I’m on the plane, my second, flying over the Atlantic with an episode of the Simpson’s playing in front of me. I’m on route to Amsterdam. The first flight was from Minneapolis to Boston and went well. For the first time in my life the connecting flight was right near the gate I landed at :) I hope that’s a sign that things well be going well. I got past security in Minneapolis though it was not a simple thing. All my bags with the film equipment were thoroughly searched. My vest (on loan from Brian Blight) made it through without a search or even a question - this worried me most. I loaded the photographers vest with as much as I could, the laptop case my “personal bag” (with as much as I could) and my new backpack (with as much as I could). Still there were many things I had to leave behind.
I feel like this is going to be an interesting study in independent filmmaking. I’m completely independent and will handle everything by myself. Directing, shooting, sound, lighting (lighting is one reflector) the entire film is on me, there’s no crew, no help. The equipment mix is based on what fits in carry-on only. And where I could afford it there are actually duplicate items. I have duplicate items for almost everything.
It’s hard to believe but there are about 15 different things, of which, if just one fails the entire project stops. If the video camera battery recharger fails - there will be no more shooting, if the laptop charger fails, I will not be able to off-load the video (to shoot more). If any of the connecting cables are lost or damaged or if the electrical conversion equipment fails (Africa to US) the whole project stops. It’s all just additional pressure and worry to what is otherwise already stressful (i.e. going to Africa for a month).
There are just three things in my stowed luggage to be used in the filmmaking process. I have a roll of gaffers tape, a very light weight stand for a microphone and another for holding my reflector. In the last minute I bought a fairly good lavaliere microphone system and when I’m done with this journal entry I’ll take out the manual for it and try to learn how to use it before I land.
I’m hoping to buy a shop light or two somewhere. I think in this small mix of brought and bought stuff there may be just enough equipment to shoot a film. A high quality film. I’m only saying “may be” in regards to my ability to technically pull it off. I know there’s a great documentary film here - in the subject of international volunteering, in the people of the subject, in the children and in Africa. During the brief lay-over in Boston I took my second dose of anti-malaria medication. There are risks involved in the “practice” of international volunteering - many actually and I have had friends and family express real concern and also some serious attempts to try and talk me out of it. To be completely honest I couldn’t be more uncomfortable then I currently am.
Tomorrow I will either be meeting Lucy’s husband Samuel or Lucy’s brother - maybe both. I don’t know what either of them look like. I believe I will be staying at Lucy’s brothers home for the night as the plane arrives late. Lucy (along with her husband Samuel) act as the directors of the Chazon Children’s Centre. I will spend my first night in Nairobi. Then the following day I will drive with Samuel to Molo or Malo Kenya (I’ve seen it spelled two different ways). I will be there in an effort to help primarily with fund raising. My role/purpose/goal will be to gather content to help create a web site for the Chazon Children’s Center. The purpose of this web site will be to attract International Volunteers to the Chazon. The ambiguity re: who will pick me up is just one of many things that we will be clarifying on the new web site. Of all the places in the world where I could have landed to serve I can’t imagine there’s a better place better suited to what I can offer then Chazon.
When one makes the decision to leave all the comforts of home to serve in this manner it’s hard to settle upon where to serve. There are third party groups which will offer some assistance but typically they take most if not all the money themselves, the organization often ends up with little if any. For me this is not the ideal of “International Volunteering “which I find to be so beautiful. Since Chazon does not have a web site and has had very few IV’s - I’m left with so many questions and an enormous amount of anxiety. I will be getting off the plane in Nairobi with no clue about what to do first. That’s why I’m doing this journal. I have a thousand unanswered questions and by living this in a way that is so uncomfortable I will get the answers and experience the unknowns and be able to share these things on the new site I help to build for the Chazon organization.
In my opinion the concept International Volunteering is one of the most beautiful ideas ever conceived. It’s an honor to be an IV (BTW - I have just now officially coined the term IV – International Volunteer) so I will be a part of the film, both it’s making and also as an IV myself. My role as “volunteer” falls under the category of fund raising and I will be specifically doing “marketing”. I am travelling around the world to build a Chazon Children’s Centre brand and web site that will encourage others to come and serve, it’s purpose is to attract and inform volunteers from around the world.. I hope that the film will also be a tool to encourage others to consider volunteering.
The concept of international volunteering involves people from all over the world who have a heart for this work “paying a small weekly” room and board fee - for the privilege of serving some of the most needy and wonderful children in the world. The accommodations are often primitive and the living is hard compared to where most of the volunteers come from. This is part of the experience of it. My hunch is that it’s the volunteers who benefit from this - every bit as much as the children do. In just a few short days I will be living it myself. I’ll let you know if my hunch is right or not.
So it’s pretty exciting and also a little complicated. My role as a volunteer is purely marketing and my project is a documentary film about IV-ing and I have committed that I will take no profits (if there are any from the film). So the project “a documentary about international volunteering” will itself be done entirely on a volunteer basis :) That gives me a great feeling. I think that there could be real momentum behind the project itself because of this factor. In fact I have already had volunteers offer to help with the design of logos and web sites and corporate sponsorship too.
Sitting somewhere beneath me (with my stowed luggage) is a good deal of art supplies donated by the Dick Blick Company. At least I hope they are there! I will be sharing them with the children of both the Chazon Children’s Centre and the Watoto Wa Baraka Orphanage. Much more about WWB to come. I really appreciate the folks at Dick Blick not only for there generous donation that the kids will take great joy in, but also for how it effected me. I was so lifted by this - that I could send out a simple e-mail explaining the project and get such a great response! It’s given me such a RUSH of encouragement!
Thanks DB!
Well that’s enough for today - I think I’ll take in a movie - well I’m still a part of the high - tech world.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment