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| 'Vacation' Plans |
| 03.29.04 (12:13 pm) [edit] |
Well. we've officially started Easter Break (3 whole weeks), and it's already booked solid. Here's a rough breakdown of what we currently have planned:
Tomorrow we leave by train for Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. We'll lay around on the beach for four or five days, then head up to the city of Beria. The port there is one of the major logistical hubs of the World Food Program, so I'm going to try and shoot some footage for my doc while were there.
The next day (big breath)... we head to Harare, capital of Zimbabwe. Challenge One is crossing the border: foreign journalists are banned, and we'll have a pretty nice video camera with us. We're going to try and pass off as tourists, and if that fails we'll pull out the phone numbers for the WFP offices in Harare and hope they can talk us out of it.
Assuming we make it into the city, we'll stay the night at a fairly nice backpackers lodge - swimming pool, food, even internet for tblogging. All the luxuries come at a price, unfortunately - we'll be paying a whopping $6 US per night (or 4,800 Zimbabwe dollars, if you happen to like big numbers).
The next day is when the fun part of the trip begins. We will rendezvous with the WFP and they're gonna help me start shooting. With the Zimbabwe government prohibiting journalism, we'll only really be able to film anything when the WFP is actively distributing food - and even then it will be a little shady since we're not actually WFP personnel. A few people (none from Africa) are worried I'll be arrested and tortured by the 'Green Bombers' (the Government's paramilitary army) but that's pretty unrealistic. According to the WFP press officers here in Jo'burg, the worst that ever happens to journalists that travel with them in Zimbabwe is a few hours of police detainment. We'll see how it goes...
Anyway, the rest of the trip will be spent operating out of Harare, and we'll return to Jo'burg on Saturday, April 10th. We'll try and post as many blogs as possible during the trip - I can't seem to find anyone that's ever posted something from Zim, so maybe we'll be the first to ever do so... 512 Operations in Africa are about to get hectic, and you don't want to miss the live coverage!
DL Fitch
512 Blogmaster
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| Last Stop - Massive Success |
| 03.29.04 (11:54 am) [edit] |
 
Our shoot yesterday went excellent - both of our lead actors came through with top- notch performances, and everything we laid to tape looks beautiful. I've got hours of editing and visual effects work ahead of me before the film is anywhere near finished, but everything we've got so far looks great.
 
Our location was an abandoned train station right in the center of Johannesburg. It made for a beautiful set, and we made full use of it during our 7 hours of shooting. I was sent scrambling up a ladder and was able to squeeze my self through a window onto the roof at one point, so we got some great shots from above. Despite the constant generator failures killing our lights, we tore through the script and got down everything we set out to shoot.
 
The script was co- written by myself, Justice, and our actor Sami, and Justice and I co- directed it. It was really the first implementation of the 512's collective method of narrative film production, and it worked perfectly. The point where we had a version of the script that the three of us could agree upon was a milestone, and when we started shooting the collaboration was even stronger. The individual creative forces on the set never clashed, and everyone was quite satisfied at the end of the day. As our next few weeks are booked solid the film is on hold for the moment, but you guys will see a finished product within a month or two. Standby...
DL Fitch
 
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| All- Out Media Assault |
| 03.26.04 (5:41 am) [edit] |
This week will long be remembered as the day 512 operations in Africa reached the flash-point, exploding into a relentless barrage of media output.
All morning today was spent at a local TV studio, where the Collective represented on a Hip- Hop show called CrazE (with a viewership of around 2.5 million). Justice squared off in a freestyle competition between a South African MC and an artist who came down from the UK, and we were also able to educate the audience a little on the goals of the 512.
However, today we were just getting our feet wet as far as South African TV is concerned. We finalized the deal to appear on another local show that focuses on movies in a couple of weeks, and I'll be able to represent with the trailer for my nearly- completed Sci-Fi movie The Overmind of Sahar IV. By that point, we should also have a good chunk of our two documentary projects finished, so we can give the local SA audience a taste of what we're doing in their territory. We've also made the connections for a 512 appearance on a show called 20 Something, which focuses on South Africans in their 20s and the issues that relate to them. They interviewed the two of us a little when we were over at the studio today, but soon we'll have the chance to appear on the show as guests and describe the mission of the 512 Collective in detail.
On top of that, we spent some of the day assembling equipment for this short film we're shooting this weekend. As Justice mentioned earlier, the project focuses on the AIDS crisis that is exploding here, and we will adapt the remarkable reconciliation strategies that South Africa developed after the fall of Apartheid to address this pressing issue that faces the region today. We're collaborating with a local actor named Sami Sabiti, who happens to be the original host of American Idol (it was a South African show called just Idols before Fox came through and brought the whole shindig stateside). He's given us his full support in getting the shoot together, and has endless connections to people involved in the film and TV industry here. Definitely a valuable 512 affiliate while we're in SA, and he'll be regrouping with us in NY after doing a show for the Discovery channel this Summer.
But that's not all. We've got radio interviews with the two largest Johannesburg radio stations lined up as well, and they're both gonna happen on Saturday. Yes, 512 tracks will soon proliferate the SA airwaves, and the shows we rock will just get bigger and bigger. According to Sami, The 512 Collective will be a household name when we leave South Africa in June. We'll see about that one, though I'm not gonna rule it out...
Well, I've got lots more news to report, but I think I hit on all the big topics. We're about to depart for this vacation in Mozambique and a shooting expedition in Zimbabwe, and I'll sling you some details on that in a day or two. Until next time,
This is DL Fitch signing out.
[terminate transmission]
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| Day 51... and it's starting to get a lil hectic. |
| 03.24.04 (12:30 pm) [edit] |
Just arrived back from Cape Town myself, and I've come home with much better perceptions than Fitch. The extra 3 days that I spent provided a million valuable connections, but unfortunately it wasn't the most beneficial shoot for my film. I had a long list of people to catch up with, and managed to speak with every one of them which was the larger success of the trip. I would have liked to have locked down their interviews this weekend, but as things unfold, it looks like my next two trips to the Cape will be jam packed with the interviews of most of the key players in my movie. I was pleased and honored to observe the celebrations for Human Rights Day, one of SA's biggest holidays. In addition to keynote speakers, the crowds packed the stadium with their singing voices and joyous smiles. It was quite the welcoming to Cape Town.
All the business aside, the 512 Collective Africa team is up to our necks in dope ass projects. The rest of our week looks something like this: I will be once again dominating the stage at a local club in Jo'burg. "Tonight," the first single off the forthcoming 512 Album "Jozi Tapes" will be the featured track at the show, but I will also entertain with the regular hits. On friday we have our first SA Television appearance, on a youth oriented program that hosts local artists. It should be some great exposure, and I am looking forward to showing my face in front of the camera, after all the work these past two weeks... We are also gonna start shooting our first short film since we have arrived in Jo'burg. It's an experimental piece that walks between the real world and a mystical train station to create a metaphor that explores the AIDS crisis. It is a collaboration with 13th Floor productions, a local production company, and is bound to be a success.
...and then we breathe; as we count our funds for the upcoming intense weekend, we realize our combined wallet is about R60 (damn, just short of ten dollars)... then we gasp.
Friday signals the last day of school before a 3 week break. When we finally catch our breath we will be on the train early next week to Mozambique. We will relax on the beach for a few days, rock a show, then move on to Zimbabwe and attend to some business we have there... but all that is a glimpse from the future, and I'm sure you'll get a beautiful view as we see it. Keep up at the site:
[www.512collective.org]
Until then,
Reverend Ambassador: Just.ice.3
[DL Fitch is standing by...]
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| In Cape Town |
| 03.18.04 (8:27 am) [edit] |
So we flew into Cape Town from Jo'burg this morning, and have been exploring the city for the last few hours. It's not that exciting - definitely no Lesotho... We haven't gotten that deep into all, however, so I'm in no place to judge.
Eh, there's a few nice aspects of white tourist centers. Namely the food. Beaches are good. Quite a few blondes... Justice is working a few connections for his project here, so hopefully we'll have something more substantial than tourist attractions to report about in the next few days. Anyway, I just wanted to touch base with y'all, here from the southernmost point of the African continent...
DL Fitch
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| Big Weekend |
| 03.16.04 (2:51 pm) [edit] |
Wow. Our Lesotho expedition went so well I could probably cut my whole documentary with the 5 hours of footage we shot in just four days - I would say around 250% of my objectives for the trip were accomplished. I am going to be throwing away so much good stuff when I have to edit this all down to a 45- minute film...
Where to start... Just after posting our previous blog, Justice and I swung by the cafeteria at the UN House for lunch. On our way out, we decided to drop in to the World Food Program offices, even though they hadn't responded to any of my e-mail queries and we didn't have an appointment. Turns out, they were extremely helpful and the lack of communication did not at all represent a deficiency in their support of the production. Unfortunately, it was late in the day and there weren't any food distributions scheduled for the weekend, but said they would do everything they could if we dropped by Monday morning before returning to Joburg.
We then went to catch a taxi into a fairly remote town called Malealea, which cost almost a whole $2... The road turned to dirt as we got higher and higher into the mountains (it was breathtaking), and we started passing donkeys loaded up with big 'USAid' bags of food as we neared our destination. We realized that the WFP was still finishing up their distributions in the area, and jumped out of the taxi when we saw a crowd of people at two big freight trucks. I was able to film some great footage of the food being distributed, and we conducted a few really good interviews with some of the villagers as well.
It was getting late as the trucks finished up and departed, but we lucked out when a man named Thabo invited us into his home for the night. The next morning we were showed around town, and even ate a meal cooked from some of the donated corn meal. Two kids that were around 10 escorted us a few miles down into one of the canyons (one of them barefoot the whole way), and then took us upriver to a waterfall. It was beautiful, a lot like my home in New Mexico only everything was green...
We spent Saturday night in the rustic Malealea lodge, and cruised back to Maseru the next day. I called up the sister of my 6th grade teacher, who happened to live in the city, and she took us into her home for the night. We spent the evening with her friends and neighbors talking and drinking Black Label, 'America's Lusty, Lively Beer'. (Anyone ever heard of it? People here don't believe me when I tell them we actually have never even seen the stuff stateside...). Good times.
First thing the next morning, I hit up the WFP offices just as they were opening. It was great, they fired up one of their spiffy Toyotas and chauffeured me all around the area. First we visited the main food warehouse, where a substantial percent of the country's vittles are stored. After that, they took me to an elementary school where food was being distributed to orphan children (a pretty large chunk of the student body, and a powerful reminder of the country's AIDS crisis). It was unreal - I was the only white person for miles around, and I was surrounded by hundreds of kids that didn't speak English and had never seen a video camera in their lives. Standing in that schoolyard was one of the strangest experiences of my life, but the WFP was totally supportive of me documenting the whole event so I just turned on the camera and focused on shooting. It got difficult when 400 kids were competing for my attention, but the school master kept them in check with his leather whip. Of course, I felt guilty whenever that happened, so in the end I just stood casually next to the tripod and pretended like the camera was off whenever I could.
After my batteries started running low and I had almost filled up the last of our video tapes, I was taken back to the offices where I quickly interviewed the WFP Deputy Country Director with the last few minutes we had left in the city. As soon as I finished the interview and switched off the camera, Justice and I headed over to the border and caught one of the last taxis back to Johannesburg just in time.
Mission accomplished!
DL Fitch,
Over and out.
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| First tBlog Post From Lesotho.... Ever! |
| 03.11.04 (10:35 pm) [edit] |
After 5 hours in a van the size of a VW bus with 16 other people, we arrived in Maseru - the capital of Lesotho - last night. Despite the thunder and rain, the windy road, and the occasional hydroplaning, the driver kept his cool the whole way and we made it alive. Can't wait till the drive home...
We showed up at the Anglican Center an hour after they closed, but we were able to talk them into giving us a room. Nothing fancy, but it only cost us about $8 a piece.
So... some of you are probably wondering right now, "What is this Lesotho they speak of?" Lesotho is a country the size of Belgium that has the distinction of being the only nation completely surrounded by another country (S. Africa). It also has the highest lowest point of any country, as it is basically one big mountain range.
So we're pretty sure no one has ever posted a blog from this country, although we are making that claim without any verification... but whatever. We're heading out into the more rural areas today, and hope to get working on Luke's documentary in a town called Quithing. We're looking forward to some nice hikes through the mountains, and will let you all know how it goes - probably when we get back into Maseru Sunday night and can post the second tBlog post from Lesotho... ever.
DL Fitch & Just.ice.3
the dynamic duo
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| Breaking News |
| 03.08.04 (9:50 am) [edit] |
This just came out from the BBC:
Zimbabwe 'seizes US cargo plane'
A US-registered cargo plane with 64 suspected mercenaries on board has been impounded in Harare, Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi has said.
The Boeing 727-100 was held on Sunday after it had "made a false declaration of its cargo and crew," Mr Mohadi said.
He said the plane was carrying mercenaries of differing nationalities and "military material".
A spokeswoman from the US embassy in the Zimbabwean capital could not confirm or deny the reports.
Mr Mohadi told a news conference that the plane was detained at 1930 local time (1730GMT) at Harare International Airport.
He said the plane was carrying "64 suspected mercenaries of various nationalities". and "military material".
The minister said an investigation was under way to establish the men's identities and their "ultimate mission".
Journalists were not able to see the plane as Mr Mohadi said it had been moved to a military base.
It was also not immediately clear what has happened to those on board the plane.
The BBC is banned from entering Zimbabwe and so its correspondents were not at the news conference.
Alistair Leithead, reporting from South Africa, said there was no independent verification of the government's claims.
The US embassy in Harare said the Zimbabwean Government had not communicated with them about the plane.
Our correspondent said the incident was "intriguing", given that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has repeatedly accused the US and Britain of plotting to overthrow him.
Now, as many of you know, the objective of the documentary I am working on is to examine US foreign policy towards developing countries on a very broad scale through the underfunded World Food Program. I've already planned trips to Zimbabwe, and I have a contact who is inside the country working out details as we speak. The possibility of an armed struggle with the US certainly complicates things, but at the same time only heightens the urgency of the project I am undertaking. My contact is seeking official recognition of the film through his government connections, and we'll see what their response is in relation to these recent developments.
Although the central subject of the film is the fact that 6.5 million people in the area are currently at risk of starvation, I feel the ways in which America is responding to the crisis will have far greater implications. Do we really want to stir up an armed revolution in a country where half the population is dependent on imported food aid? Are the actions of a single rouge leader (Robert Mugabe, accused of numerous human rights violations) cause enough to implement a regime change that could jeopardize thousands of innocent lives? These are are not easy questions, and they apply not only to Zimbabwe, but other countries as well - including Iraq, Iran, and Haiti.
Anyway, this is a pretty big development - I'll have to sit back and think on it for a day or two before I start revising any plans that have been laid down. I'm planning my first trip to Lesotho, where I hope to begin shooting this weekend - I have to focus on that expedition for now. Still, I really want your guys' opinion on this whole Zimbabwe affair - post a comment or e-mail dlf235@nyu.edu with your ideas.
DL Fitch
512 Executive Ambassador
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| The World We Live In |
| 03.05.04 (3:11 am) [edit] |
"From the most affluent sections of Paris to the slums of Calcutta, urban populations depend on long- distance transport for food, so that every pound of food consumed is accompanied by several pounds of petroleum consumption, pollution, and waste. The urbanized economy is not a product of efficiency but of massive subsidies - tax breaks and direct payments to global corporations and public financing of long- distance transport and communications infrastructures, energy installations, and massive military power to keep recalcitrant communities in line."
-Helena Norberg-Hodge
From Global Monoculture:
The Worldwide Destruction of Diversity
Good stuff for my doc.
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| Song of Savior (Abridged) |
| 03.04.04 (12:10 am) [edit] |
Well Ladies and Gentleman,
I am glad that I can finally report back to my people. As you know our access to the tblog site was lost right after Luke (DL Fitch) and I had planned to post our Doc Summaries. Many of my constituents have been eager to hear what I have in store for my work in South Africa. Both of our documentaries (like much of our work) provide a keen eye into the political structures that are supporting (or not) the social structures in Southern Africa. While Luke's piece explores the needs of the African people from the most fundamental levels: food and nourishment, my documentary looks at a very different type of human need: faith.
My film will be focusing on the power of faith principles as a means for political action. Tracing the development of Liberation Theology from its roots in Latin America to its practical application under the apartheid regime, the narrative of my personal spiritual journey interweaves itself with the narrative of the peoples struggle, and the spiritual guidance that enabled them to continue the fight for freedom. And now ten years into a democratic government, I find that in SA many youth have lost their passion for politics, no longer are the schools a hotbed of resistance and protest. Liberation Theology, and Black Theology, are again charged with the task of supporting the people, in creating an equal and democratic world, in the face of continuing social injustices. As part of the objective in exploring democracy, the film will also cover the SA elections happening later this year, and the role of theology as a means for discourse on this subject. Using South Africa as the model for a strong theology of liberation, the third and final act of the doc brings the whole movement back to our homeland. After 300+ years of democracy, America is still suffering from rampant racism, economic and gender oppression. The same questions posed to South African theologians, are also asked of our ecumenical community in the U.S. What can we do to increase our quality of life? What does our faith teach us about liberating ourselves? Must we suffer in order to reach heaven? Or can earth be a peaceful, and just experience.
The goal of the film is to re-ignite the dialogue on theology as a tool for liberation. Liberation is a principle that translates into all languages, and spans across all faiths. Whether we believe in god or not, we must recognize that the masses of the population that have given themselves to a religious faith, are needed for our movement. Many of the most severely oppressed people in the world are god fearing, and suffering in the name of the lord. Even for Muslims, Jews, Unitarian Universalists, Buddhists, Hindus, all of our religious faiths fundamentally want to uplift their people. But if all people become our people and the goal of peace, justice, and freedom become universal faith principles, hopefully we can start getting some shit done in this world together.
So its a big mo-fo project to put it bluntly.....and it gets even bigger...we will be taking a version of the doc on tour this summer starting on the West Coast of the U.S. in June. But more on the tour schedule coming soon....
Justice.3
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| Bushmasters |
| 03.03.04 (4:25 pm) [edit] |
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Hola, amigos. How's it hangin' stateside? I know it's been a long time since I rapped at ya, but things have been kinda hectic around El Ranchero de 5-1-2 lately.
We cruised out to this National Park that's the size of Singapore over the weekend, and spent a few days chillin' with all the critters. Can't remember everything we saw, but there were some rhinos, hippos, elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, crocodiles, zebras, kudu, ostrich, eagles, impalas, and velociraptors. Well, maybe not that last one, but with all the electric fences I wouldn't have been surprised.
Highlights of the trip... at one point we got chased by an elephant, but unfortunately everyone in the car just screamed like little girls so we drove off all quick without getting any good footage (though I would like to point out Justice was the one holding the camera at that point). Then there were some cheetahs that were throwing a munch on a zebra carcass. That was pretty cool. We also had a crew of monkeys break into our room to steal sugar and creamer. I kinda let them do their thing and was getting all kinds of good footage of it until a certain female companion of ours came through the door and started screaming, scaring them off. Maybe I'll edit a little clip of that and put it up for you guys. Here's a few pics in the meantime, and a full gallery should be up on the 512 Collective homepage shortly.
 
Anyway, we got back Sunday and had loads of crap to do that had been put off in favor of the little safari action. It's getting about time for the both of us to start laying down tape for our docs, and we're busy getting getting preliminary shooting schedules hammered out. More on those projects later. In fact, I'm about out of time here so we'll have to leave it at that for now.
West side!
DL Fitch
Sovereign Grand Inspector General
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