Wednesday, April 7, 2010

One last clip!

Over the past few days I've shared a few video clips that offer a glimpse into the talent and spirit of the young Kenyans who worked as cast / crew on TOGETHERNESS SUPREME and will appear in PRODUCING PAMOJA. I posted one last clip of behind-the-scenes crowd control below...

I still need to edit clips of Geoffrey, the actor who plays the role of Otieno, and Owino, the aspiring politician who plays the role of a political organizer in the film. I also want to share colorful clips of a local musician and a group of dancers, but I'm out of time for editing, and I need a little technical help with some of the footage!

In other news, I've reapplied to Chicken & Egg Pictures for funding that would allow me to spend some crucial time with my editor - to craft a real fundraising sample and create a rough outline of footage / scenes for the film. I'm also actively exploring the outreach strategy for the film and during my upcoming trip to Holland I will meet with the amazing organization Butterfly Works to discuss!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Introducing Chemaiah

Wrapping up the introductions (for now) with Chemaiah. (Please see this post for background)

In this clip, the star of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is feeling down after shooting a scene where an anti-Kikuyu mob burns down the home of his character, Kamau. The scene reminds Chemaiah of the actual events that took place in Kibera when his grandmother was threatened and forced to flee her home permanently. We also have an interview (in Kikuyu) with his aging grandmother.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Introducing Chris

As I explained in my previous post, I'm posting a series of short video clips to introduce several of the young Kenyans who will appear in PRODUCING PAMOJA.

Today I'm introducing Chris, who plays the role of Masher in TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. Masher is a Luo thug who hates Kikuyus and leads a mob to burn the house of the main character, Kamau, at the end of the film. In this clip, Chris talks about how he is similar to the character he plays, and he shares a story about an event that changed his life. We also have footage of him reenacting the event near his childhood home.


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Kibera Rap!

Taking a break from introductions today...

While filming in Kibera, these local kids wanted to perform this rap on camera. It's a little overexposed, but I hope you enjoy!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Introducing Faith

Continuing the series of video clips that I announced here...meet Faith!

Working as a trainee in the DIT department, Faith impressed everyone with her determination and dedication. She is a shining example of what can be achieved by the youth of Kibera when opportunity is offered. In this clip, she describes how a mob scene in the movie feels very real to her and reminds her of her own experience during the post-election violence.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Introducing Jahill

As I explained my last post here's the next video, introducing Jahill!

A sound trainee during production of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME, Jahill is also a DJ on the community radio station Pamoja FM and an aspiring musician. In this clip he takes us on a journey through the winding, narrow passageways of Kibera while he shares his thoughts on the film and life in Kibera.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Introducing....

Over the next week, in a series of short video clips, I'm going to introduce several of the young Kenyans who will appear in PRODUCING PAMOJA. The clips also offer a glimpse into production of the feature film TOGETHERNESS SUPREME which was filmed entirely in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. (Click here to visit TOGETHERNESS SUPREME blog)

“Pamoja” means "together" in Swahili, and in PRODUCING PAMOJA, we follow local youth – from different ethnic backgrounds – as they work together to produce the film and give Kenya a brighter future.

Please watch these clips with the understanding that they are intended as character sketches and should not be viewed as trailers for the film. I have very limited editing skills so these clips reflect what is easiest for me to cut together and not necessarily the best material in terms of content. They also do not represent what the completed film will look like, and I don't even have clips of everyone who will appear in the film!

First up is Martha who is the lead actress in TOGETHERNESS SUPREME (and recently nominated for an African Academy Award). She plays a volunteer nurse and the love interest of both the film's main character, Kamau, and his friend, Otieno. Martha is very dedicated to community empowerment, and her quiet passion is apparent in this clip. We also have footage of her rehearsing a poetry performance with a community theater group.

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