Dr. Sue Williams has an assignment in her course called "Becoming a Minority." I am sure that she has borrowed it from others...please forgive me for not giving it proper credit. During this assignment, students try to "walk a mile in another's shoes" by "taking on" a minority status. (Feigning blindness, deafness, loss of appendages, homelessness, and constraining oneself to a wheelchair for a couple of days are the most popular).
As I ran into my friend from Kenya the other day, it occurred to me that for the first time in my life I am actually going to be a minority. Everywhere that I have been, to this point in my life, I have been able to "act" like I belong. Whether it is driving a tractor in the hayfields of Kansas or bar and metro hopping in D.C., I could "fit in." On April 12th, this will not be the case. Many of my "discreditable" features will become "discredited" (in the terms of Goffman). I tend not to worry about things, I have never understood what that accomplishes. I also tend not to get too excited about...well, pretty much anything. But, this is one of those time when I am excited...I have very little idea of what to expect, but I think that is what is so exciting.
On to the project at hand. There are so many messages that can be delivered from a video of this trip (global digital divide, abject poverty, core/periphery relationships, personal discovery)...and the creative person inside me is trying to find a way to tie as many of them together as possible to create a deep, meaningful, lasting message. Because of this, I will probably just shoot everything...and see what I have later. :-) I am considering, as a previous post mentioned, going with very little to no language. Why was I thinking this way? Well...mostly because I really want the story not to be about me. But, while I am pretty measured in my outward displays, when something really moves me, I tend to show it very openly. Because I know this about myself, I think that I should also shoot video of myself experiencing everything (but not in what I call the "Me-umentary" style that I see so much of). I think that a well placed clip could be very powerful.
I received my updated itinerary today. While I can't really develop a "shot list" (how would I really do that?)...I can throw out what I am thinking and hope for your input/insight.
April 12: Leave Manhattan for MCI. Shot ideas: packing...part of the drive there...and as much of the check-in as I can (before customs stops me). Boarding plane. Take off. Land in Detroit. Take off from Detroit for Amsterdam.
April 13: Land in Amsterdam. Film landing, airport, take off. Land in Entebbe (but it will be dark). Drive to Kampala. Check in to Cassia Lodge.
April 14: Free day to explore. My goal is to take my cameras and get lost in Kampala. I will stay out of the most dangerous parts (at least until the next day). :-) Apparently, my hotel has some AMAZING views of the city (it is on a hill) and Lake Victoria...so I should get some awesome contextual shots.
April 15: Participate in a bead sale...and meet the women of the bead for life group in the morning. In the afternoon, tour Kampala. Great photo/video opportunities.
April 16: Visit the Slums of Kampala...provides context for where the women came from. Afternoon...return to Friendship Village (bead for life). I will stay here for the next two days...lots of footage, "interviews" (using the term loosely).
April 17: Friendship village.
April 18: Travel to Northern Uganda
April 19: Traditional "African Safari"/Nile
April 20: Visit Jane Goodall Institute/track chimps/Boomu Womens group
April 21: Boomu Womens Group
April 22: Return to Friendship Village/Visit Infectious Disease Institute
April 23: Spend day in Friendship Village...say goodbyes. Redeye flight out of Entebbe.
April 24: Amsterdam...5 hour tour. Return home.
April 25: Pass out from exhaustion. :-)
While I can attempt to film some preliminary shots prior to leaving, I am very afraid that I will just be filming for the sake of filming. The efficient way of doing it would be to do it after the return...but time is of the essence. The saving grace is emotion. Undoubtedly, emotion will not be in short supply upon my return...and that tends to lead to creativity...and easier video creation.
I will be taking my Canon 40D...a 28mm prime and a 70-200mm L prime (I have plenty of batteries and memory cards to last several days without power). I also just ordered a Kodak zi8, two extra batteries, and a 16gb sdhc class 6 card. I am in need of at least an 8gb card (preferably a 16gb though)...anyone have one they would lend me? I am taking my laptop...so I can clear cards off each day. I am worried about batteries though. I will film at 720 to save juice...but there will be several days where I will be "off the grid" so to speak. Do you think 3 are enough? I can charge via my Mac (and I have all of the power adapters/converters for both Amsterdam and Uganda)...but I just don't know. Should I purchase a couple more? Do you think 1 video camera is enough? The zi8, while better, has proprietary batts. If I could get ahold of a zi6, a 20 pack of AA batteries would go quite a ways. Opinions? Should I try to obtain a better camera?
I know it sounds as if I am worried about "filming" the trip...and to an extent I am. But, it will not come at the cost of experiencing the trip. :-) The cameras will not be on all the time...but I just want to make sure that when I turn them on they will work. When I return home...and am completely ready to drop out of graduate school to begin an "uncultured project" type project in Uganda...I want people to be able to understand why. (Trust me, I know I will have very strong feelings about doing it...I have been drawn in that direction for the last 3 years).
On another good note...I have music! A local group has given me permission to use their work...and have offered to "tweak" it as needed. It is an AWESOME gesture from two people I have never met.
Enough rambling. I would love to hear your input/suggestions!
David, I'm SO excited for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI know you want to film it without words, but I think it would be *really* cool if you could take a voice recorder with you to document how you feel at different moments. At best, you'll capture raw 'in-the-moment' emotion that would be good to enter in your video, and at worst, you'll have a cool timeline for yourself as you go through and watch all of your footage.
I have an 8GB card I can lend you (along with my zi6) if you need. Right now I don't know what I would need it for, so if I did end up needing it I could just use one of Wesch's or a friends. Just let me know.
As far as you doing the "uncultured project," I wish I had time to just start building a timeline on YOU too! lol! But anyway, its amazing how similar you and Shawn's stories seem to be--you could literally lay one over another and see only a few discrepancies. I'll try and remember to tell you in DigEth!
I also have a Zi6 + 8GB card you could use.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I often forget to do when I am caught up in the event is to film b-roll close-up details of the surroundings. It is best to try to make a list of some of these, even if you have to guess what they might be. Especially since you won't be able to return to the location to get what you missed.
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