Pam Meldrum and Eric Wolf were selected from over 80 applicants to try and live like battery hens for one week. If they could last 168 hours in a 1 x 1.5 x 2 meter wire mesh cage, living on a vegetarian mash, and drinking water from a hose, they would receive $2,500. If they left the cage for any reason before their time was up, they'd forfeit the money. One week before the event began, it was a front page story across Canada. The day after entering the cage, Pam and Eric became international figures with calls coming in from the US, England, Australia, and France. The Canadian Egg Marketing Agency put out press releases saying the event was meaningless. An animal rights activist called "Caged" the single most significant event in Canadian history for raising awareness about animals in the food industry. Some people began to complain that it was cruel to treat people like animals. As the general public and an endless procession of media filed past the cage, Pam, tired and cold, was dubbed the "Chicken Princess". Eric, talkative and hyper, became the "Wolf in the hen house". After 78 hours, tensions were beginning to mount. These tensions would eventually lead to Eric accusing Pam of cheating, and a final emotional confrontation between the two. "Caged" is a fascinating glimpse into the bizarre story of two people, a cage, and $5,000. In the end, the viewer can't help wondering who the real animals are.

Name
Rob Thompson
City, Province
Ottawa, ON
Bio

Rob was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada. He began his career in the arts by writing music for the Penguin Theatre Company. In his early twenties, Rob enrolled in the Algonquin College film production course, and after graduation he wrote and directed a number of films including the feature film, "Undercurrents". It was not long, however, before Rob developed an interest in video and joined the SAW Video Co-op where he produced much of his early work. Rob served for many years on the SAW Video Management Committee and eventually as Chair of the board.

Year Produced
2000
Genre
Original Media