The singer-songwriter, from the band Tremolo, had never made a film before when he set out on the mission of a lifetime – to reveal the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets.
Going undercover from Cambodia to India, he teamed up with top musicians including Natasha Bedingfield, Imogen Heap and Moby, to prove there are MORE slaves today than EVER before.
Now, just a few months after the film was released, Justin reveals the incredible response to his bid to make a difference.
MTV: Justin, for those who haven’t seen ‘Call+Response’ yet, what’s it about?
Justin: It’s a documentary for people who don’t really want to see documentaries. It’s a 'rocumentary' about modern day slavery and human trafficking, and the way we use music is more of a story-teller than entertainment. We feel that some of music’s most powerful tools is to be able to tell stories, and in this film the music serves as a story-teller, as a truth-teller rather than just amusement and entertainment.
MTV: What was your main goal when making the rocumentary?
Justin: I just wanted to help. When I learnt about the issue I was so angry and so frustrated and felt like this is happening all around, but not enough people are talking about it, and I couldn’t figure out a way that I could help that seemed meaningful, other than give money, which I did. But I felt like I wanted to do something that involved who I was and so it just started with that. I wouldn’t say I intended to go out and make a film but what I did intend to do was to employ my talents and the people who have similar talents, like musicians, to get in this and start finding a way to make a difference.
MTV: Tell us about the response you’ve had since the film was released.
Justin: I wanted to see tangible change happening, and since the film came out we’ve seen that. There have been over a quarter of million people who’ve gone out of their homes to see the film, and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised. Dozens and dozens of groups have been started, non-profit charity groups have started specifically because of the film. There’s more still to do and that’s what gets me excited, that this is about people figuring out what they’re passionate about and just acting towards it.
MTV: What specifically can others do if they want to get involved?
Justin: We try to make it easy, we ask people to go to our website and develop a relationship with some of the tools online. We’ve created a pretty robust campaign to work against forced labour, we’re calling that campaign the slave free campaign. We feel if we have standards for environmental issues around products, or even fair labour issues, or organic issues around products, the issue of slavery should be equally looked at and be supported. Currently its not. It’s one of those issues that no one really wants to touch and we understand that, but we feel like it’s our job to get consumers to make a stand and say no, I need this to be a consumer choice.
The reality is we’re all complicit when it comes to forced labour and we want to provide ways for people to use their complicity as a way to leverage real change.
MTV: You worked with some great musicians on the film. Have more celebrities come forward since it was released to offer their help?
Justin: Yes, not directly with us, but we’re seeing celebrities help in a very intelligent way. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have entered into the fray of this and are working mostly in the states on child sex slavery and they’re doing a great job. They’re leveraging not just who they are but their intelligence, which is an incredible asset.
Also a number of musicians have seen the film, that weren’t able to be in it, and have been deeply moved and that’s exciting as I think there’s going to be more opportunities for them to get involved as time goes by.
MTV: So what’s next?
Justin: Here in the states we’re now releasing the film to DVD, but rather than just going through typical retail chains we’re actually releasing screening kits and we’re giving the film to people to show, so that we can increase the awareness and the usage of the film. And again employing them to become activist, increasing our slave free campaign, so we really can build a market place argument for slave free products. That’s a big focus.
We’re still doing a lot in the UK and other countries. In South Africa, we’re starting up a campaign and we’re finding celebrities in those areas that would like to get involved with politicians. And for me personally we’re working on a television series based off of the idea of music and activism. That will be for 2011. It won’t just be on this issue per say, its on how music and musicians are interacting with issues.
MTV: Will the DVD be released in Oz?
Justin: Yes, I think we’re releasing that in September/October in Australia. We’ll be doing the same type of thing, using peoples’ homes and schools and universities to be able to host screenings and get people together to make a difference.
MTV: Lastly, for those who haven’t seen it yet, why should they?
Justin: Because it dispels a myth that we’ve all lived with for a long time, that slavery has been abolished. And I think it’s something that if you care about human beings, it’s a great way for people to learn about one of the fastest growing crimes in the world.
What makes it inspiring is that it’s very fixable. It just needs attention and commitment. In summary, I want people to see this because just by watching the film they’re participating in the solution of something that’s very solvable and it’s very possible that we can abolish slavery in our lifetimes just with small acts of attention and commitment.
Find out more about you can help by visiting www.callandresponse.com
Copyright : MTV Australia
