Sometimes, the police hits protestors with sticks.
The land acquisition act 1984 allows public interest to be defined as the interest of private companies. People have been protesting this for a while now.
That frosting is probably not fit for human consumption.
What is Global Leadership in 2012?
(This video is for a competition where I had to be in front of the camera.)
——I didn’t win, but I got an email saying this video was among the 5 finalists.
Protesters are dragged by the police New Delhi, Dec 2011, as they speak out against the sexual assault on tribal school teacher, Soni Sori.
I don’t like the music on this video either, but once you’re branded as something, a good cook, good mom,….’film maker’ or aspiring ‘film maker,’ you feel the pressure to live up to this title. I recently realised that I never started out trying to BE a film maker. I want to make films so they have an impact on the stories they tell, not to show at festivals and get awards. I want to be able to continue to make films- which is probably why awards would be useful, but the impact of my films has been more than I expected, which is good. I am not a ‘film maker’ or ‘an aspiring film maker,’ sometimes… I want to make films. Films have a life of their own.
When people ask- “what is the point of just making films or writing…if you aren’t DOING anything”…I would worry about this, but then again, have you not read a book, or watched a film? It’s the rhetoric about the world that is killing us anyway.
A quest for the ‘truth’ cannot be abandoned.
Manic Film making
This one happened before we knew it! Any film is the result of the people who push most. This one has faced all odds-multiple visions, inertia and burn out, footage conversion issues, unanticipated rough cuts, and a clash between creatives. In the end, I still think this is a good version, albeit, final.film.v405!
Trial and error is a good way to learn, it really engraves the learning into you, but it sure means re-inventing the wheel.
Our Lanes …Our Lives
Part 1 of 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha3IeTamrr0&feature=player_embedded
Part 2 of 2
The Groundwater Up Project
This one’s the big kaboozie! Made with KTG and MM, 2 of the best people in the world.
We made it when I still kind of believed that videos can change the world. It’s about the ‘water crisis’ in New Delhi…which translates into the politics of water in a big HUGE city.
The Groundwater Up Project has a website, blog, and everything!
THE WEBSITE: (temporarily out of service)
THE TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwVSh76svy4&feature=player_embedded
Conclusion: The water crisis is more a crisis of human relations and politics than it is of nature. Videos can only tell stories that could (maybe) inspire people…but inspiration doesn’t last too long and depends mostly on the individuals. If you’re lucky and can show the film to a community that is inter dependent…then inspiration can last longer, but even then, the film has a small (not saying unimportant) role to play.
Independent Shorts
My youtube account took off right after groundwater up…and there are tons of videos in there (some more interesting than others).
I recommend:
1. Game On.
Made with MC, a person who’s understanding of the world I truly admire, this one brought up the question of the role of a film maker- observer. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE WITH A CAMERA WHEN OUR HOMES ARE BEING DESTROYED?!
But for the (sick pleasure of?) information and an understanding of the processes of injustice…we have explored the human cost of having mega events in a city like Delhi.
Who is it that matters when planning a city? Why are some people so easily evicted from their homes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gEyLFTTkcM
2. Thread Making.
A film about a Gandhian friend and person who is fighting big dams. I really appreciate that Vimal bhai makes his own cloth. Questions like the GM nature of the cotton are completely valid in todays world, but we all do what we can do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TJJIiKpgcA
3. EU-India FTA Action
A protest and much more…what happens when people speak up in Delhi? What does democracy look like? This video was more about the experience of filming real life action than the video itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUCGHXOY0M&feature=related
For other videos please search ‘munchanegg’ on youtube.
Bonus short film.
While some of my films are hiding in dusty corners of the world..including how to eat a lobster…here is a tongue in cheek video (from pre-real world video days) that I don’t want to lose.
Instead of the final presentation of our papers, I chose to make a video instead of speaking publicly. This was made overnight on a faulty imovie. The class was for Environmental Policy majors to assess ‘The State of Maine’s Environment.’
On A Lighter Note
