here we'll go
through all that.

00:36:59.001 --> 00:37:00.359
Today just, like,

00:37:00.361 --> 00:37:04.559
get used to the action.
(imitating printing machine)

00:37:04.561 --> 00:37:05.720
Good pressure.

00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:10.999
Bang it off, get all
that ink off the squeegee

00:37:11.001 --> 00:37:12.199
back onto the screen.

00:37:12.201 --> 00:37:14.959
And that is a very, very good job.

00:37:14.961 --> 00:37:17.599
- [Dan] Well, wow, what
have you made there?

00:37:17.601 --> 00:37:18.959
- We made some money.

00:37:18.961 --> 00:37:20.159
- [Dan] Give us a look.

00:37:20.161 --> 00:37:20.999
- [Woman] They won't be black.

00:37:21.001 --> 00:37:22.719
- They won't be black.
- [Spike] They won't be black.

00:37:22.721 --> 00:37:25.319
(squeegee squeaking)

00:37:25.321 --> 00:37:27.839
- [Dan] How do you feel, Farah,
disappointed or happy?

00:37:27.841 --> 00:37:28.919
- My first one was better.

00:37:28.921 --> 00:37:29.719
- [Dan] Was it?

00:37:29.721 --> 00:37:31.879
(all laughing)

00:37:31.881 --> 00:37:33.799
- There's enough people
who know how to do things.

00:37:33.801 --> 00:37:34.919
We're, like, all learning together.

00:37:34.921 --> 00:37:36.519
And they're like,
"Is there a system in place?"

00:37:36.521 --> 00:37:40.119
I'm like sure, sure, yep,
got the system. (laughs)

00:37:40.121 --> 00:37:43.279
I'm just writing down "system."

00:37:43.281 --> 00:37:45.879
I've been writing down
"system" for quite a few days.

00:37:45.881 --> 00:37:48.960
(lighthearted rock music)

00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:53.999
Well, welcome to your first shifts.

00:37:54.001 --> 00:37:55.799
Now we know Spike is setting up,

00:37:55.801 --> 00:37:57.719
but we're gonna be printing £10 notes.

00:37:57.721 --> 00:38:01.040
So £10 Saira's, £10 Steve's.

00:38:02.120 --> 00:38:04.639
- I don't really do a lot of
screen printing, to be honest.

00:38:04.641 --> 00:38:07.039
I'd never thought I
was very good at it.

00:38:07.041 --> 00:38:09.320
But after doing 168 Gary's,

00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:13.159
I'm feeling much more
proficient. (laughs)

00:38:13.161 --> 00:38:14.279
As a single parent,

00:38:14.281 --> 00:38:16.839
I think economics is
important to understand.

00:38:16.841 --> 00:38:19.879
I've been playing with the
idea of making my own currency

00:38:19.881 --> 00:38:21.479
and having a Farah Fiver.

00:38:21.481 --> 00:38:23.719
There's a whole stereotype
about starving artists

00:38:23.721 --> 00:38:24.879
and what can we do to make money.

00:38:24.881 --> 00:38:26.239
Maybe I can make my own money

00:38:26.241 --> 00:38:27.399
or make a few more cups, you know?

00:38:27.401 --> 00:38:28.679
But then I heard about your project

00:38:28.681 --> 00:38:31.559
and why not get in on
the professional project?

00:38:31.561 --> 00:38:32.599
- [Dan] I'm not saying that, though.

00:38:32.601 --> 00:38:34.039
You mustn't be thinking

00:38:34.041 --> 00:38:35.999
that ours more
professional than yours.

00:38:36.001 --> 00:38:37.359
- Oh no, no, but it's just--

00:38:37.361 --> 00:38:38.199
It's the manpower.

00:38:38.201 --> 00:38:39.479
It's the community spirit of it.

00:38:39.481 --> 00:38:41.119
It's the filmmaking aspect.

00:38:41.121 --> 00:38:43.679
It's the, you know,
Hilary's foundation.

00:38:43.681 --> 00:38:45.159
You know, everything coming together.

00:38:45.161 --> 00:38:47.039
Me making money on my
own in a print room,

00:38:47.041 --> 00:38:48.880
not quite as exciting.

00:38:50.760 --> 00:38:52.599
- I'm really interested in
the economic side of it.

00:38:52.601 --> 00:38:53.679
As a writer, you know,

00:38:53.681 --> 00:38:55.759
I've done a lot of
research on the arts

00:38:55.761 --> 00:38:59.239
and how artists are the
least well-paid members

00:38:59.241 --> 00:39:01.439
of the art world,

00:39:01.441 --> 00:39:04.839
although they're the most
essential part of the art world.

00:39:04.841 --> 00:39:06.559
(printing press clanking)

00:39:06.561 --> 00:39:08.639
And also I have personal
experience of debt.

00:39:08.641 --> 00:39:12.359
I dealt with my parents
losing their home, you know,

00:39:12.361 --> 00:39:15.279
because their mortgage
was, you know, foreclosed.

00:39:15.281 --> 00:39:18.119
When I was there as a
carer for them, you know,

00:39:18.121 --> 00:39:19.639
we were all evicted.

00:39:19.641 --> 00:39:20.959
So yeah, I've been through all that,

00:39:20.961 --> 00:39:23.359
and I know a bit about
how debts get sold on

00:39:23.361 --> 00:39:26.799
and what a nasty predatory
business that is.

00:39:27.321 --> 00:39:28.159
- Thank you everyone

00:39:28.161 --> 00:39:30.479
for coming down to Hoe
Street Central Bank.

00:39:30.481 --> 00:39:32.119
It's amazing that you're all here

00:39:32.121 --> 00:39:33.399
and that we've finally launched it.

00:39:33.401 --> 00:39:36.280
And thank you to everyone
who's made it possible.

00:39:38.560 --> 00:39:40.239
Alison, how much cash
have you got there?

00:39:40.241 --> 00:39:41.839
- I'm up to 185.

00:39:41.841 --> 00:39:44.679
- [Dan] 185, is that from, like,
people buying currency

00:39:44.681 --> 00:39:45.799
or drinks?

00:39:45.801 --> 00:39:47.399
- This is currency.

00:39:47.401 --> 00:39:50.159
- [Dan] Okay, 185 quid
of currency tonight.

00:39:50.161 --> 00:39:51.039
- Yes.

00:39:51.041 --> 00:39:52.559
- [Dan] That's good.

00:39:52.561 --> 00:39:54.999
Yeah, we're on our way then.

00:39:55.001 --> 00:39:57.839
- Well, that includes the float.

00:39:57.841 --> 00:39:58.879
- [Dan] That includes the float.

00:39:58.881 --> 00:39:59.719
- Yeah.

00:39:59.721 --> 00:40:00.559
- [Dan] How much is it?

00:40:00.561 --> 00:40:01.560
- £50.

00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:05.479
- The whole thing's alive now,

00:40:05.481 --> 00:40:08.399
but we need to sell
a lot more currency.

00:40:08.401 --> 00:40:09.359
Don't we, Alison?

00:40:09.361 --> 00:40:10.360
- Yes we do.

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:15.959
I was a primary school
teacher for 33 years,

00:40:15.961 --> 00:40:19.799
and then last summer
I was made redundant.

00:40:19.801 --> 00:40:22.839
Quite a shock and surprise.

00:40:22.841 --> 00:40:26.279
The school that I worked
at is a PFI school,

00:40:26.281 --> 00:40:28.999
which means that every
year quite a big proportion

00:40:29.001 --> 00:40:32.559
of their budget has to
go to the PFI company.

00:40:32.561 --> 00:40:36.400
So, five of us were made
redundant last summer.

00:40:37.600 --> 00:40:40.719
- I spent seven years
of my life in education.

00:40:40.721 --> 00:40:44.519
I've got credit cards,
personal loans, overdrafts.

00:40:44.521 --> 00:40:46.440
I've got student loans.

00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:49.079
So it's quite hard for
young people these days,

00:40:49.081 --> 00:40:51.519
coming out of university

00:40:51.521 --> 00:40:53.439
when they have so much debt.

00:40:53.441 --> 00:40:55.519
I thought it would be
really good to get involved

00:40:55.521 --> 00:40:56.359
with the project.

00:40:56.361 --> 00:41:00.339
I think it's an important
cause for young people today.

00:41:00.641 --> 00:41:01.479
- It's really interesting

00:41:01.481 --> 00:41:04.279
that you are able to set
up your own currency.

00:41:04.281 --> 00:41:06.839
It's not dissimilar to what
happens in the real world.

00:41:06.841 --> 00:41:08.959
It's got a picture
of the Queen on it

00:41:08.961 --> 00:41:10.599
and it says, "I promise to pay."

00:41:10.601 --> 00:41:13.399
People just accept that
that piece of paper

00:41:13.401 --> 00:41:14.919
has got some sort of value.

00:41:14.921 --> 00:41:17.399
So it makes you question
all the established norms

00:41:17.401 --> 00:41:20.239
around how we operate as a society

00:41:20.241 --> 00:41:23.199
and what value we put on things.

00:41:23.201 --> 00:41:24.039
(stamp thudding)

00:41:24.041 --> 00:41:27.179
- ...drop it into this frame,
which we'll just have to chase.

00:41:28.481 --> 00:41:30.359
You lock it in with these coins

00:41:30.361 --> 00:41:32.719
and then Tracey sits
in there like that.

00:41:32.721 --> 00:41:36.679
And then you slip her
in there, carefully.

00:41:36.681 --> 00:41:38.439
- [Dan] Is that quite weird,
Tracey, to be slipped in?

00:41:38.441 --> 00:41:40.359
- Yeah, yeah, sorry, not slip.

00:41:40.361 --> 00:41:42.479
Inser-- no that's not
the right word, either.

00:41:42.481 --> 00:41:44.720
(adults laughing)

00:41:45.560 --> 00:41:48.679
You've got to push this
down all the way.

00:41:48.681 --> 00:41:50.440
Pull your Tracey out.

00:41:51.560 --> 00:41:52.479
And there you have.

00:41:52.481 --> 00:41:55.079
- [Dan] Tracey, is it odd
to be turned into a note?

00:41:55.081 --> 00:41:56.599
- It's really odd.

00:41:56.601 --> 00:41:57.919
I'm getting more used to it

00:41:57.921 --> 00:41:59.959
than I was at the
beginning of the project.

00:41:59.961 --> 00:42:03.399
(indistinct chatter)

00:42:03.401 --> 00:42:04.239
- Ta-da!

00:42:04.241 --> 00:42:05.979
(printing press clanking)

00:42:06.599 --> 00:42:07.740
- It looks like that.

00:42:07.742 --> 00:42:09.999
- Ready, two, one.

00:42:10.001 --> 00:42:11.220
There we go.

00:42:11.520 --> 00:42:13.359
- I'm Louise Duke,
I'm a year two teacher

00:42:13.361 --> 00:42:14.679
at Barn Croft Primary School

00:42:14.681 --> 00:42:18.520
which is recipitant,
hopefully, of some money.

00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:21.039
Really I just heard about the project,

00:42:21.041 --> 00:42:22.839
thought it was a fantastic idea,

00:42:22.841 --> 00:42:24.319
and came down to offer some help.

00:42:24.321 --> 00:42:26.399
So, I decided to help out.

00:42:26.401 --> 00:42:31.400
I had to stay loyal,
I did buy Tracey's. (laughs)

00:42:31.640 --> 00:42:34.359
I've been in debt myself and
I struggled to get out of it.

00:42:34.361 --> 00:42:36.959
And I know how desperate
people can get.

00:42:36.961 --> 00:42:39.119
The fact that someone's
out there trying to help,

00:42:39.121 --> 00:42:41.120
it's a great idea.

00:42:41.240 --> 00:42:43.679
- [Interviewer] But was
it really a great idea?

00:42:43.681 --> 00:42:45.599
Was it thought through?

00:42:45.601 --> 00:42:48.119
Who did you have set up
to actually buy the debt?

00:42:48.121 --> 00:42:51.239
- Let's just say we made a
connection in the Midlands

00:42:51.241 --> 00:42:53.000
to help us with that.

00:42:56.899 --> 00:42:57.839
Hi.

00:42:57.841 --> 00:43:00.039
- [Man] Hi, how you doing?
- Hello, hi, I'm Dan.

00:43:00.041 --> 00:43:00.879
- Hi.

00:43:00.881 --> 00:43:01.719
- Hi, good to meet you.

00:43:01.721 --> 00:43:03.039
- And so what I'm doing is basically

00:43:03.041 --> 00:43:06.079
I'm trying to buy up £1 million
worth of payday debt

00:43:06.081 --> 00:43:07.719
to abolish the debt.

00:43:07.721 --> 00:43:11.839
Heenan, tell us about
debtrescuesolutions.org.

00:43:11.841 --> 00:43:14.639
- What we do is basically help people

00:43:14.641 --> 00:43:19.239
who have been personally
pursued by debt collectors.

00:43:19.241 --> 00:43:20.639
And what we find is

00:43:20.641 --> 00:43:23.839
these people come from
all walks of life.

00:43:23.841 --> 00:43:27.599
Okay, this is a text
message sent to myself,

00:43:27.601 --> 00:43:31.679
helping a person who
had debt problems.

00:43:31.681 --> 00:43:32.799
"Hi, Heenan.

00:43:32.801 --> 00:43:36.639
Thank you for all you and
your team are doing for me.

00:43:36.641 --> 00:43:38.919
I know if I did not have
the support I've got,

00:43:38.921 --> 00:43:42.559
the last letter would have
been responsible for my death.

00:43:42.561 --> 00:43:45.279
I would have most certainly
have ended my life.

00:43:45.281 --> 00:43:47.679
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

00:43:47.681 --> 00:43:49.799
Tomorrow is Mother's Day,
and I was so close

00:43:49.801 --> 00:43:50.999
to not being here.

00:43:51.001 --> 00:43:52.160
God bless you."

00:43:54.720 --> 00:43:57.199
That's the reality of debt.

00:43:57.201 --> 00:43:59.159
We're not gonna abandon these people.

00:43:59.161 --> 00:44:00.079
They need help,

00:44:00.081 --> 00:44:02.279
they need support,
and that's what we do.

00:44:02.281 --> 00:44:06.120
- So Roland, apparently
you are connected to--

00:44:07.520 --> 00:44:08.759
- Well I was connected, yes.

00:44:08.761 --> 00:44:10.319
I've been in the debt marketplace

00:44:10.321 --> 00:44:12.799
for I don't know, probably
like 20 years now, yeah.

00:44:12.801 --> 00:44:14.519
I think the one thing

00:44:14.521 --> 00:44:18.639
that shocked me about it was
I remember seeing a portfolio

00:44:18.641 --> 00:44:21.399
from a bank that I can't
mention the name of, obviously,

00:44:21.401 --> 00:44:23.279
to potentially purchase.

00:44:23.281 --> 00:44:26.159
And there was about £1 million worth

00:44:26.161 --> 00:44:28.320
for sale of deceased debt.

00:44:29.680 --> 00:44:31.519
You know when you say
your debts die with you?

00:44:31.521 --> 00:44:32.959
No, they don't.

00:44:32.961 --> 00:44:34.239
No they don't.

00:44:34.241 --> 00:44:36.759
- And so coming back to just
that very specific question.

00:44:36.761 --> 00:44:38.999
If I was to, like, try and
get the cheapest deal

00:44:39.001 --> 00:44:41.599
for £1 million of payday debt,
what do you reckon...?

00:44:41.601 --> 00:44:42.919
- Well, let me put it this way.

00:44:42.921 --> 00:44:45.399
There is no answer, 'cause it
depends on the type of debt,

00:44:45.401 --> 00:44:47.359
the type of people, how old it is,

00:44:47.361 --> 00:44:50.159
what they paid for it and all
those kinds of-- how much effort

00:44:50.161 --> 00:44:51.639
they put into it, et cetera.

00:44:51.641 --> 00:44:54.159
However, if you put a range of prices

00:44:54.161 --> 00:44:56.439
from below half a p in the pound

00:44:56.441 --> 00:44:58.999
through till maybe two
or three p in the pound,

00:44:59.001 --> 00:45:00.879
if it's been worked to death
and there's lots of people

00:45:00.881 --> 00:45:04.799
that they can't find, or
people that have, you know,

00:45:04.801 --> 00:45:07.199
heavy levels of CCJs already--

00:45:07.201 --> 00:45:09.439
County Court Judgments already--

00:45:09.441 --> 00:45:10.799
So there is a range of prices,

00:45:10.801 --> 00:45:12.239
and you could say to me,

00:45:12.241 --> 00:45:14.199
"I want to pay half a p in the pound,"

00:45:14.201 --> 00:45:16.279
and there'll be somebody with
a part of their portfolio

00:45:16.281 --> 00:45:18.599
that they'd probably be
prepared to sell you for that.

00:45:18.601 --> 00:45:20.999
It's really like that, you know.

00:45:21.001 --> 00:45:23.559
Up to the other side of the scale,

00:45:23.561 --> 00:45:25.799
you would pay a significant proportion

00:45:25.801 --> 00:45:27.719
of the value of the debt
if it was performing.

00:45:27.721 --> 00:45:30.319
They even sell portfolios of debt

00:45:30.321 --> 00:45:31.439
that's already paying off,

00:45:31.441 --> 00:45:33.959
'cause banks just want to
sell new debt, don't they?

00:45:33.961 --> 00:45:35.439
New debt all the time.

00:45:35.441 --> 00:45:38.039
Issue for us is that you're
actually settling debt, aren't you?

00:45:38.041 --> 00:45:38.879
- [Dan] Yeah.

00:45:38.881 --> 00:45:41.279
- So for me it would depend
on how you want to do this.

00:45:41.281 --> 00:45:42.239
How you want to do this.

00:45:42.241 --> 00:45:44.519
But we can arrange for all of that.

00:45:44.521 --> 00:45:45.839
Whatever you want to do, we can--

00:45:45.841 --> 00:45:49.119
I'm sure we can find someone
who will facilitate it.

00:45:49.121 --> 00:45:51.519
But the key thing here
is to understand

00:45:51.521 --> 00:45:53.119
what it is you wanna buy.

00:45:53.121 --> 00:45:55.479
- Oh great, well, thank
you very much everyone

00:45:55.481 --> 00:45:57.839
for, you know, for coming.

00:45:57.841 --> 00:45:58.839
Yeah, I really appreciate it.

00:45:58.841 --> 00:46:00.160
Thanks you, guys.

00:46:04.160 --> 00:46:06.920
(metal ladder creaking)

00:46:15.800 --> 00:46:19.479
- Oh, I don't like it
when he goes up on one leg.

00:46:19.481 --> 00:46:21.560
That's slightly worrying.

00:46:22.720 --> 00:46:24.039
- Really nice sunny day.

00:46:24.041 --> 00:46:28.199
The sun is shining on
the new banking system.

00:46:28.201 --> 00:46:30.119
Well I guess the beauty
of what we've done today

00:46:30.121 --> 00:46:33.120
is that we've made it a work of art.

00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:35.959
You can't miss this now

00:46:35.961 --> 00:46:37.399
as you drive down Hoe Street.

00:46:37.401 --> 00:46:41.400
You can't miss that this
isn't an ordinary bank.

00:46:42.680 --> 00:46:44.239
Not HSBC, is it?

00:46:44.241 --> 00:46:45.560
- It's not HSBC.

00:46:48.960 --> 00:46:50.959
- So Hilary, tell us what
we're doing over here.

00:46:50.961 --> 00:46:52.759
- Well, we're doing a photo

00:46:52.761 --> 00:46:54.079
to really encourage people down here

00:46:54.081 --> 00:46:56.879
in that style of that, well,
a bit cliche style of that,

00:46:56.881 --> 00:46:59.679
"We need you," but we
need you to buy up--

00:46:59.681 --> 00:47:01.799
the community to come to the
bank to buy up the notes

00:47:01.801 --> 00:47:02.639
'cause it's--

00:47:02.641 --> 00:47:05.959
But Dan was on it (coughs)
sorry, as the governor,

00:47:05.961 --> 00:47:06.879
but I'm the governor.

00:47:06.881 --> 00:47:08.479
- [Dan] Own it with a
bit more bravado.

00:47:08.481 --> 00:47:09.319
(laughing)

00:47:09.321 --> 00:47:10.319
- Well, I am the governor.

00:47:10.321 --> 00:47:11.599
- [Dan] Say it with more conviction.

00:47:11.601 --> 00:47:12.959
- I am the governor.

00:47:12.961 --> 00:47:13.799
- [Dan] Go on, one more time.

00:47:13.801 --> 00:47:14.999
- Dan, stop it.

00:47:15.001 --> 00:47:17.720
(plodding instrumental music)

00:47:37.120 --> 00:47:38.599
- I was sitting getting my hair cut

00:47:38.601 --> 00:47:39.839
and they said, "Oh, have you
seen this thing

00:47:39.841 --> 00:47:41.759
my friends are doing?"

00:47:41.761 --> 00:47:42.999
I studied economics,

00:47:43.001 --> 00:47:45.719
so I'm kind of fascinated
by the idea of debt

00:47:45.721 --> 00:47:47.079
and the fiction of money.

00:47:47.081 --> 00:47:49.279
What can we do, what can
we do, what can we do

00:47:49.281 --> 00:47:51.959
that isn't about throwing
bricks through windows?

00:47:51.961 --> 00:47:52.799
- So I need--

00:47:52.801 --> 00:47:53.639
- It's better than throwing
bricks through windows.

00:47:53.641 --> 00:47:55.101
It's throwing bricks through minds.

00:47:56.281 --> 00:47:59.239
Oh, now I'd want to shot
of handing over a Churchill

00:47:59.241 --> 00:48:00.079
for a note.

00:48:00.081 --> 00:48:01.279
There we go.

00:48:01.281 --> 00:48:02.559
(laughing)

00:48:02.561 --> 00:48:04.240
Thank you very much.

00:48:06.160 --> 00:48:07.920
Five Gary's, who knew?

00:48:12.160 --> 00:48:14.360
- Wow, okay, this bank job.

00:48:15.840 --> 00:48:17.839
We've got to sell more money.

00:48:17.841 --> 00:48:18.799
It's no good.

00:48:18.801 --> 00:48:21.479
We've got too much of it,
and we got to sell it.

00:48:21.481 --> 00:48:24.199
We've got to launder this lot.

00:48:24.201 --> 00:48:27.399
It's about teaching people
about how money is made,

00:48:27.401 --> 00:48:29.479
how it's put around the world,

00:48:29.481 --> 00:48:33.059
and how it can translate
into your everyday life.

00:48:34.361 --> 00:48:37.999
- What I'm doing here is
some money laundering.

00:48:38.001 --> 00:48:42.239
It's amazing just the crazy
things you learn. (laughs)

00:48:42.241 --> 00:48:44.599
- So can you just tell
us what your name is

00:48:44.601 --> 00:48:46.159
and what you're doing here?

00:48:46.161 --> 00:48:48.199
- Well I can't tell you
my name, can I Dan?

00:48:48.201 --> 00:48:50.879
That would defeat the
purpose of the disguise.

00:48:50.881 --> 00:48:53.120
(laughing)

00:48:54.120 --> 00:48:55.079
Oh, no!

00:48:55.081 --> 00:48:57.320
(laughing)

00:48:59.080 --> 00:49:02.199
- I've come to collect a £10 Steve

00:49:02.201 --> 00:49:05.399
because my son used to go
to The Soul Project a lot.

00:49:05.401 --> 00:49:06.719
My son's autistic,

00:49:06.721 --> 00:49:09.159
and he used to go there
with a lot of his friends.

00:49:09.161 --> 00:49:12.839
And Steve had this amazing
magic touch with all of them

00:49:12.841 --> 00:49:15.719
and was able to sort of get
them calmly doing activities

00:49:15.721 --> 00:49:17.279
that no one else could do.

00:49:17.281 --> 00:49:18.959
So, it's a fantastic project

00:49:18.961 --> 00:49:22.079
so I really wanted to support it.

00:49:22.081 --> 00:49:23.079
- [Dan] What does it feel like

00:49:23.081 --> 00:49:25.079
to see yourself as a bank note?

00:49:25.081 --> 00:49:26.079
- Oh well, I'll keep on saying,

00:49:26.081 --> 00:49:28.759
I've got something in common
with the Queen now. (laughs)

00:49:28.761 --> 00:49:31.319
I wish I had her money, but... (laughs)

00:49:32.721 --> 00:49:35.039
- Well, it's not surreal
seeing Steve in general.

00:49:35.041 --> 00:49:36.999
(laughing)

00:49:37.001 --> 00:49:38.719
Just with him standing
here in front of me

00:49:38.721 --> 00:49:40.439
and I'm here, like,
trimming out dozens

00:49:40.441 --> 00:49:42.759
and dozens of bank notes
with his face on.

00:49:42.761 --> 00:49:45.879
That's not an experience
you have every day, right.

00:49:45.881 --> 00:49:47.039
- I keep telling her that I'm famous

00:49:47.041 --> 00:49:48.279
and she doesn't believe me.

00:49:48.281 --> 00:49:50.520
(laughing)

00:49:52.240 --> 00:49:53.919
She's like, "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

00:49:53.921 --> 00:49:55.359
I said look, I've got
money named after me

00:49:55.361 --> 00:49:57.159
and she's like-- and then
when I showed it to her

00:49:57.161 --> 00:49:58.639
she was like, "Aaah!"

00:49:58.641 --> 00:50:00.399
- Your dad's more famous
than the Queen, look.

00:50:00.401 --> 00:50:02.919
- Thank you. Look at that.

00:50:02.921 --> 00:50:04.239
That's a 50.

00:50:04.241 --> 00:50:06.020
That's a 50, nifty fifty.

00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:09.119
- [Hilary] I think we're
doing pretty well

00:50:09.121 --> 00:50:10.079
on production, right.

00:50:10.081 --> 00:50:12.719
And we're whizzing through the notes.

00:50:12.721 --> 00:50:14.679
Now we just have to
reach our sales target.

00:50:14.681 --> 00:50:16.039
- [Dan] How much have we sold so far?

00:50:16.041 --> 00:50:19.320
- Probably edging towards £3,000.

00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:23.239
But we've got--

00:50:23.241 --> 00:50:25.919
we're honestly trying
to rake in £40,000.

00:50:25.921 --> 00:50:27.919
So now we've got to work on, like,

00:50:27.921 --> 00:50:29.639
making sure that we
just keep that momentum

00:50:29.641 --> 00:50:30.759
and get marketing.

00:50:30.761 --> 00:50:35.119
And we just need, like, a good
big press article or something

00:50:35.121 --> 00:50:36.839
that really pushes it beyond local,

00:50:36.841 --> 00:50:38.000
but out there.

00:50:43.600 --> 00:50:45.759
- [Interviewer] It
wasn't hard to find you.

00:50:45.761 --> 00:50:47.319
The file was growing.

00:50:47.321 --> 00:50:51.479
Guardian, Financial Times,
BBC One Show, Big Issue,

00:50:51.481 --> 00:50:52.839
New York Times.

00:50:52.841 --> 00:50:55.399
Maybe you just wanted to be famous.

00:50:55.401 --> 00:50:56.599
- It wasn't about us.

00:50:56.601 --> 00:50:58.039
It was about getting
this stuff out there

00:50:58.041 --> 00:50:59.639
into the public imagination.

00:50:59.641 --> 00:51:03.479
85% of politicians don't
know how money is created.

00:51:03.481 --> 00:51:05.439
Imagine that across
the general population.

00:51:05.441 --> 00:51:07.919
This needs to be out there.

00:51:07.921 --> 00:51:10.480
(upbeat synthpop music)

00:51:13.360 --> 00:51:14.599
- ...the activist part of it.

00:51:14.601 --> 00:51:15.599
- [Dan] Oh, good, yeah.

00:51:15.601 --> 00:51:18.005
- [Man] Can we do a one, a
five, a ten, and a twenty?

00:51:20.161 --> 00:51:21.399
- [Dan] It's amazing that
there's a whole queue

00:51:21.401 --> 00:51:23.460
of people waiting to buy money.

00:51:25.040 --> 00:51:26.639
- Can I get a Saira £10 note, please?

00:51:26.641 --> 00:51:28.999
- Yeah, so I'm just gonna
look over here. (laughs)

00:51:29.841 --> 00:51:32.359
- [Dan] What made you come in,
if you don't mind me asking?

00:51:32.361 --> 00:51:33.319
How did you hear about...?

00:51:33.321 --> 00:51:35.879
- Saw it in The Guardian.
And that's it. (laughs)

00:51:36.481 --> 00:51:38.119
- [Dan] How did you guys
hear about it?

00:51:38.121 --> 00:51:39.759
- Read about it in The Guardian.

00:51:39.761 --> 00:51:42.559
- Yeah, I did read about
it in The Guardian.

00:51:42.561 --> 00:51:44.039
And I'm in favor of anything

00:51:44.041 --> 00:51:46.839
that helps deal with local
people's indebtedness.

00:51:46.841 --> 00:51:48.399
- And we traveled quite
a long way, actually,

00:51:48.401 --> 00:51:49.839
from rural Hampshire,
to come up today.

00:51:49.841 --> 00:51:50.679
- [Dan] Really, you're kidding me?

00:51:51.881 --> 00:51:53.159
Well, I think it's
amazing what you're doing,

00:51:53.161 --> 00:51:53.999
which is why we've come, so.

00:51:54.841 --> 00:51:57.399
- [Dan] Yeah, well thank you very much.

00:51:57.401 --> 00:51:58.679
- We're gonna be in a film!

00:51:58.681 --> 00:52:00.639
- I don't think we're gonna
be in a film. (laughs)

00:52:00.641 --> 00:52:01.519
- [Dan] Well, you don't know.

00:52:01.521 --> 00:52:02.359
You don't lose hope.

00:52:02.361 --> 00:52:04.679
This section of the
film is quite important.

00:52:04.681 --> 00:52:06.319
This is the section where,

00:52:06.321 --> 00:52:08.219
like, we've been building
up for this for months.

00:52:08.521 --> 00:52:10.279
Now we're selling the money,
and people are coming

00:52:10.281 --> 00:52:11.101
from rural Hampshire to buy it.

00:52:11.103 --> 00:52:12.299
- Exactly.

00:52:12.301 --> 00:52:13.399
- [Dan] I might wanna show that.

00:52:13.401 --> 00:52:14.799
That's amazing.

00:52:14.801 --> 00:52:16.799
- And I'm here behalf of
someone in Nairobi.

00:52:16.801 --> 00:52:19.519
- Well, there you go,
even further afield.

00:52:19.921 --> 00:52:21.839
- And my brother says
"Hi" from Oregon.

00:52:21.841 --> 00:52:23.119
- [Hilary] Oh, really?

00:52:23.121 --> 00:52:25.039
- [Dan] As the scene
gets more and more fun

00:52:25.041 --> 00:52:26.959
it's more and more likely
to get into the film.

00:52:26.961 --> 00:52:28.359
- Exactly, exactly. (laughs)

00:52:28.661 --> 00:52:30.799
- It's been so busy today.

00:52:30.801 --> 00:52:32.999
Lots of really great conversations.

00:52:33.481 --> 00:52:36.399
I don't know, really uplifting
I think is the word.

00:52:36.401 --> 00:52:39.119
It's good that the people
that come in get it.

00:52:39.121 --> 00:52:40.119
- It particularly appealed to me

00:52:40.121 --> 00:52:43.001
because we're in a small
market town in Somerset,

00:52:43.003 --> 00:52:46.839
but we have many of the same problems

00:52:46.841 --> 00:52:50.239
A bit smaller, but just
as important, you know.

00:52:50.241 --> 00:52:51.919
We have food banks and, you know,

00:52:51.921 --> 00:52:56.239
people come to our town and
they think it's a lovely town

00:52:56.241 --> 00:53:00.080
and that sort of thing doesn't
apply, but it does.

00:53:01.440 --> 00:53:04.119
- We're all going around
feeling something is wrong,

00:53:04.121 --> 00:53:05.359
but it ends up veering off

00:53:05.361 --> 00:53:08.239
in often potentially quite
reactionary directions.

00:53:08.241 --> 00:53:10.359
And I just think this is
wonderful because it marshals

00:53:10.361 --> 00:53:11.679
that sense of unease

00:53:11.681 --> 00:53:14.879
and turns it into a direction
of building community.

00:53:15.881 --> 00:53:18.959
And I really loved the
way that you're using it

00:53:18.961 --> 00:53:21.439
both to create ties with each other

00:53:21.441 --> 00:53:23.359
and also to cancel debt

00:53:23.361 --> 00:53:27.479
and expose the sheer hypocrisy
of the morality of debt:

00:53:27.481 --> 00:53:29.559
If you don't pay your debts
you're a bad person.

00:53:29.561 --> 00:53:32.079
If you're not working harder
than you'd really like to be

00:53:32.081 --> 00:53:34.319
at something you don't enjoy,
you're a lazy person.

00:53:34.321 --> 00:53:36.399
You don't deserve the
love of your community.

00:53:36.401 --> 00:53:37.319
You shouldn't be bailed out.

00:53:37.321 --> 00:53:39.039
You should starve, drop dead.

00:53:39.041 --> 00:53:41.279
I mean, people actually do believe that.

00:53:41.281 --> 00:53:43.079
The morality of work
and the morality of debt

00:53:43.081 --> 00:53:44.239
I think are the major things

00:53:44.241 --> 00:53:45.839
that are holding the system together.

00:53:45.841 --> 00:53:47.559
And if we could do
something to undermine that,

00:53:47.561 --> 00:53:49.679
I think the whole thing will
just start falling apart

00:53:49.681 --> 00:53:51.479
and we'll be forced to
actually figure out

00:53:51.481 --> 00:53:53.360
a more reasonable way to live.

00:53:58.560 --> 00:54:02.039
- Hil, can you tell me
where we are in time now?

00:54:02.041 --> 00:54:05.439
- Saturday, the 24th of March.
Had to bring the cash home

00:54:05.441 --> 00:54:07.679
'cause there's nowhere
in the bank to put it in.

00:54:07.681 --> 00:54:10.199
Never had so much money on the bed.

00:54:10.201 --> 00:54:12.319
But I don't know where we're at now.

00:54:13.321 --> 00:54:14.480
Um, where are we?

00:54:15.480 --> 00:54:17.119
Did we have more online sales today?

00:54:17.121 --> 00:54:19.199
- [Dan] We had £1,500 online today.

00:54:19.201 --> 00:54:20.039
- Today?

00:54:20.041 --> 00:54:20.839
- [Dan] Yeah.

00:54:20.841 --> 00:54:22.079
- How'd you know that was today?

00:54:22.081 --> 00:54:23.679
- [Dan] 'Cause I looked.

00:54:23.681 --> 00:54:25.599
- Well we're really
creeping up, aren't we?

00:54:25.601 --> 00:54:26.599
Well done.

00:54:26.601 --> 00:54:27.719
Did you want to be on the camera?

00:54:27.721 --> 00:54:28.620
'Cause I don't.

00:54:30.521 --> 00:54:31.799
- [Dan] Like to be well done to me.

00:54:31.801 --> 00:54:32.639
It's all you now.

00:54:32.641 --> 00:54:34.599
- It's not, oh, it's all of--

00:54:34.601 --> 00:54:36.039
It's us and it's all the team.
- And it's all me!

00:54:36.041 --> 00:54:38.839
And it's all you! (laughs).

00:54:38.841 --> 00:54:39.679
- Anyway, yeah,

00:54:39.681 --> 00:54:41.559
I was just gonna say look, it's great.

00:54:41.561 --> 00:54:42.719
We've sold, like, I mean,

00:54:42.721 --> 00:54:47.319
I think 12 or £13,000
worth of Gary's, Sarah's,

00:54:47.321 --> 00:54:50.199
Saira's, Steve's and Tracey's.

00:54:50.201 --> 00:54:51.959
So it's a significant,
like, dent in--

00:54:51.961 --> 00:54:53.440
- You are so great.

00:54:54.600 --> 00:54:56.599
- Yeah, a significant dent
in what we need to achieve.

00:54:56.601 --> 00:54:57.439
It's great.

00:54:57.441 --> 00:54:58.959
I'm so happy I--

00:54:58.961 --> 00:55:01.039
You know, we had no idea
that we'd get an article

00:55:01.041 --> 00:55:01.879
in The Guardian.

00:55:01.881 --> 00:55:03.359
It felt, it all felt a little bit--

00:55:03.361 --> 00:55:04.919
- Do I have a nose bleed?

00:55:04.921 --> 00:55:06.039
- You know, we've just done it all

00:55:06.041 --> 00:55:08.009
on a wing and a prayer haven't we?

00:55:08.441 --> 00:55:11.000
(rhythmic garage rock music)

00:55:46.560 --> 00:55:48.119
Listen, Steve, we've been to
the bank this morning.

00:55:48.121 --> 00:55:49.999
To the fantasy bank, I should say.

00:55:50.001 --> 00:55:51.819
We'd like you to just open it up.

00:55:52.721 --> 00:55:53.559
- Wow.

00:55:53.561 --> 00:55:55.199
(Hilary laughs)

00:55:55.201 --> 00:55:56.239
- Loads of money.

00:55:56.241 --> 00:55:58.999
Well this has been a unique
project, a fantastic project.

00:55:59.001 --> 00:56:02.439
And I'm still looking forward
to seeing the big explosion.

00:56:02.441 --> 00:56:04.119
- [Dan] Certainly.

00:56:04.121 --> 00:56:04.959
- I'm gone!

00:56:04.961 --> 00:56:06.639
(all laughing)

00:56:07.641 --> 00:56:08.479
- So Gary.

00:56:08.481 --> 00:56:09.319
- Yes sir.

00:56:09.321 --> 00:56:12.079
- We have come today to give
you your cut from the job.

00:56:12.081 --> 00:56:13.559
- Fabulous, from the job.

00:56:13.561 --> 00:56:15.399
Didn't you bring me balaclava back?

00:56:15.401 --> 00:56:16.439
- [Dan] Oh yeah, we didn't

00:56:16.441 --> 00:56:17.679
We don't need the balaclava anymore.

00:56:17.681 --> 00:56:18.519
We're in the clear, right.

00:56:18.521 --> 00:56:20.119
(imitating drum beating)

00:56:20.121 --> 00:56:20.919
(Hilary laughing)

00:56:20.921 --> 00:56:22.319
- Oh my gosh, look at this.

00:56:22.321 --> 00:56:24.319
- [Dan] These were
the Gary's, in effect.

00:56:24.321 --> 00:56:26.359
They've been unfortunately changed

00:56:26.361 --> 00:56:30.440
for something lesser
but more widely acceptable.

00:56:35.520 --> 00:56:37.559
- Bank job done, yeah?

00:56:37.561 --> 00:56:39.399
- How are you?
- Good to see you.

00:56:39.401 --> 00:56:40.319
(audience applauding)

00:56:43.921 --> 00:56:45.719
- [Dan] Just to say it's been
such a great pleasure

00:56:45.721 --> 00:56:47.639
to work with this wonderful family

00:56:47.641 --> 00:56:50.239
and this amazing organization.

00:56:50.241 --> 00:56:52.639
- On behalf of all of us from PL84U,

00:56:52.641 --> 00:56:54.999
thank you, Al-Suffa, thank you.

00:56:55.001 --> 00:56:56.159
Thank you so much.

00:56:56.161 --> 00:56:57.640
- Yeah, thank you guys.

00:56:59.680 --> 00:57:01.279
I'm happy to be at the point

00:57:01.281 --> 00:57:04.039
where we're actually
delivering cash to people.

00:57:04.041 --> 00:57:06.479
There was no certainty at all
on this journey, was there?

00:57:06.481 --> 00:57:08.519
You know, it could have
really flopped on its face.

00:57:08.521 --> 00:57:10.119
(door buzzing)

00:57:10.121 --> 00:57:11.679
They knew we were coming.

00:57:11.681 --> 00:57:16.119
Fingers crossed, the lawyer
has been ringing me today,

00:57:16.121 --> 00:57:18.479
or tried to, wanted to chat.

00:57:18.481 --> 00:57:19.319
- Oh, no.

00:57:19.321 --> 00:57:22.199
- He's trying to-- like,
that deal on the debt

00:57:22.201 --> 00:57:24.599
is supposed to be done today.

00:57:24.601 --> 00:57:25.439
- Oh, cool.

00:57:25.441 --> 00:57:26.479
- He knows what we want.

00:57:26.481 --> 00:57:27.799
I don't know if he's got it or not.

00:57:27.801 --> 00:57:29.159
We have to check.

00:57:29.161 --> 00:57:31.199
Now it's just the explosion.

00:57:31.201 --> 00:57:33.039
Where have you been hiding
this by the way, gov?

00:57:33.041 --> 00:57:34.719
- Behind the sofa.

00:57:34.721 --> 00:57:37.139
- Ah, 'cause I've been
wondering where it was.

00:57:37.641 --> 00:57:38.479
Shall we do it then?

00:57:38.481 --> 00:57:40.440
- Yeah, let's go to assembly.

00:57:41.840 --> 00:57:46.239
- So today we've got
Dan and Hilary are here

00:57:46.241 --> 00:57:48.439
to give us the money.

00:57:48.841 --> 00:57:49.640
I know.

00:57:53.640 --> 00:57:54.480
Wow!

00:57:55.680 --> 00:57:59.999
(children exclaiming loudly)

00:58:00.001 --> 00:58:04.159
If that's exciting,
what are they gonna do now?

00:58:04.161 --> 00:58:05.799
- That's £5,000.
- That's--

00:58:05.801 --> 00:58:06.879
(children screaming)

00:58:06.881 --> 00:58:09.160
(laughing)

00:58:11.840 --> 00:58:12.680
Thank you.

00:58:14.160 --> 00:58:15.879
Thank you so much.

00:58:15.881 --> 00:58:16.999
- Thank you, Dan! Cheers.

00:58:17.001 --> 00:58:19.560
(garage rock music)

00:58:35.440 --> 00:58:37.199
- [Interviewer] How lovely.
You gave half the money

00:58:37.201 --> 00:58:38.399
to the local causes.

00:58:38.401 --> 00:58:40.399
That's so nice!

00:58:40.401 --> 00:58:42.639
But this debt write-off,
what were you hoping

00:58:42.641 --> 00:58:46.239
that would achieve beyond just
getting in some newspapers?

00:58:46.241 --> 00:58:49.039
- We told you before we were
inspired by Strike Debt.

00:58:49.041 --> 00:58:53.879
Their actions in America
served to highlight a system

00:58:53.881 --> 00:58:55.919
which was not working for the many

00:58:55.921 --> 00:58:58.719
and which was totally injust.

00:58:58.721 --> 00:58:59.839
It's not a silver bullet.

00:58:59.841 --> 00:59:01.599
It's not gonna solve
absolutely everything.

00:59:01.601 --> 00:59:03.399
But as a part,

00:59:03.401 --> 00:59:05.199
playing a part in a raft of measures

00:59:05.201 --> 00:59:06.719
towards economic justice,

00:59:06.721 --> 00:59:08.880
it could be just the ticket.

00:59:10.600 --> 00:59:12.719
- [Interviewer] That all
sounds a bit radical.

00:59:12.721 --> 00:59:14.439
- Radical, it's been done before.

00:59:14.441 --> 00:59:16.359
In fact, it's even in the Bible,

00:59:16.361 --> 00:59:18.519
this idea of Jubilee.

00:59:18.521 --> 00:59:20.799
Anyway, in the year 2000 Ann Pettifor

00:59:20.801 --> 00:59:22.639
and a bunch of other
amazing campaigners

00:59:22.641 --> 00:59:24.239
had the Drop The Debt campaign,

00:59:24.241 --> 00:59:26.879
which wrote off hundreds
of billions of dollars

00:59:26.881 --> 00:59:29.559
worth of debt from some
of the poorest countries

00:59:29.561 --> 00:59:30.679
in the world.

00:59:30.681 --> 00:59:32.719
Those debts were
illegitimate to begin with,

00:59:32.721 --> 00:59:34.879
and it shows that
these things can be done

00:59:34.881 --> 00:59:38.399
when politicians and some
famous entertainers get together

00:59:38.401 --> 00:59:40.239
and they realize that
there's a big problem.

00:59:40.241 --> 00:59:44.559
So, this is not as outlandish
as you make it sound.

00:59:44.561 --> 00:59:46.799
But what we're really trying
to hook it to is a campaign

00:59:46.801 --> 00:59:48.959
for a national personal debt write-off,

00:59:48.961 --> 00:59:51.439
which we believe is absolutely vital

00:59:51.441 --> 00:59:55.519
at this time of huge
over-indebtedness in Britain.

00:59:55.521 --> 00:59:56.679
Listen to Johnna Montgomerie,

00:59:56.681 --> 01:00:00.239
she says it way better than I do.

01:00:00.241 --> 01:00:02.999
- So how we solve this
problem is by targeting

01:00:03.001 --> 01:00:05.279
the most toxic and troublesome debts

01:00:05.281 --> 01:00:07.199
within that massive mountain,

01:00:07.201 --> 01:00:08.759
the ones that are actually causing

01:00:08.761 --> 01:00:10.599
negative economic effects.

01:00:10.601 --> 01:00:12.079
How I propose that we do that

01:00:12.081 --> 01:00:15.199
is through a comprehensive
package of debt abolition.

01:00:15.201 --> 01:00:18.879
So, you can still
be free, as a lender,

01:00:18.881 --> 01:00:21.679
to sell your debts on to
debt collection agencies.

01:00:21.681 --> 01:00:22.599
But when you do that,

01:00:22.601 --> 01:00:25.679
you will no longer be
allowed to write-off

01:00:25.681 --> 01:00:29.639
your non-performing
loans against your taxes.

01:00:29.641 --> 01:00:32.839
If you want a tax write-off
the debt has to be canceled.

01:00:32.841 --> 01:00:34.159
The other debts that can be canceled,

01:00:34.161 --> 01:00:36.199
student debt, I think,
is really important.

01:00:36.201 --> 01:00:39.719
I think any debts
originated before 2008

01:00:39.721 --> 01:00:41.519
should be liable for cancellation,

01:00:41.521 --> 01:00:42.359
because these are debts

01:00:42.361 --> 01:00:44.319
the banks have long been
bailed out for.

01:00:44.321 --> 01:00:47.479
These are all ways in which
we can use all the mechanisms

01:00:47.481 --> 01:00:50.519
that finance has at its disposal.

01:00:50.521 --> 01:00:53.959
You might not have any debt, right?

01:00:53.961 --> 01:00:56.239
You might think of it
as everyone else's problem.

01:00:56.241 --> 01:00:58.079
But debt is a bit like air pollution.

01:00:58.081 --> 01:00:59.799
You might not drive a diesel car,

01:00:59.801 --> 01:01:00.759
but you sure as heck breathe

01:01:00.761 --> 01:01:03.159
the air full of diesel particulates.

01:01:03.161 --> 01:01:04.719
And you may not have debt,

01:01:04.721 --> 01:01:06.199
but you live in a debt economy

01:01:06.201 --> 01:01:08.599
that is wholly dependent
on other people's debt.

01:01:08.601 --> 01:01:10.879
And the minute those people
cannot take out any more debt

01:01:10.881 --> 01:01:12.199
or cannot service their loans,

01:01:12.201 --> 01:01:15.119
you're stuck in the same
financial crisis they are.

01:01:15.121 --> 01:01:16.999
This is not about poor relief.

01:01:17.001 --> 01:01:19.419
Debt relief benefits everyone.

01:01:19.721 --> 01:01:20.799
- [Dan] Oh yeah, there we go.

01:01:20.801 --> 01:01:22.079
Okay, I'm on now.

01:01:22.081 --> 01:01:24.159
Okay, can we go there?

01:01:24.161 --> 01:01:26.759
I just want to tell you something.

01:01:26.761 --> 01:01:27.999
- What are you telling me?

01:01:28.001 --> 01:01:29.120
- [Dan] Look, just sit on
the side of the table.

01:01:32.920 --> 01:01:34.839
Just basically wanted
to read this to you

01:01:34.841 --> 01:01:36.159
that I've just got.

01:01:36.161 --> 01:01:37.439
- Oh what, you've just got some news?

01:01:37.441 --> 01:01:38.800
- Yeah, he said--

01:01:39.680 --> 01:01:41.159
- He who?
- [Dan] This is Roland,

01:01:41.161 --> 01:01:42.400
the debt buyer.

01:01:43.320 --> 01:01:45.159
- I don't, was it...?
- [Dan] Lawyer.

01:01:45.161 --> 01:01:47.039
Well, basically what he said is that

01:01:47.041 --> 01:01:49.279
he's been awaiting the final
contract agreement signature

01:01:49.281 --> 01:01:51.079
which should have been
emailed to him yesterday

01:01:51.081 --> 01:01:51.999
at four o'clock.

01:01:52.001 --> 01:01:53.639
"We have now in the last hour

01:01:53.641 --> 01:01:55.599
received the electronic version.

01:01:55.601 --> 01:01:57.239
So we're complete," he says.

01:01:57.241 --> 01:01:58.159
- Oh my God, I thought
you were gonna tell me

01:01:58.161 --> 01:01:59.599
something had gone
terribly wrong with it.

01:01:59.601 --> 01:02:00.409
That would just be hideous.

01:02:00.411 --> 01:02:01.359
- [Dan] "I'm free between
5 and 6 tonight

01:02:01.361 --> 01:02:02.959
or tomorrow after 10," he said.

01:02:03.161 --> 01:02:07.680
So, that means that we should
have got the full...

01:02:08.100 --> 01:02:09.400
He's paid off the debt.

01:02:10.720 --> 01:02:11.919
- Roland, hi.

01:02:11.921 --> 01:02:13.039
- How are you?
- Yeah, good to see you.

01:02:13.041 --> 01:02:13.919
And how are you?

01:02:13.921 --> 01:02:14.719
- Very well, thank you.

01:02:14.721 --> 01:02:16.239
I'm okay, thanks.
Bit chilly out there.

01:02:16.241 --> 01:02:18.439
- So this is where we've
been printing out cash

01:02:18.441 --> 01:02:21.239
and, you know, this is
where we got all the money

01:02:21.241 --> 01:02:22.799
to send over to you for the...

01:02:22.801 --> 01:02:23.999
- Absolutely fantastic.

01:02:24.001 --> 01:02:25.359
- ...for the brokerage
of the debt deal.

01:02:25.361 --> 01:02:26.479
- Brokerage, yeah.

01:02:26.481 --> 01:02:30.239
- But this is the main
kind of governor's office.

01:02:31.081 --> 01:02:31.999
- Thank you so much
for coming, it's so--

01:02:32.001 --> 01:02:32.839
- My pleasure.

01:02:32.841 --> 01:02:33.839
- We're so excited about it.

01:02:33.841 --> 01:02:34.679
- My pleasure.

01:02:34.681 --> 01:02:37.159
- This is kind of like the
culmination of, like, months

01:02:37.161 --> 01:02:40.399
and months and years of hard work.

01:02:40.401 --> 01:02:41.799
And that was just on your part.

01:02:41.801 --> 01:02:43.839
(laughing)

01:02:43.841 --> 01:02:45.199
So what we need to find out

01:02:45.201 --> 01:02:47.359
is how we're gonna go about today,

01:02:47.361 --> 01:02:48.639
'cause I know there are certain rules

01:02:48.641 --> 01:02:50.679
and stuff around what we have to do.

01:02:50.681 --> 01:02:51.959
- We have to write letters to people.

01:02:51.961 --> 01:02:53.799
And once the letter goes out saying

01:02:53.801 --> 01:02:55.799
that the debt has been written
off, it's been written off.

01:02:55.801 --> 01:02:58.359
We'll send those letters
in your nice envelopes.

01:02:58.361 --> 01:02:59.879
The normal envelopes that we'd use

01:02:59.881 --> 01:03:01.479
would be white windowed

01:03:01.481 --> 01:03:04.239
which, you know, smell of
officialdom, don't they?

01:03:04.241 --> 01:03:05.079
They reek of it.

01:03:05.081 --> 01:03:06.959
- The smell of repression.

01:03:06.961 --> 01:03:08.399
- Yeah it's just, like, brown envelopes

01:03:08.401 --> 01:03:10.799
with, you know,
with stamps across the top.

01:03:10.801 --> 01:03:11.639
- Okay, cool, so--

01:03:11.641 --> 01:03:13.479
- So you just choose
how you want to do it.

01:03:13.481 --> 01:03:17.399
- So we have some issues
around the wording.

01:03:17.401 --> 01:03:18.839
Hilary and I can't find out

01:03:18.841 --> 01:03:21.239
whose debt we're writing off even--

01:03:21.241 --> 01:03:24.639
- No, not unless they give you
permission to talk to them.

01:03:24.641 --> 01:03:26.479
You don't have a
consumer credit license.

01:03:26.481 --> 01:03:29.639
- "Dear mmm, we have just paid
off one of your debts. Why?

01:03:29.641 --> 01:03:32.159
We're in the process of
canceling £1.2 million

01:03:32.161 --> 01:03:34.279
worth of high-interest
debt in Walthamstow

01:03:34.281 --> 01:03:35.999
and the immediate area
in northeast London.

01:03:36.001 --> 01:03:37.239
Your debt was one of them.

01:03:37.241 --> 01:03:39.679
This is part of a project in
Walthamstow called Bank Job.

01:03:39.681 --> 01:03:41.919
Don't worry, we don't have
any of the detail of the debt.

01:03:41.921 --> 01:03:44.319
All we know is you owed some
money and we've paid it off.

01:03:44.321 --> 01:03:45.959
If you want any more
details about the debt,

01:03:45.961 --> 01:03:47.079
contact Roland Roberts.

01:03:47.081 --> 01:03:48.399
For more information on our project

01:03:48.401 --> 01:03:50.799
and why we have done this,
see the website."

01:03:50.801 --> 01:03:51.639
- You want me to put mine
just down here, yeah?

01:03:53.521 --> 01:03:54.359
- So Roland,

01:03:54.361 --> 01:03:56.519
how do you feel about
finally getting to the point

01:03:56.521 --> 01:03:57.559
where we're writing a letter?

01:03:57.561 --> 01:04:01.639
- Well on two basis,
on the fact that it's been

01:04:01.641 --> 01:04:03.399
a long and painful birth,

01:04:03.401 --> 01:04:06.359
I'm delighted that we've
got to this stage now

01:04:06.361 --> 01:04:08.359
because it means we're
actually doing the things

01:04:08.361 --> 01:04:09.879
that we've been planning to do.

01:04:09.881 --> 01:04:13.439
And from a purely
sort of looking at it

01:04:13.441 --> 01:04:14.959
from the side of the people

01:04:14.961 --> 01:04:16.959
that we're gonna be
writing these letters to,

01:04:16.961 --> 01:04:19.719
I'm delighted that we're
gonna start to make an impact

01:04:19.721 --> 01:04:21.079
on their lives.

01:04:21.081 --> 01:04:23.559
From the one side,
it's very easy to moralize.

01:04:23.561 --> 01:04:24.759
"Did you know what you were doing?

01:04:24.761 --> 01:04:25.559
Did you borrow the money?"

01:04:25.561 --> 01:04:26.399
Yes, you did?

01:04:26.401 --> 01:04:27.759
Well, you should pay it back."

01:04:27.761 --> 01:04:28.999
Whereas at the top what we see

01:04:29.001 --> 01:04:32.039
is people who are
renegotiating their tax bills,

01:04:32.041 --> 01:04:33.919
corporations renegotiating tax bills

01:04:33.921 --> 01:04:35.839
and negotiating hundreds
of millions of pounds

01:04:35.841 --> 01:04:38.199
for discounts that
they never have to pay.

01:04:38.201 --> 01:04:39.479
They never have to pay,

01:04:39.481 --> 01:04:41.719
even though they employ
thousands of people in the UK.

01:04:41.721 --> 01:04:43.879
Whereas people at the
other end of the scale

01:04:43.881 --> 01:04:46.239
are losing the control
over their lives

01:04:46.241 --> 01:04:49.479
because they have to borrow to exist.

01:04:49.481 --> 01:04:52.599
And when they borrow to exist,
because they have no voice,

01:04:52.601 --> 01:04:53.959
they have no control.

01:04:53.961 --> 01:04:56.519
- Within that system and
within the rules of the game

01:04:56.521 --> 01:04:59.199
that they've-- that they're playing,

01:04:59.201 --> 01:05:00.599
they just can't win you know.

01:05:00.601 --> 01:05:02.159
And that's what--
- Well, they can't.

01:05:02.161 --> 01:05:03.159
And actually, I thought,

01:05:03.161 --> 01:05:04.559
I'm glad I don't do that anymore

01:05:04.561 --> 01:05:05.919
because I can no longer really

01:05:05.921 --> 01:05:08.679
live with that kind of world view.

01:05:08.681 --> 01:05:12.399
- So basically you moved away
from the debt-buying world

01:05:12.401 --> 01:05:14.839
that you'd been inhabiting previously

01:05:14.841 --> 01:05:16.759
and you just, you sort of basically,

01:05:16.761 --> 01:05:20.359
just wanted to get stuck
in and do something

01:05:20.361 --> 01:05:22.039
to raise awareness.

01:05:22.041 --> 01:05:23.119
- Raise awareness,

01:05:23.121 --> 01:05:25.159
and I suppose in a kind
of a subconscious way

01:05:25.161 --> 01:05:28.879
make a little bit of amends
I suppose, really, you know.

01:05:28.881 --> 01:05:30.399
If I'm perfectly honest.

01:05:30.401 --> 01:05:31.719
- No but that's good.
- You know what I mean.

01:05:31.721 --> 01:05:33.479
- It's interesting to hear
what motivated you.

01:05:33.481 --> 01:05:35.679
So a little bit of guilt, maybe.

01:05:35.681 --> 01:05:37.279
- Oh yeah, absolutely.

01:05:38.121 --> 01:05:40.439
- Okay, so I have done all of these.

01:05:40.441 --> 01:05:42.079
I've addressed them all,

01:05:42.081 --> 01:05:43.799
I've personalized the letters,

01:05:43.801 --> 01:05:44.999
I've double-checked them.

01:05:45.001 --> 01:05:46.799
There are no amounts in
there or anything like that.

01:05:46.801 --> 01:05:47.919
There's just the address on the front

01:05:47.921 --> 01:05:49.799
and the name of the person
in the inside of the letter.

01:05:49.801 --> 01:05:51.999
- I'm not allowed to know who they are

01:05:52.001 --> 01:05:54.399
because we don't
actually own the debt.

01:05:54.401 --> 01:05:56.239
We're paying the debt
people to write it off.

01:05:56.241 --> 01:05:57.679
Can I-- am I allowed to touch it?

01:05:57.681 --> 01:05:58.559
- Of course you can touch it.

01:05:58.561 --> 01:05:59.679
(laughing)

01:05:59.681 --> 01:06:01.199
You can hold it.

01:06:01.201 --> 01:06:03.919
- It's amazing because I've
been dreaming of this moment

01:06:03.921 --> 01:06:06.199
of, like, sending out the letters

01:06:06.201 --> 01:06:09.319
ever since first meeting
Strike Debt in, like, 2014.

01:06:09.321 --> 01:06:12.079
So it's a good five years of work.

01:06:12.081 --> 01:06:14.039
I don't feel any emotion at all

01:06:14.041 --> 01:06:15.399
apart from happy.

01:06:15.401 --> 01:06:17.359
- Yeah, there you go, ready?

01:06:17.361 --> 01:06:18.959
- Let me do it, let me do it.

01:06:18.961 --> 01:06:20.239
You can do one.

01:06:20.241 --> 01:06:21.439
- No, you do them all.

01:06:21.441 --> 01:06:23.401
- All right, I won't look, I promise.

01:06:25.640 --> 01:06:27.359
Okay, please arrive.

01:06:27.361 --> 01:06:28.560
Please arrive!

01:06:32.320 --> 01:06:34.719
Ann, thank you for coming to the bank.

01:06:34.721 --> 01:06:35.759
Thrilled to have you here

01:06:35.761 --> 01:06:40.159
because you've been such an
inspiration to a movement

01:06:40.161 --> 01:06:41.919
of which you know, we're now...

01:06:41.921 --> 01:06:42.919
- A part.
- ...a part, yeah.

01:06:42.921 --> 01:06:45.399
Just fascinated by your work.

01:06:45.401 --> 01:06:46.359
- So Dan, let me tell you

01:06:46.361 --> 01:06:48.519
the story of the
Jubilee Debt Campaign.

01:06:48.521 --> 01:06:50.719
You know, we explained to people

01:06:50.721 --> 01:06:53.999
how the international
financial architecture works

01:06:54.001 --> 01:06:59.000
and about the nature of
international credit and debt.

01:06:59.240 --> 01:07:00.159
And as a result,

01:07:00.161 --> 01:07:02.799
people were writing very
well-informed letters

01:07:02.801 --> 01:07:04.959
to the Treasury demanding
the cancellation

01:07:04.961 --> 01:07:08.039
on pink paper with little
bunches of roses in the corner.

01:07:08.041 --> 01:07:10.399
The chancellor was shocked by this.

01:07:10.401 --> 01:07:11.719
He had to hire extra people

01:07:11.721 --> 01:07:13.519
to deal with that correspondence.

01:07:13.521 --> 01:07:16.079
And a civil servant
came to me and said,

01:07:16.081 --> 01:07:18.360
"Where the hell are they
finding out all about this?

01:07:19.200 --> 01:07:21.479
How do they know about
Uganda's cutoff date,"

01:07:21.481 --> 01:07:24.239
or whatever complicated
point they were dealing with.

01:07:24.241 --> 01:07:25.959
And we said, "Well, we explained it,

01:07:25.961 --> 01:07:27.559
and it's not rocket science."

01:07:27.561 --> 01:07:31.439
And I want to applaud you
for doing the same thing

01:07:31.441 --> 01:07:33.519
because this is not rocket science.

01:07:33.521 --> 01:07:34.559
We can get it.

01:07:34.561 --> 01:07:37.279
And once people get it,
boy are they mad

01:07:37.281 --> 01:07:39.059
and do they act.

01:07:39.361 --> 01:07:42.959
(van engine revving)

01:07:42.961 --> 01:07:44.119
- We're getting hold of a van

01:07:44.121 --> 01:07:46.599
and customizing it as
our "Debt in Transit" van.

01:07:46.601 --> 01:07:48.239
We're packing it full of the papers

01:07:48.241 --> 01:07:50.279
of the £1 million of local payday debt

01:07:50.281 --> 01:07:52.999
that we're buying up and...destroying,

01:07:53.001 --> 01:07:55.519
and quite literally exploding this

01:07:55.521 --> 01:07:56.959
with a vista of Docklands

01:07:56.961 --> 01:07:58.679
and Canary Wharf in the background.

01:07:58.681 --> 01:08:00.079
(explosion and loud booming)

01:08:00.081 --> 01:08:01.960
It's called Big Bang 2.

01:08:03.920 --> 01:08:05.679
(imitating explosion booming)

01:08:05.681 --> 01:08:07.120
- (laughing) Stop it.

01:08:09.040 --> 01:08:11.919
- [Interviewer] So, what made
you do an explosion

01:08:11.921 --> 01:08:14.319
and call it Big Bang 2?

01:08:14.321 --> 01:08:15.599
Have you done this before?

01:08:15.601 --> 01:08:19.039
- No, we haven't done
an explosion before,

01:08:19.041 --> 01:08:20.879
but there has been a Big Bang.

01:08:20.881 --> 01:08:21.999
Not the beginning of the universe,

01:08:22.001 --> 01:08:24.399
but in the '80s Big Bang

01:08:24.401 --> 01:08:28.279
was the deregulation of the
finance system in London

01:08:28.281 --> 01:08:30.559
under Thatcher and a
Conservative government.

01:08:30.561 --> 01:08:32.679
The '70s and '80s

01:08:32.681 --> 01:08:35.039
marked the beginning
of a kind of period

01:08:35.041 --> 01:08:38.639
when the power of finance over
all our lives grew and grew,

01:08:38.641 --> 01:08:43.119
and it's what people would
call Neo-Liberalism began.

01:08:43.121 --> 01:08:45.839
- [Interviewer] Ah yes, Neo-Liberalism.

01:08:45.841 --> 01:08:47.939
A catch-all phrase meaning nothing.

01:08:48.641 --> 01:08:52.079
- Oh, well, I have some sympathy
with what you've said there.

01:08:52.081 --> 01:08:54.559
But actually it does mean something.

01:08:54.561 --> 01:08:55.639
It's an ideology.

01:08:55.641 --> 01:08:59.039
It puts the market above people,
celebrates free trade,

01:08:59.041 --> 01:09:01.119
cut any kind of bureaucracy.

01:09:01.121 --> 01:09:06.120
And it also allows creditors
to dominate the marketplace

01:09:06.160 --> 01:09:09.399
and strips back wherever
possible the welfare systems.

01:09:09.401 --> 01:09:11.599
It's mass personal
indebtedness for the many

01:09:11.601 --> 01:09:13.959
and huge riches for the minority.

01:09:13.961 --> 01:09:18.480
- Okay, okay but seriously,
Canary Wharf, City Airport?

01:09:19.760 --> 01:09:22.719
Why on earth did you have
to do your explosion there?

01:09:22.721 --> 01:09:24.719
Weren't you just asking for trouble?

01:09:24.721 --> 01:09:27.319
- Yeah, we knew we were
asking for trouble,

01:09:27.321 --> 01:09:30.079
but those towers symbolize
capital accumulation.

01:09:30.081 --> 01:09:31.279
They rose in the '80s,

01:09:31.281 --> 01:09:34.359
they dominate our
skylines and imaginations,

01:09:34.361 --> 01:09:37.399
they embody this global
system that isn't working.

01:09:37.401 --> 01:09:40.399
and our debt explosion
had to be there.

01:09:40.401 --> 01:09:42.679
- [Interviewer] Oh, here we go.

01:09:43.681 --> 01:09:45.559
- It's better than I
thought it was gonna be.

01:09:45.561 --> 01:09:48.320
If we can do it when there's a--

01:09:49.840 --> 01:09:50.919
you know, when they're not flying,

01:09:50.921 --> 01:09:53.179
and it sounds like they
don't fly any Sunday.

01:09:53.881 --> 01:09:55.079
We just move that mill out of the way.

01:09:55.081 --> 01:09:56.119
- Yeah.

01:09:56.321 --> 01:09:57.959
Could you demolish that quickly?

01:09:57.961 --> 01:09:58.799
- We could.

01:09:58.801 --> 01:10:00.079
- Yeah, and the chimney?
- We'd love to.

01:10:00.081 --> 01:10:00.919
We'd love to.

01:10:00.921 --> 01:10:02.839
Oh the chimneys we like, yeah.

01:10:02.841 --> 01:10:04.999
So you know, you've got Barclays.

01:10:05.001 --> 01:10:09.239
So we could--
So here, I don't know if it--

01:10:09.241 --> 01:10:10.119
Okay, the chimneys,

01:10:10.121 --> 01:10:11.199
but you've got HSBC, Barclays...

01:10:11.201 --> 01:10:12.039
- Well, if the van was here maybe we--

01:10:12.041 --> 01:10:13.639
- ...and Citibank.

01:10:13.641 --> 01:10:14.919
Yeah, are you gonna want it

01:10:14.921 --> 01:10:19.958
to look like a...whatever,
you know, bank-style van,

01:10:19.960 --> 01:10:21.519
a money-carrying van or is it...?

01:10:21.521 --> 01:10:25.239
- Well, yes, but our inspiration's
slightly more retro

01:10:25.241 --> 01:10:26.839
than the ones you see them do.

01:10:26.841 --> 01:10:27.879
It's more like "Italian Job."

01:10:27.881 --> 01:10:29.199
So, you know that gold van that they...?

01:10:29.201 --> 01:10:30.679
- [Jez] So you want the--

01:10:30.681 --> 01:10:31.919
- With the grills and the...?

01:10:31.921 --> 01:10:35.239
- Yeah, anything is possible
depending on location

01:10:35.241 --> 01:10:36.560
and requirement.

01:10:38.200 --> 01:10:39.599
- Exciting.

01:10:39.601 --> 01:10:42.719
- If you really wanted to, quote,
"blow the bloody doors off,"

01:10:42.721 --> 01:10:44.400
we can do something.

01:10:55.281 --> 01:10:57.879
- This is the thing from Steven,
from the Met Police.

01:10:57.881 --> 01:10:59.279
"Dan, when this was pitched to me

01:10:59.281 --> 01:11:00.839
it was described as the grand finale

01:11:00.841 --> 01:11:03.119
of your movie 'Big Bang 2.'

01:11:03.121 --> 01:11:04.599
At the moment, this filming is on hold

01:11:04.601 --> 01:11:06.679
until you as a
production fully explain

01:11:06.681 --> 01:11:08.399
what your intentions are.

01:11:08.401 --> 01:11:11.799
The MPS Film Unit work with
commercial filming productions

01:11:11.801 --> 01:11:13.519
who wish to film in London.

01:11:13.521 --> 01:11:16.759
It is not a unit that deals
with planned demonstrations.

01:11:16.761 --> 01:11:19.919
Your website excerpt
below is telling me

01:11:19.921 --> 01:11:21.799
that this is not commercial filming

01:11:21.801 --> 01:11:22.879
but in fact a message.

01:11:22.881 --> 01:11:25.799
Very sorry, but you need
to tell us more, Dan."

01:11:25.801 --> 01:11:27.079
- We could potentially need a lawyer

01:11:27.081 --> 01:11:29.839
because legally they can't
have a leg to stand on.

01:11:29.841 --> 01:11:32.839
If the thing they find
dangerous is not the explosion,

01:11:32.841 --> 01:11:35.959
because they know that
that's all in safe hands,

01:11:35.961 --> 01:11:36.999
it's the message.

01:11:37.001 --> 01:11:38.559
But they can't shut you down

01:11:38.561 --> 01:11:40.899
because your film's got a message.

01:11:41.510 --> 01:11:43.510
(phone beeping)

01:11:44.120 --> 01:11:46.079
- [Jez] Jez Earnshaw, good afternoon.

01:11:46.081 --> 01:11:48.599
- Oh hi Jez, hi it's Dan
from Optimistic Productions.

01:11:48.601 --> 01:11:50.239
- [Jez] Oh hey Dan, how
the devil are you buddy?

01:11:50.241 --> 01:11:52.279
- I'm all right thanks, how are you?

01:11:52.281 --> 01:11:53.119
- [Jez] Yeah, I am.

01:11:53.121 --> 01:11:55.759
I'm just marveling at
the amount of shit

01:11:55.761 --> 01:11:57.399
you are now having to wade through.

01:11:57.401 --> 01:11:59.039
- I don't know if they've done that

01:11:59.041 --> 01:12:01.359
especially just to seem like--

01:12:01.361 --> 01:12:03.279
to make us sort of
find it so difficult

01:12:03.281 --> 01:12:04.719
that we can't organize it.

01:12:04.721 --> 01:12:06.959
Or if-- I just don't know, you know,

01:12:06.961 --> 01:12:08.919
genuinely don't know
if the-- you know,

01:12:08.921 --> 01:12:10.719
the locations company didn't tell us

01:12:10.721 --> 01:12:13.599
about any of these
people to ring before.

01:12:13.601 --> 01:12:16.159
- [Jez] We are being seen off, I think.

01:12:16.161 --> 01:12:19.439
- You know, there's a visualization
that you have to make

01:12:19.441 --> 01:12:21.039
which it all-- which is--

01:12:21.041 --> 01:12:23.719
or a determined decision,

01:12:23.721 --> 01:12:26.399
which is we are going
to do this on the 19th.

01:12:26.401 --> 01:12:29.319
It's not about asking people
for permission and hoping.

01:12:29.321 --> 01:12:32.799
It's actually forcing it into
reality by just doing it.

01:12:32.801 --> 01:12:35.679
(military marching music)

01:12:38.201 --> 01:12:40.759
Yeah, cause we'll have Alec,
van on the side there.

01:12:40.761 --> 01:12:43.239
- This is the site.
We have to know every--

01:12:43.241 --> 01:12:45.599
It's not even like--
You've written a list of people

01:12:45.601 --> 01:12:46.639
that are coming.
- Yeah.

01:12:46.641 --> 01:12:48.679
- Now it's like knowing
exactly where we--

01:12:48.681 --> 01:12:50.999
So, we turn up on six in the morning

01:12:51.001 --> 01:12:53.359
and we go exact--
we put the van exactly

01:12:53.361 --> 01:12:54.479
where it's meant to be,

01:12:54.481 --> 01:12:58.199
and we direct the slow-motion
cameras to their exact places.

01:12:58.201 --> 01:13:00.359
- Like, what I'm noticing
from your plan immediately

01:13:00.361 --> 01:13:01.159
is that the--

01:13:01.161 --> 01:13:02.399
- Yeah, well it's not complete.

01:13:02.401 --> 01:13:04.359
- All these cameras are
massively inside

01:13:04.361 --> 01:13:05.239
the blast fragment area.

01:13:05.241 --> 01:13:06.999
- Yes of course, we're moving them.

01:13:07.841 --> 01:13:10.839
- I thought we are setting
up the fixed cameras

01:13:10.841 --> 01:13:12.559
within the frag area.

01:13:12.561 --> 01:13:13.399
- I didn't know.

01:13:13.401 --> 01:13:14.919
I mean this is why this
is an amazing exercise...

01:13:14.921 --> 01:13:15.879
- This is very good to do this plan.

01:13:15.881 --> 01:13:17.559
- ...beause I always just assumed

01:13:17.561 --> 01:13:19.679
we'd be putting the
cameras outside the blast.

01:13:19.681 --> 01:13:20.519
- [Hilary] This is the--

01:13:20.521 --> 01:13:22.519
- [Dan] Maybe you should
get some blue ones of these.

01:13:22.521 --> 01:13:23.359
- [Hilary] Bobbies.

01:13:23.361 --> 01:13:25.359
- [Dan] Yeah, blue ones.

01:13:25.361 --> 01:13:27.479
But do square blue ones.

01:13:27.481 --> 01:13:28.319
- [Hilary] Yeah, of course.

01:13:28.321 --> 01:13:29.119
And then what color
are the explosives?

01:13:29.121 --> 01:13:29.959
- [Dan] 'Ello, 'ello, 'ello.

01:13:29.961 --> 01:13:30.959
(both laughing)

01:13:30.961 --> 01:13:32.559
Evening, officer.

01:13:32.561 --> 01:13:34.559
'Ello, 'ello, 'ello.

01:13:34.561 --> 01:13:35.799
- So where are you two, then?

01:13:35.801 --> 01:13:38.079
'Cause you're usually
not allowed in that--

01:13:38.081 --> 01:13:39.239
- We will be sheltering.

01:13:39.241 --> 01:13:41.599
You know, we're working
with proper professionals.

01:13:41.601 --> 01:13:43.079
It's not like us going,

01:13:43.081 --> 01:13:44.839
"Do you think that's enough
explosives?" or whatever.

01:13:44.841 --> 01:13:45.959
(laughing)

01:13:45.961 --> 01:13:46.799
- "No, put a bit more in.

01:13:46.801 --> 01:13:49.009
We want this to be
really significant."

01:13:49.481 --> 01:13:52.479
- [Hilary] So yeah, they know
what they're doing.

01:13:52.481 --> 01:13:54.239
So Wednesday we go for a site visit

01:13:54.241 --> 01:13:57.999
and then we see the police
and they say, hopefully,

01:13:58.001 --> 01:14:00.559
"Yes, you can go ahead with your
explosion on the 19th of May."

01:14:00.561 --> 01:14:03.120
(distorted rock music)

01:14:16.880 --> 01:14:18.399
We're going to Norfolk

01:14:18.401 --> 01:14:22.160
to our friends Lucy
and Alec to get the van.

01:14:23.280 --> 01:14:26.279
We'll have to find our
way to their kind of farm

01:14:26.281 --> 01:14:29.839
where the van has
been parked since 2017.

01:14:29.841 --> 01:14:31.839
So it's been, like, sitting
around for a while

01:14:31.841 --> 01:14:35.199
so it can have a fitting send off.

01:14:35.201 --> 01:14:37.199
Has it got any breaks at all?

01:14:37.201 --> 01:14:39.259
- I think somebody nicked
the break lines out of it.

01:14:40.361 --> 01:14:43.519
We'll just stop outside and
wash in the wash bay area.

01:14:43.521 --> 01:14:44.359
- [Hilary] Okay.

01:14:44.361 --> 01:14:45.599
- Okay, so just follow me.

01:14:45.601 --> 01:14:47.439
- [Hilary] What if this
just keeps moving...?

01:14:47.441 --> 01:14:48.959
Like, if it's got no breaks, I can't--

01:14:48.961 --> 01:14:52.040
- Oh, you'll just drive into
the back of me and it'll be fine.

01:15:05.200 --> 01:15:07.519
(metal rattling)

01:15:07.521 --> 01:15:10.040
- Ta-da! Debt in Transit.

01:15:12.440 --> 01:15:15.920
(distorted rock music)

01:16:03.840 --> 01:16:04.799
- [Dan] Look at that.

01:16:04.801 --> 01:16:05.959
Waiting for this
for so long, haven't we?

01:16:05.961 --> 01:16:07.439
How many times have
we visited this site?

01:16:07.441 --> 01:16:08.839
- Well, exactly.

01:16:08.841 --> 01:16:11.119
- Yeah, wow, so this is
what it looks like, huh?

01:16:11.121 --> 01:16:12.239
- [Jez] This is what it looks like.

01:16:12.241 --> 01:16:13.919
What Paul's doing now is
preparing the detonators.

01:16:13.921 --> 01:16:15.679
We're gonna double det it.

01:16:15.681 --> 01:16:18.119
The det will be precariously balanced

01:16:18.121 --> 01:16:20.159
on top of the main charge.

01:16:20.161 --> 01:16:22.279
And then we'll return
back to the safety

01:16:22.281 --> 01:16:23.479
of the firing point.

01:16:23.481 --> 01:16:25.839
And then when everybody's ready,

01:16:25.841 --> 01:16:27.439
we'll press the button and
there'll be a loud bang.

01:16:27.441 --> 01:16:28.279
(laughing)

01:16:28.281 --> 01:16:29.639
- Is everyone's camera
safe and they're--

01:16:29.641 --> 01:16:31.879
- The cameras,
the blast won't harm them.

01:16:31.881 --> 01:16:34.519
And the type of charge we're using,

01:16:34.521 --> 01:16:36.959
you won't-- you shouldn't
get fast movers.

01:16:36.961 --> 01:16:38.079
You can never say never,

01:16:38.081 --> 01:16:40.199
but the cameras should
be absolutely safe.

01:16:40.201 --> 01:16:41.199
- And so you--
- Right, Jez.

01:16:41.201 --> 01:16:42.279
- [Jez] Yes, buddy?

01:16:42.281 --> 01:16:43.119
Good to go.

01:16:43.121 --> 01:16:44.279
So if people would like to...

01:16:44.281 --> 01:16:45.119
- Back up, please.

01:16:45.121 --> 01:16:46.959
- [Jez] ..back away and
we're gonna det up, so.

01:16:46.961 --> 01:16:47.999
- [Dan] When you say "det up,"
what does that mean?

01:16:48.001 --> 01:16:49.559
- [Jez] Put the detonators
into the main charge.

01:16:49.561 --> 01:16:50.719
- [Dan] One final shot.

01:16:50.721 --> 01:16:53.679
- [Jez] If you guys could all
return to the firing point.

01:16:53.681 --> 01:16:56.960
(gentle trumpet solo)

01:17:39.960 --> 01:17:42.280
- Okay, quiet. Everyone ready?

01:17:45.000 --> 01:17:46.120
Three!

01:17:46.280 --> 01:17:47.280
Two!

01:17:48.999 --> 01:17:49.999
One!

01:17:50.640 --> 01:17:51.560
Firing now!

01:17:53.000 --> 01:17:55.840
(explosion booming)
(metal clanking)

01:17:58.480 --> 01:17:59.679
(Hilary laughing)

01:17:59.681 --> 01:18:00.840
- We're alive!

01:18:04.760 --> 01:18:05.719
- I didn't even see that.

01:18:05.721 --> 01:18:06.599
- [Hilary] The door just came off!

01:18:06.601 --> 01:18:07.439
- Let's go and have a look.

01:18:07.441 --> 01:18:08.479
- [Hilary] When the roof came off I--

01:18:08.481 --> 01:18:10.039
- One bit came quite close.

01:18:10.041 --> 01:18:10.999
Look at the roof, it's like--

01:18:11.002 --> 01:18:13.479
kind of like a
tongue over the top of the--

01:18:13.481 --> 01:18:14.639
- Yes, oh my God!

01:18:14.641 --> 01:18:17.679
Did the roof stop the
windscreen coming out?

01:18:17.681 --> 01:18:18.599
- There you go, job done.

01:18:18.601 --> 01:18:19.719
- So we're done, well done.

01:18:19.721 --> 01:18:21.279
Thank you so much, well done guys.

01:18:21.281 --> 01:18:22.239
Really appreciate it.

01:18:22.241 --> 01:18:24.001
Fantastic work.

01:18:24.081 --> 01:18:26.599
- [Alec] Can I see that on the slo-mo?

01:18:26.601 --> 01:18:28.159
- [Jez] That the shot
you were looking for?

01:18:28.161 --> 01:18:29.279
- Yeah.
- Is that the money shot?

01:18:29.281 --> 01:18:30.319
- That is the money shot.

01:18:30.321 --> 01:18:32.159
(laughing)

01:18:32.161 --> 01:18:34.139
- Especially the sort of films
that you watch, Paul, I guess.

01:18:34.441 --> 01:18:35.279
- [Dan] So does this mean

01:18:35.281 --> 01:18:36.119
that we're allowed to now go...

01:18:38.961 --> 01:18:42.040
(explosion booming)

01:18:47.199 --> 01:18:51.199
(explosion booming)
(synthpop music)

01:19:08.240 --> 01:19:10.599
- There's 68 million-odd
people in the UK.

01:19:10.601 --> 01:19:14.639
If everyone gave £10,
that's £618 million,

01:19:14.641 --> 01:19:18.279
If we use that to leverage on
the basis here against debt,

01:19:18.281 --> 01:19:21.959
that's possibly the entire
collective debt of the UK.

01:19:21.961 --> 01:19:23.559
Now I know it's not simple as that,

01:19:23.561 --> 01:19:27.119
but it really does show the
power of collective action.

01:19:27.121 --> 01:19:30.960
Small things, lots of people,
massive result.

01:19:34.200 --> 01:19:37.519
- He's raising awareness of
how you can be stuck in debt

01:19:37.521 --> 01:19:41.359
and how much money is being
made off people being in debt.

01:19:41.361 --> 01:19:42.839
And it's certainly been a project

01:19:42.841 --> 01:19:44.999
that's brought the community together,

01:19:45.001 --> 01:19:47.000
brought people together.

01:19:48.099 --> 01:19:51.090
(synthpop music)
(crosstalk and chatter)

01:19:53.080 --> 01:19:54.999
- It came out in one piece,
so did the windows.

01:19:55.001 --> 01:19:58.359
- Yeah, and we even managed
to blow the bloody doors off!

01:19:58.361 --> 01:20:00.359
(laughing)

01:20:00.361 --> 01:20:01.879
- [Steve] Yeah the roof is just--

01:20:02.721 --> 01:20:04.399
- [Hilary] Yeah 'cause
that would just be

01:20:04.401 --> 01:20:05.799
scraping along the road.

01:20:05.801 --> 01:20:08.399
(Hilary laughing)

01:20:08.401 --> 01:20:09.199
- It's brilliant though.

01:20:09.201 --> 01:20:10.959
- So yeah we've got quite
a big job this week.

01:20:10.961 --> 01:20:12.719
- I heard you talking about this film

01:20:12.721 --> 01:20:14.839
I think probably about
two and a half years.

01:20:14.841 --> 01:20:18.339
I kind of wanna ask you how
it feels to see that, because--

01:20:18.401 --> 01:20:20.879
- Yeah, well for me,
I feel a sense of relief

01:20:20.881 --> 01:20:23.679
and I'm also kind of visually
excited by looking at it.

01:20:23.681 --> 01:20:26.439
You know, I feel like, oh,
God it looks good, you know?

01:20:26.441 --> 01:20:28.439
There's something exciting about it.

01:20:28.641 --> 01:20:29.759
Otherwise...

01:20:31.761 --> 01:20:33.879
- This is a very rare project.

01:20:33.881 --> 01:20:36.039
I don't often get to write
about things like this

01:20:36.041 --> 01:20:38.999
where the artists
themselves are so involved

01:20:39.001 --> 01:20:40.759
in every element of the project.

01:20:40.761 --> 01:20:42.959
It's not a big gallery
getting in contact with me,

01:20:42.961 --> 01:20:45.479
it's people who are literally
caring about this so much

01:20:45.481 --> 01:20:47.639
that they have made
this whole thing happen

01:20:47.641 --> 01:20:48.759
from start to finish.

01:20:48.761 --> 01:20:50.639
This is not common.

01:20:50.641 --> 01:20:51.999
So I really appreciate that,

01:20:52.001 --> 01:20:55.159
and I can see how much they've
really put into the project

01:20:55.161 --> 01:20:57.919
on a social, on an artistic, on a--

01:20:57.921 --> 01:21:01.299
yeah, on all levels it's
possible to be involved in.

01:21:02.001 --> 01:21:03.639
- [Dan] Just feel like we
pulled a job off against--

01:21:03.641 --> 01:21:05.399
- Oh my God, absolutely.

01:21:05.401 --> 01:21:08.759
But I still cannot believe
you've managed to do it here.

01:21:08.761 --> 01:21:10.001
You know, I'm surprised
you all didn't get

01:21:10.003 --> 01:21:12.679
arrested, basically, you know.

01:21:12.681 --> 01:21:14.039
- [Dan] You were the original person,

01:21:14.041 --> 01:21:16.239
like, when no one
believed in this at all,

01:21:16.241 --> 01:21:17.959
who agreed to appear on a bank note

01:21:17.961 --> 01:21:19.839
and then we printed it
out in the shed.

01:21:19.841 --> 01:21:22.759
Well, I feel like, yeah, we've
kind of come through a circle.

01:21:22.761 --> 01:21:24.359
I don't think the story has ended yet.

01:21:24.361 --> 01:21:25.199
- No way.

01:21:25.201 --> 01:21:27.001
Nowhere near.

01:21:28.299 --> 01:21:31.421
(synthpop music)

01:21:33.840 --> 01:21:36.920
(female singers vocalizing)

01:21:51.280 --> 01:21:54.479
- [Reporter] The mystery
virus started in Wuhan.

01:21:54.481 --> 01:21:59.120
Unwelcome but expected,
the Coronavirus has hit the UK.

01:22:00.440 --> 01:22:03.999
- I've always prided myself
on my predictive qualities,

01:22:04.001 --> 01:22:06.479
but I did not predict a pandemic.

01:22:06.481 --> 01:22:08.159
But nevertheless,

01:22:08.161 --> 01:22:09.999
the principle I was arguing was that

01:22:10.001 --> 01:22:13.199
it would take a shuddering
shock to get politicians

01:22:13.201 --> 01:22:15.959
to sit up and think about and change.

01:22:15.961 --> 01:22:18.319
Capitalism can't cope with a crisis.

01:22:18.321 --> 01:22:21.760
That's how pathetic
capitalism is, right.

01:22:23.240 --> 01:22:25.799
- For a while I've felt that
the only way really

01:22:25.801 --> 01:22:28.959
to lift the major sort
of household debt trap

01:22:28.961 --> 01:22:30.199
that is facing this country

01:22:30.201 --> 01:22:32.199
would be through some
form of debt write-off.

01:22:32.201 --> 01:22:33.079
That was just not something

01:22:33.081 --> 01:22:35.399
which was considered
politically acceptable

01:22:35.401 --> 01:22:36.799
up until quite recently.

01:22:36.801 --> 01:22:38.999
But we think now actually is the time

01:22:39.001 --> 01:22:41.520
to make some progress on that.

01:22:42.920 --> 01:22:46.839
The past two months of
government stimulus packages

01:22:46.841 --> 01:22:48.599
have shown all too clearly

01:22:48.601 --> 01:22:51.879
that vast amounts of
money can be conjured up

01:22:51.881 --> 01:22:54.039
when it is deemed necessary.

01:22:54.041 --> 01:22:54.919
And the more and more

01:22:54.921 --> 01:22:57.879
that becomes publicly
accessible to people,

01:22:57.881 --> 01:22:59.399
you know, it's like the wizard of Oz.

01:22:59.401 --> 01:23:01.999
You can see what lies
behind the curtain.

01:23:02.001 --> 01:23:04.759
It's not the banks that
are too big to fail.

01:23:04.761 --> 01:23:08.080
It's the people who
are too big to fail.

01:23:12.899 --> 01:23:16.180
(female singers vocalizing)
(footsteps thudding)

01:23:24.280 --> 01:23:25.200
- Dan! Dan.

01:23:26.720 --> 01:23:27.519
- Oh yeah?

01:23:27.521 --> 01:23:28.679
- I've got a great idea.

01:23:28.681 --> 01:23:31.240
(driving garage rock music)

01:24:21.920 --> 01:24:25.001
♪ Creditocracy ♪

01:24:25.121 --> 01:24:28.039
♪ Creditocracy ♪

01:24:29.641 --> 01:24:32.419
♪ Creditocracy ♪

01:24:34.521 --> 01:24:38.159
♪ One thing I know for certain ♪

01:24:38.161 --> 01:24:43.160
♪ We gotta stick it to
The Man behind the curtain ♪

01:24:44.280 --> 01:24:49.280
♪ We got to draw the line ♪

01:24:50.080 --> 01:24:52.439
- [Andrew Ross] Creditocracy
is the kind of society

01:24:52.441 --> 01:24:54.519
that I think we're living in,

01:24:54.521 --> 01:24:57.119
where most people are
very deeply in debt

01:24:57.121 --> 01:25:00.879
that can never be paid off.

01:25:00.881 --> 01:25:03.519
The point is that the creditor class

01:25:03.521 --> 01:25:08.520
wants us to be in a
lifetime of debt service.

01:25:09.360 --> 01:25:11.159
They don't want us to pay
off our debts entirely

01:25:11.161 --> 01:25:13.199
because if you pay
off your debt entirely,

01:25:13.201 --> 01:25:17.239
you're no longer a source
of profit to creditors.

01:25:17.241 --> 01:25:18.799
So they want to
keep us on the hook

01:25:18.801 --> 01:25:23.239
for as long as possible,
until the day we die.

01:25:23.241 --> 01:25:26.199
Beyond the grave.

01:25:26.201 --> 01:25:28.519
- [David Graeber] Expose the
sheer hypocrisy

01:25:28.521 --> 01:25:30.039
of the morality of debt.

01:25:30.041 --> 01:25:32.079
If you don't pay your debts,
you're a bad person.

01:25:32.081 --> 01:25:34.559
If you're not working harder
than you'd really liked to be

01:25:34.561 --> 01:25:36.919
in something you don't enjoy,
you're a lazy person.

01:25:36.921 --> 01:25:38.959
Morality of work and
the morality of debt

01:25:38.961 --> 01:25:40.599
I think are the major
things that are holding

01:25:40.601 --> 01:25:41.759
the system together.

01:25:41.761 --> 01:25:43.519
If we could do something
to undermine that,

01:25:43.521 --> 01:25:45.599
I think the whole thing will
just start falling apart.

01:25:45.601 --> 01:25:47.079
We'll be forced to actually figure out

01:25:47.081 --> 01:25:48.399
a more reasonable way to live.

01:25:48.401 --> 01:25:49.599
- [Laura Hanna] Things are
not going to change

01:25:49.601 --> 01:25:51.679
unless people start to
actually act themselves

01:25:51.681 --> 01:25:54.239
and build power at
the grassroots scale

01:25:54.241 --> 01:25:57.639
and in the financial markets.

01:25:57.641 --> 01:26:00.399
We're not going to have a
system change from above.

01:26:00.401 --> 01:26:01.799
It's not going to happen.

01:26:01.801 --> 01:26:03.479
- [Man] I was sitting getting my hair cut

01:26:03.481 --> 01:26:04.799
and they said
"Oh, have you seen this thing

01:26:04.801 --> 01:26:06.519
my friends are doing."

01:26:06.521 --> 01:26:07.719
I studied economics,

01:26:07.721 --> 01:26:10.479
so I'm kind of fascinated
by the idea of debt

01:26:10.481 --> 01:26:11.879
and the fiction of money.

01:26:11.881 --> 01:26:14.039
What can we do, what can we do,
what can we do?

01:26:14.041 --> 01:26:16.839
That isn't about throwing
bricks through windows.

01:26:16.841 --> 01:26:18.199
It's better than throwing
bricks through windows,

01:26:18.201 --> 01:26:22.239
it's throwing bricks through minds.

01:26:22.241 --> 01:26:25.599
♪ One thing I know for certain ♪

01:26:25.601 --> 01:26:30.600
♪ We gotta stick it to
The Man behind the curtain ♪

01:26:31.800 --> 01:26:36.039
♪ We got to draw the line ♪

01:26:36.041 --> 01:26:38.239
♪ By any means ♪

01:26:38.241 --> 01:26:41.079
- [Andrew Ross] Our elected officials
have had six years now

01:26:41.081 --> 01:26:42.719
since the financial crash,

01:26:42.721 --> 01:26:45.719
and they've shown that they
cannot protect the citizenry

01:26:45.721 --> 01:26:47.559
from economic harm.

01:26:47.561 --> 01:26:48.359
So as a result, we think

01:26:48.361 --> 01:26:52.519
the citizenry is perfectly justified,

01:26:52.521 --> 01:26:54.679
then, in taking debt relief for itself

01:26:54.681 --> 01:26:58.599
by any means necessary.

01:26:58.601 --> 01:27:00.479
Economic disobedience...

01:27:03.561 --> 01:27:08.159
We're convinced that without
a debt movement,

01:27:08.161 --> 01:27:12.840
popular democracy
will be in real trouble.