Tunis bar

I filmed in the Tunisian capital Tunis a few weeks back. It was for an arabic football show, the end of the 'federation cup'. We didn't go out often because the hotel was good, an unadventurous conclusion, I know. So after two days we decided (only me and one other colleague were working there) to go round the back streets looking for typical bars that tourists wouldn't go to. This one was funny. It reminded me of the Spanish bars in a way, dirty but lively, everyone happy. Although the odd thing was that there were no women there. In fact we barely saw women in any bar at night. In the corner of this one bar, two guys had amassed a shocking amount of beer bottles, a proud display of their acheivements that evening. My colleague Alex informed me (it wasn't his first time there) the beer was quite low in alcohol, but still. What was funnier was that they often just sat there not talking, staring into their bottles.



The evening didn't get any better. We got approached several times for being white Europeans, and they'd say they just wanted to be friends. I've never heard the same expression so many times in one evening; "a friend in need is a friend indeed". When did we look like we were in need?! Sat in one nice wine bar (I spotted two women out of fifty men) Alex and I were fenjoying a full flowing conversation and this guy just started talking to us. He never got the hint so Alex started getting mildly irritated, the guy sensed this and got agressive. We left soon after.

Another guy at a doorway chatting to a bouncer spotted us entering and said "hey! Let's go out together, I've just finished my shift!" He was dressed casually and as pissed as a fart.
"No thanks, we're going back to our hotel" we replied laughing.
"..but a friend in need is a friend indeed, my friend!"

Zambia 08

In early December '08 I went away on a job to Zambia for two weeks. It was the best job of the year. We were filming the process of a social entrepreneur training initiative of 150 women from around the country. These women were divided into ten groups and each group in a classroom with two trainers. They were taught how to start a business, how to estimate cash flow and profit, how to conduct market research. We followed them to different villages and witnessed how asking local businessmen how they conducted their businesses, what the market was like. The aim of the charity's plan was to start women in young business and therefore directly improve their local market place, stimulating business; local economy; and ultimately female empowerment. In a society where the women is seldom as educated as the man due to looking after the family, and far too often their farms as well, the charity's overall aim is to empower young women and equalize their standing in African society; a CAMpaign for Female EDucation.

After all the groups had done their market research there was a meeting in the big hall where they all had awards given out for different reasons, some on best business ideas, some most realistic cashflow predictions, etc. Every time a group won a prize all ten girls would come to the front and dance around in circles, it was amazing to see.

But the most amazing thing was at the end of the course, when all were awarded for different reasons. Not only did each girl come to the front of the hall to dance, but when the ceremony had ended and all went to their classes, they continued to dance on campus.

All around us was the sound of triumph and promise by women who were full of joy and hope. By women who over half are orphans because of AIDS and largely ignorance. Women who knew that not only had they been trained how to be self-sufficient in business, but influence their surroundings by helping others around them. It was a dance that meant so much, it was quite overwhelming.

By myself but not alone

Rosario's gone for a short break whilst I'm at home looking after the girls. It's strange for me to be with them for so long without a break. Not to mention exhausting. They're so full of life, running after each other through every room laughing mischievously, or they're competing with each other for my attention and keep saying "my turn my turn!!", or "upa upa upa". After meal time I find myself wandering how soon it will be before I can send them off to bed, but when they're finally in bed and I have the house to myself I miss them.

Australia

Tourism Australia is releasing an advert directed by Baz Luhrmann, the director of Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge and Strictly Ballroom to name a few. He's made a film called Australia and is using the advert to promote both tourism for his native homeland and his new film. It's about an over-worked woman in New York who is being harangued on the phone by her boyfriend, "we need to get away, I don't know you anymore!" and in a dream she is approached by a young aboriginy boy.

I think the advert is great, the quality is obviously of feature film standards alone. I like the link between the boy releasing red dust from his hand and the dive into the Australian lake - a good cut point between 'real life' and vacation land!

East of Eden

If I get murdered in the city go read the letter in my desk,
don't bother with all my belongings, but pay attention to the list.
Make sure my sister knows I loved her, make sure my mother knows the same,
always remember that there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name.

not so dummy

Scene - We had all just been shopping in Hammersmith and had returned to the van, placing Juanita and Catalina in their respective babyseats in the back of the van. Then Ro notices an unfamiliar item in Catalina's mouth....

Ro: Cata!? Where did you get that dummy from?
Juanita: teeheeteehee
Ro: Juanis, where, did Catalina get her dummy from?
Icaio: Maybe she took it from somewhere... Juanis did you pick it up from the floor?
Juanita: Nooooo.
Ro: Juanis, did you take it from a baby?
Juanita: Yes, Juanis take tete from baby

Skater at the library

I was walking back home from the station via the short cut that passes round the back of Dorking library and there was a teenager practicing his skateboarding moves infront of it. I took a couple of pictures of him with my new camera. After a few wide shots I just wasn't getting what I wanted, so I stuck the camera on the ground facing upwards of where I knew the skater would pass above me during the middle of his trick. This was the result. Unfortunately it's a little blurred but I don't think it matters - he's moving!