photos by Lou Dembrow
I'm reminiscing guys...I gave birth to my 9-month old *heart attack here* documentary last Friday!
I've been working really closely with a program called Reel Lives since September of 2010, on my first documentary, Loud Silence.
Reel Lives is a not-for-profit film making program that teaches marginalized, refugee, and war-effected youth in finding their authentic voices through film making.
I had no previous experience with documentary film making or using the Canon 7D cameras to shoot before the class. I've learned so many new techniques in film making and final cut pro that I honestly thought I would never learn. And let me tell you, documentary film making is not easy!
(Yes, I am writing in italics and bold lettering because it seriously is not easy! :)
It takes a whole lot of patience and passion for what you're doing. There were so many moments when I was just so exasperated that I needed to do some deep breaths in between shooting. Especially when I was shooting an interview myself. Setting up the camera, sound, and reviewing questions with your subject, one interview itself can take more than one hour; only to use 10 second bites. I worked on a film for 9 months and it was 12min.11sec. So, as you can see, it takes more work than you think! Because my film was on such a sensitive topic (homosexuality), it was difficult to conduct interviews without making people say exactly what you want them to say. You just sorta have to keep asking more questions on their responses...
Read my film synopsis here:
On the red carpet in BCBG MaxAzria
Film makers (from left) George Tarr, Parbat Chapagai, Buddah Tamang, Myself, Marieme Sall, Pnyessa Rose, Renée Laster
Q&A with the film makers after the Screening
I'm so grateful for Reel Lives and my amazing educators Lyle Kane, Bridget Jordan, and Joan LeFosse.
They are amazing in what they do and I'm happy to have been a part of their first class!
Thanks to Reel Lives, I see film through the eyes of a film maker.
I blame Reel Lives in making me critique other film makers. Now I can't sit through any film or video without thinking, "the sound wasn't synched" or "the frame and lighting look terrible"
Ha! Not a bad thing at all ;) I can proudly now say that I am a film maker.
It was such a great screening, the night was still young. I'm grateful for my friends who came to support me!
I love every single one of them!
Watch my first documentary, Loud Silence here:
LOUD SILENCE from Reel Lives on Vimeo.
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