See it. Film it. Change it.

All good blogs must come to an end...

2008-04-28T16:10:00.002+12:00

So I've debated whether to keep this blog going because I feel quite negligent, good bloggers post daily if not more often:)

THIS IS IT, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE I AM OFFICIALLY POSTPONING THIS BLOG.

I am sure there are rules about these things which I am breaking, but, I am hoping to relaunch the blog under a new adventure instead. So, it is the end of this chapter, and hopefully the starting of a new one. Thanks for your interest and support.

A lucky break

2007-07-27T02:37:00.001+12:00

The National Screen Institute — Canada (NSI) Totally Television program, which is designed to help writer-producer teams fine-tune their TV series ideas and work towards landing a broadcast development deal.

The seven projects selected for the 10-month program include Vacationship by producer Kat Baulu and writer Cynthia Knight!

More here.

Left New Zealand...Back in Montreal

2007-07-27T02:36:00.000+12:00

So much has happened. Had film premiere. Left New Zealand. Readjusting to life in Montreal. But more on that later...

A Tiny Beaked Whale

2007-05-03T12:43:00.000+12:00

Today I met up with Jim Fyfe from DoC, who has been helping Alastair and I with our sea lion film. He and Liz Slooten were examining the placenta from a Gray's Beaked Whale that washed up on the shore. There was a male foetus inside, which was pretty amazing.

Poor little Sea Lion

2007-04-20T09:11:00.000+12:00

This is a short clip from the film Alastair Jamieson and I are currently making. There is only temporary narration and music, this will change, but you get to see Whetu Rere, our sweet New Zealand sea lion pup.

Rotary Club Of Ellerslie Sunrise - Bulletin By Barbara McColl

2007-04-20T08:42:00.000+12:00

Photos for Cui-Cui

2007-04-04T23:15:00.000+12:00

I spoke to cui-Cui, my sister who lives in Barbados today. She said she missed seeing me, so I promised to put some pictures up. Here they are, my filmmaking partner, Alastair, took the great ones of Flea and I.

Animal Planet to 'Unearth' next Great Wildlife filmmaker

2007-03-14T08:38:00.000+13:00

image by www.michaelnicknichols.com

In April 2006, Animal Planet invited amateur wildlife filmmakers from around the world to apply for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take part in an intensive filmmaking course with experts Andrew Barron and Lyndal Davies.

This unique television project follows the six contestants as they
embark on a demanding training course at the award-winning Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, where they learn the essential skills and realities of creating a natural history documentary.

DIARY OF AN 'UNEARTHED'FILMMAKER...

I have recently on a Wildeye course and found out about the Unearthed competition from the Wildeye website. The competition was for six amateur film makers to be professionally taught how to film wildlife in South Africa's Shamwari Game Reserve over a period of three weeks. I had to make a DVD entry about myself which showed as many aspects of my wildlife film making as possible, which included underwater filming, night time filming, editing skills and of course wildlife. I did not expect for one second that I would actually win but thought it would be a good experience to try out some of the techniques that had been given on the
courses I attended at Wildeye.

You can imagine my total surprise and excitement when I received a
conference phone call to get more details about myself and my film. I assumed I was on a short list of contenders to go on the trip but when I was eventually told I was one of the six people to go I still didn't actually believe it until I arrived in Africa.

We flew out on the 8 July 2006 and I was a little bit worried when we arrived and found thermals on the bed! Of course it was winter in Africa and it can get really cold. Filming started immediately and it is a strange feeling having a camera a few inches from your face, and questions flying at you. Shortly after the film crew left us a white rhino strolled past the Lodge we were staying in. What a welcome!

For the whole three weeks we were there we had early rises and very late finishes, sometimes to 3.00am in the morning but the tuition and expertise that we gained was second to none and all six contestants enjoyed every second of it. We were taught not only the fundamentals of filming wildlife but also the dangers, the drive, dedication and hard work that are needed to become a wildlife film maker.

Our main source of information was from the film crew and the rangers on the Reserve but we did have special guests brought in to give us talks on individual subjects such as filming lions at night time. All the instructors were in the top league of their field and it became very clear as the weeks progressed just how privileged we were. The three weeks ended with each contestant picking a subject and making a film that would be judged by a top panel of judges at the end of the final week.

The subject I picked was a beautiful female leopard. It was a big
gamble as I have been to Africa before and know how hard it is to find a leopard and we only had 3 days to shoot the film but it was one animal that has always fascinated me. You can imagine my thoughts when on the first day of shooting her we woke up to torrential rain. It cleared up in the afternoon but due to the waterlogged ground we were told that we wouldn’t be able to go off road which would really restrict me. As it happened we found her in an open patch and she could not have given me a better afternoon's filming. The last day of filming her just showed what a gamble I had taken as she went deep into bush and we didn’t see her at
all.

To find out exactly what we got up to you will have to see the
programme which comes out on 8th April on the Animal Planet at 7pm but I would like to say to everyone: enter every competition you can because you never know what you may achieve. Another Unearthed is going to be launched this year (see previous bulletin) so get your entries in.

Good luck
Bryan Grayson

Don’t film if you can live without filming

2007-03-11T22:37:00.000+13:00

My filmmaker friend, Diego Briceno, sent me this, and I found it very helpful when reaffirming my own passion about filmmaking...

from: http://www.docsthatinspire.com

(IDFA: Int'l Documentary Festival Amsterdam)

During the festival, each year IDFA holds an academy for emerging doc directors and students. Here’s some advice from Master Class Instructor Victor Kossakovsky for beginning doc filmmakers:
1. Don’t film if you can live without filming.
2. Don’t film if you want to say something - just say it or write it. Film only if you want to show something, or you want people to see something. This concerns both the film as a whole and every single shot within the film.
3. Don’t film, if you already knew your message before filming - just become a teacher. Don’t try to save the world. Don’t try to change the world. Better if your film will change you. Discover both the world and yourself whilst filming.
4. Don’t film something you just hate. Don’t film something you just love. Film when you aren’t sure if you hate it or love it. Doubts are crucial for making art. Film when you hate and love at the same time.
5. You need your brain both before and after filming, but don’t use your brain during filming. Just film using your instinct and intuition.
6. Try to not force people to repeat an action or words. Life is unrepeatable and unpredictable. Wait, look, feel and be ready to film using your own way of filming. Remember that the very best films are unrepeatable. Remember that the very best films were based on unrepeatable shots. Remember that the very best shots capture unrepeatable moments of life with an unrepeatable way of filming.
7. Shots are the basis of cinema. Remember that cinema was invented as one single shot - documentary, by the way - without any story. Or story was just inside that shot. Shots must first and foremost provide the viewers with new impressions that they never had before.
8. Story is important for documentary, but perception is even more important. Think, first, what the viewers will feel while seeing your shots. Then, form a dramatic structure of your film using the changes to their feelings.
9. Documentary is the only art, where every esthetical element almost always has ethical aspects and every ethical aspect can be used esthetically. Try to remain human, especially whilst editing your films. Maybe, nice people should not make documentaries.
10. Don’t follow my rules. Find your own rules. There is always something that only you can film and nobody else.
In addition to being a film director, Victor Kossakovsky (1961, St. Petersburg) is also a cameraman, producer and editor. Kossakovsky’s works are conceptual and personal, but also playful and surprisingly easy to watch. In his films, there’s no difference between good and bad, only pure amazement at the world around us. Svyato (2005), Tishe! (2002), I Loved You (2000), Pavel i Lyalya (1998), Wednesday (1997) and Belovy (1993) are all anchored by brilliant ideas that Kossakovsky develops into intimate, completely uncompromising cinema.

Happy Birthday Charles!

2007-03-08T21:33:00.000+13:00

Joyeuse anniversaire, mon Charles-O-Rama! May this year bring you everything you desire , including the many trophies you deserve for wakeboarding and kiting, my dear... x

Who is your favourite singer?

2007-03-06T00:03:00.001+13:00

So the good people at Mitre 10 agreed to be in my music video as an exercise for school. After we finished making the 'real' music video, we made this just for fun.
Who do you think sings with the most heart? Who's got the moves?
A big, big thanks to everyone at Mitre 10 in Mosgiel and Dunedin who made this possible. You rock!

Rotary Club of Port Alfred, South Africa, District 9320

2007-02-09T08:26:00.000+13:00

Hello Best Host Counselor In The World!
That’s some picture, it in raining like anything in Dunedin today…enjoy South Africa, I hope to get there one day!
Warm regards,
-Kat

********************************************************************
Hi Kat
Here I am in Port Alfred exchanging banners with their Rotary club president -it was 8:15 in the morning and it was 26 degrees!
Glad to hear the film is progressing -looking forward to seeing the final cut. See you in a couple of weeks.
Beste Wense,
Doug

******************************************************************
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 9:34 AM
Subject: Visiting Rotarian

Rotary Greetings to St Kilda's Sunrise from the Rotary Club of Port Alfred, South Africa, District 9320.

We were delighted to meet one of your members, Rotarian Douglas Hall, at our Breakfast Meeting on Tuesday 6 February.
We had an exchange of banners and heard about your Club and its activities.

We send our best wishes, and attach a photograph of our President Colin Wiggett and Douglas exchanging banners.

Heather Howard
Public Relations, Port Alfred

Warm Reception From Dunedin South Club

2007-01-30T22:23:00.000+13:00

Kat demonstrates an Amphibico housing for filming underwater.

One of the most exciting parts of being a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar is visting Rotary clubs and meeting extraordinary people. I was invited to speak at the Dunedin South Club and had the most wonderful time. These Rotarians are a very warm and welcoming bunch!

Douglas Hall, my host counsellor and Alistair Wright

Warwick Guild and fellow members

Paul Bennett

Ross Pinkham

Martin Hair & Dave Potter

Johanna Kinvig

Ros Rice

Phil Moore

James Henry Philip Cullen

Claire Ramsay, Matheson Beaumont, James Henry, Robt Wilson.

A big thanks to Ross Pinkham for helping me put together this Dunedin South photo album!

Merry Christmas New Zealand Sea Lions!

2006-12-27T10:48:00.000+13:00

Here's what New Zealand sea lions were up to on Christmas day...

This is a pretty girl. I wonder if she is pregnant this year? She has a distinctive circular scar on her left front flipper.

Here I am admiring a lovely young male on Pilot's Beach.

Awwww. Here is 2595, a sweet boy who is maybe 1 or 2 years old, I'd have to check with the sea lion researchers to be sure, like Shaun or Shannon or Jojo.

When he grows up he'll look like this gorgeous specimen of a male, 300 kilos + !!!!

Appetite For Power - At Any Cost

2006-12-15T00:32:00.000+13:00

The death of Chile's Augusto Pinochet on Dec. 10, 2006 was more than the passing of another dictator. His violent regime spurred an international human rights movement. Activist and lawyer Reed Brody from Human Rights Watch, who has closely followed the legal case against Pinochet for a decade, provides the commentary for this essay.

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/pinochet.aspx

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

2006-12-11T04:41:00.000+13:00

If only you could hear... Pip and I, doing our number. Sarah took these great photos.

Styx - Mr. Roboto Lyrics

(Dennis DeYoung)

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,

Mata ah-oo hima de

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,

Himitsu wo shiri tai

You're wondering who I am-machine or mannequin

With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man

I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin

My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.

So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised

I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide

To keep me alive-just keep me alive

Somewhere to hide to keep me alive

I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see

I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free

I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know

I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control

Beyond my control-we all need control

I need control-we all need control

I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask

So no one else can see my true identity

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo

Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto

For doing the jobs that nobody wants to

And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto

For helping me escape just when I needed to

Thank you-thank you, thank you

I want to thank you, please, thank you

The problem's plain to see: too much technology

Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.

The time has come at last

To throw away this mask

So everyone can see

My true identity...

I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!

Fiordland -A photo odyssey

2006-12-10T11:33:00.000+13:00

One of the best things about being a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar is that clubs invite you out to share their little corner of the world with you. I recently visited Fiordland Rotary Club, about 4 hours drive away from where I live in Dunedin. I had the pleasure of enjoying a fun filled evening with hilarious stories and a comprehensive and intimate tour of the region. Fiordland was designated a world heritage site in 1986. I was enchanted. 8 meters of rain falls in this area every year. It is a place of waterfalls and lush forest like I've never seen.

New Zealand Sea Lion Family Tree

2006-12-10T10:43:00.000+13:00

What you see here is the elegant result of research lead by Shaun McConkey. This is a family tree of the individual sea lions currently populating the South Island of New Zealand. Those in red are deceased. Shaun has identified the vulnerable and rare sea lions of the Otago coast. He does this through combinations of photo and video identification, DNA sampling and an ongoing survey of habitat used by these animals.
What blows my mind is that one animal makes the difference. One female, nicknamed 'Mum' decided that it was worth trying to raise a pup a year along the Otago coast. Now there's a chance that this one individual's efforts will pay off, that a real colony will be established. What made her come back to New Zealand instead of living out her life in the Sub Antarctic Islands? That is a mystery. But what a wonderful thing, to have the New Zealand Sea lion back on the mainland.

The Sea Lion Whisperer

2006-11-26T19:27:00.000+13:00

So Alastair and I are making a film about New Zealand Sea Lions, the rarest sea lions in the world. In the course of trying to learn as much about these animals as we can, we followed Shaun McConkey - I nicknamed him The Sea Lion Whisperer. Shaun has been sudying this tiny population on the mainland for 11 years. He has witnessed an amazing reptriation of this animal to the South island coast, all due to one pioneering female sea lion, called 'Mum'. Once sea lions were common all over New Zealand, in strong numbers. But overharvesting by Maori and European sealers caused a terrible decline. A tiny population resorted to a meager living in the sub Antarctic Islands. But Mum changed all that when she decided to make a go of it on the mainland. Since her daughters and granddaughters are philopatric, meaning they rear their young where they themselves were reared, the mainland might see a real sea lion colony on the mainland for the first time in more than 200 years.
Shaun is spearheading the Sea Lion Trust, which aims to protect this fragile species.

Mercury Rising by Catherine Wood

2006-11-08T09:13:00.000+13:00

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Despite mercury’s toxicity and the availability of alternatives for almost all uses, 100 tonnes of mercury is in use each year in Canada in thousands of products such as fluorescent lamps, thermostats, thermometers and button batteries, as well as industrial applications.

Canada has been working hard to decrease its mercury emissions. Between 1990 and 1995, man-made releases dropped from 32 tonnes to 11 tonnes, thanks to improvements in the base metal mining industry. By 2000, mercury releases had decreased to 8 tonnes per year.

A recent announcement by the federal government promises to further protect the health of Canadians by preventing the release of 10 tonnes of mercury into the environment over the next ten years.

How? Every year, more than 1 million cars are recycled in Canada. In fact, cars are the most recycled product on the planet. Many of these vehicles used automotive lighting switches that contain mercury. While this is perfectly safe when you are still driving your car, mercury-containing switches contribute to mercury releases when scrap metal is sent to steel plants for recycling. Although their use has been discontinued, there remains a legacy of switches that need to be responsibly recovered to prevent the mercury from being released to the environment.

The recovery of mercury switches is a relatively inexpensive and effective way to significantly reduce mercury emissions. The recent federal announcement of a national switch recovery plan will engage government, industries, and non-governmental organizations to address the issue of mercury, and represents the kind of forward-thinking solutions which can achieve tangible and sustainable results.

Thus far in Canada, mercury switches have been recovered before they enter the recycling stream by responsible auto recyclers participating in Switch Out, a program developed by the Clean Air Foundation. This program is dedicated to promoting the responsible recovery and disposal of automotive mercury switches. Switch Out has been successful in recovering more than 130,000 mercury switches in the past few years, and although this is a relatively small percentage of the switches entering the waste stream (the exact number is not known)—this program has succeeded in helping to prevent mercury from entering the waste stream and subsequently emitting into the environment.

Leadership on this issue is an essential first step towards protecting people and the environment from unnecessary exposure to this dangerous toxic substance.

So, what can you as an individual do?

Use less electricity. Coal-fired power generation represents one of the largest sources of mercury emissions. By decreasing the amount of electricity we use, we can reduce emissions of mercury and other harmful air pollutants (and save money).
Safely and responsibly dispose of any articles around your home that contain mercury. Each community across Canada has different facilities, but in most cases you will be able to bring mercury-containing products to your local Household Hazardous Waste Site. Call your municipality for more information or visit www.earth911.org for a searchable database of disposal and recycling centres in Canada, the US, and internationally.
Read labels. Replace any articles around your home that contain mercury. Avoid purchasing things that contain mercury; non-mercury containing versions of common products are almost always readily available. Lists of common products and alternatives are available on the Environment Canada and US EPA websites.
Educate yourself, your family, your friends and your colleagues about mercury and its dangers. There is a wealth of information available through your library and on the web. Pollution Probe has a great resource called Mercury in the Environment—a Primer, available free online at www.pollutionprobe.org/Publications/Mercury.htm.
Write to your councilor, MP, MPP, as well as your Provincial and Federal Minister of the Environment. Tell them you are concerned about mercury pollution both locally and nationally, and that you are looking for their leadership on the issue. Demand that your government have a comprehensive long-term mercury pollution plan in place.

Catherine Wood is with the Clean Air Foundation.

Happy Birthday Alastair!

2006-11-01T06:53:00.000+13:00

My talented filming partner, in action behind the lense! Many happy returns, Alastair!

This is what Halloween in Toronto looks like...ADORABLE!

2006-10-31T18:51:00.000+13:00

My goddaughter, Morgan, in her Elephant outfit!

Morgan hugs her future brother/sister, proud mum Catherine and dad, Bill.

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T18:28:00.000+13:00

You find wildlife in strange places in Dunedin. For example, in my neighbourhood at Waverly Hair Fashions...I found Stella, the 2 1/2 year old rabbit and Ruby the 3 1/2 year old monkey. MAF cannot be doing their job, clearly these are imported exotics, not local wildlife! Well, in fact, Stella, Ruby and their big sister Lucy, who is 9, are 'native' in a way. They have a Canadian daddy from Edmonton, Alberta, a Mr. Wispinski, I believe. So these wild animals, sitting on Bev (young grandmother) and Karen (Mom) can be classed up as Kiwi 'wildlife' after all! Pretty cute, eh? Wish I could make a film about them!

Meet Craig Watson, The Sound Magician

2006-10-28T10:42:00.000+13:00

Master Craig Watson at the controls

"You want me to do what?!"

Glorious ProTools

Maybe if we just try a little of this...

...and a little of this...

Alastair and Donna (Alastair's adorable wife) gaze in awe

When you walk into the sound suite at NHNZ, there's a pretty magic wand near the equipment. It looks like the stray prop of a 5-year old girl's halloween costume. Craig says he sometimes has to humour prickly producers with it. When they come in asking for audio miracles, he says, 'OK, just hand me that magic wand over there , please." That being said, is there anything Craig can't do? I think not.
I've been meaning to blog about Craig Watson, Sound Recordist/Designer at NHNZ, for a wee bit, but with the end of our first semester and all the pressure to find a film, I was waylaid. Here's the thing, Craig is brilliant. For example, he was recently nominated for an Emmy for Buggin' with Ruud.
So when Alastair and I were working on an assignment called 'Vulture Culture'a few weeks ago, and we had to create a film narration, Craig immediately came to mind. What we wanted to do was convert my voice to something that sounded like a vulture talking, kind of DMXish, rough and street.
Craig came to the rescue. Using ProTools and a great deal of creativity, he rendered my voice unrecognizable! And very vultury. Thanks Craig, you are a legend!

Happy Birthday Reem, Roula and Uncle Rizk

2006-10-26T16:13:00.000+13:00

Inland Sea at sunset, Qatar.

Uncle Rizk, Auntie Therese and Taima, their granddaughter.

Complex for the Asia Games, Doha, Qatar.

Reem and Roula

Reem, a friendly desert lizard and me

It fascinates me that my girlfriends Reem and Roula share their birthday with their Dad. Also, he and all his kids, including their brother Ramzy, have names starting with 'R'. It is as if only certain numbers and letters are favoured by the Haddads. Happy birthday, you three. Thank you for enriching my life. The lizard pictured was not part of the chaos described in the article below, as far as I know!

THE PENINSULA (Qatar) 29 August 06 Wild lizard terrorises residents of apartment complex

Doha: Three terrorised Filipino families were holed up in their apartment in the Old Airport area because of a large-sized wild lizard that escaped from its Qatari owner, an Arabic daily reported.

Hassan had apparently hauled in the lizard after a trip in the desert, placed the reptile in his car and tied it up to prevent it from escaping. However, the lizard made a getaway even as Hassan remained blissfully unaware that his pet was now on the loose.

He only realized something was amiss when he heard women and children screaming in their apartment in the complex where he had parked his vehicle.

The wayward creature was duly captured for the second time in a day and returned home with its Qatari master.

The fallout of the entire episode was that the four children of the families had to take a day off from school that day and some tenants caught outside made delayed returns to their apartments.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=August2006&file=Local_News200608297510.xml

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String II

2006-10-25T21:17:00.000+13:00

Anything in there for me?

Most amazing frog treats ever!

Gorgeous stylized frog bag

My parents, expedition-style!

Once in a while, I am lucky enough to come home to a mailbox full of goodies from my thoughtful and generous family. These treats are from my parents' expedition to Alaska and the North West Coast. People who know me a little soon discover my obsession with frogs. My family considers it my totem. They find the most unusual representations of amphibians and add them to my collection. The watch is choice! Thanks Mum and Dad, love every bit of it.

402 - The End Of A Great Thing

2006-10-17T22:15:00.000+13:00

Yesterday we had our last class with Richard Thomas who teaches 402. It is the end of something special. With the advent of the newly minted Masters Program, 402 is no more. But we milked it for all it was worth yesterday, peer reviewing rewrites of narration for a film about dog sled racing called Yukon Quest, in addition to hearing Richard's words of wisdom on thought tracks and how to handle interviews.
What resonated with me though, was the last video clip Richard showed. It was from a film he made on factory workers. You can see a character from the film on the screen behind us in the photo. Richard expressed this film as typical of his signature: "I care about other folk who've had it rough. That's the kind of film I care to make." He urged us to make films about what moves us. I firmly believe that 402's legacy rides on the wake of some very passionate filmmakers, pictured above. Thank you, Richard, for sharing your toolkit so graciously with us.

The Magic Of Polecam

2006-10-10T00:09:00.000+13:00

This 2 minute video stars, in order of appearance, Katie, Bojun, Jinty, myself and Ed. The wonderful filming was done by Artist-at-Large, Lu. Here we are at Portobello Aquarium, learning all about the joys of polecam - getting a camera underwater without ever getting wet! I tell you, the stuff they keep in those tanks at the aquarium is amazing...

Teuthowenia!!!

2006-10-07T16:29:00.000+13:00

I was walking along Tomahawk beach at 10.30 am today and I was lucky to find a real (dead) Teuthowenia! It could be Teuthowenia, but it may also be one of the closely
related cranchiids (there's lot of them and they all look similar when
small). Ever since I saw Peter Batson's photo of this deep sea creature in his book Explore The Abyss it has captured my imagination. I wish I could make a film about this squid - quite impossible, but still it's fun to dream!
My snapshots are nothing compared to Peter's but I thought I'd have fun and show you how tiny this creature is: it is sitting in a mussel shell in the last picture. It fits into a tablespoon, and I shot it in a tranparent teacup. I was only able to manipulate it for a short while after the beach before it started to disintigrate, it's ink staining everything. It is such a fragile, beautiful little animal! One of the parts I like about it is the spots all over, like a tiny leopard. These only became very apparent when I moved it from salt water to tap water, usually it looks quite translucent. It shrank a bit when I put it into the tap water, like it was being pickled or something. Teuthowenia looks like a creature from another planet to me.

Watch out for the fur seals!

2006-10-07T13:10:00.000+13:00

I had this adventure with Sarah a little while back. She made the most exciting film of it! Love the music Sarah! We also found a kite that day and flew it.

And we slid down a steep beach hill and tore my pants. Sarah happily photographed my destroyed fashion. Good times in Aramoana, I tell you.

Here's the thing - do you think these are fur seals or New Zealand Sea lions? They are a little hard to tell apart...guesses anyone?

Narration - You Can Never Start Too Early

2006-10-03T22:32:00.000+13:00

Wise words from Richard Thomas. Narration can really make (or break) a film. As he puts it "Narration is not Polyfilla you smear on at the end. " Richard is pictured here (right) with the famous Dr. Nick Macintosh. Richard had these pointers on narration that inspired me:

DO

use present tense
use simple words and short sentences
use potent, spare language
use signposts to help the viewer know where the story is going
remove excess words
spend lots of time on openings and endings
enrich the picture, tell what can't be shown
love the silence, love the space, words aren't everything!

DON'T

tell what is shown in the picture
give too much (information overload)
use many figures, e.g. 900lbs of 10ft planks on a 5 tonne boat
use jargon or technical words
use cliches
give the story away
put words over pictures that can stand alone

Other great tips were:

- Get shots while filming to illustrate particular narration you have thought about on site or during the shooting script period

- Lock the picture AFTER you have finalised your narration

- Write narration OVER cuts to make transitions smooth

As you can see from this picture, Alastair and I have taken Richard's advice to heart, and are busy working on a buzzards narration trying to employ all the techniques.

Happy Birthday Cui-Cui!

2006-10-01T12:47:00.000+13:00

This is my sister Genevieve, who we call Cui-Cui. Who would have thought that this dancing queen would produce such a magnificent family? Joyeuse anniversaire!

Cui-Cui, age 6, Barbados

Cui-Cui, with eldest son Lukas, in Barbados

Sebastian her youngest son, Cui-Cui, Bones (husband) and Lukas, in Canada

Cui-Cui and Isabelle (sister) at Accra Beach, Barbados

The Mile High Club

2006-09-30T12:30:00.000+12:00

On a tour of the Taeri Airfields near Dunedin, New Zealand, guest lecturer Ed Jowett, field store manager for NHNZ, is on the case. In this 2.5 min. video, Ed shares the tricks of getting beautiful motion picture from miles up in the air with the enthusiastic class of 2006 Natural History Filmmaking and Communication students. Nick bravely tries out the gyro-stabilizer.
Not many days now before our buddy Nick Macintosh exchanges this world for stethoscopes and remote lands. Check out his tight animated video - 2000 frames! Peace out, my brother.

A Room With A View

2006-09-28T17:27:00.000+12:00

This is the view from my room early in the morning:

At night:

And during a big forest fire today...with 4 fire helicopters equipped with monsoon buckets. They started dipping their buckets in he Otago harbour at 2.30 p.m. and helped contain the fire. Thank goodness for helicopters, not just for aerial filming but for saving trees and people!

Aerial Filming

2006-09-28T16:19:00.000+12:00

Paul talks about escaping his helicopter crash landing.

Dwayne preparing for his maiden voyage to film "Judas Goat".

Pilots are all about details.

Paul shares the finer details of filming while hanging out of a chopper.

Flight school Fanatics

Fixed wing airplanes rock!

Safety first with Paul and Ed

Ed Jowett is on the case...

Unidentified student sneaking away without paying for flight

Today we went to Taeri Airfields to learn all about aerial filming with our instructor, Paul Donovan. The kind folks from Helicopters Otago gave us a detailed briefing on all the considerations for helicopter filming. We were also given tips from Paul on filming from fixed wing planes. Ed Jowett, a cinematographer and director of NHNZ's field store treated us to a buffet of gadgets that would have made McGyver green with envy.
This online discussion I found about helicopter safety with cinematographers was informative too.

Creative Lighting with Paul Donovan

2006-09-28T15:35:00.000+12:00

Ask anyone in our class and they will tell you lectures with Paul Donovan are sweet. Why? Because he's always sharing cool toys and helping you make better images. Case in point, last week, a class practically devoted to the magic of flex-fills and bounce boards. With the flip of a wrist, and the right tool, you too can turn out gorgeous interviewees.

Happy Birthday Bill

2006-09-20T21:06:00.000+12:00

Last Saturday was my friend Bill's birthday. Bill is also my childhood friend (pictured middle) Catherine's husband . One of the things I miss about being away from home is celebrating with friends and relatives. Birthdays, especially. Bonne Fete, Brother Bill!

A recipe for writing

2006-09-16T10:04:00.000+12:00

FLEA, my 4 year old Weimaraner, is asleep in a sunbeam as I try to write my shooting script for Richard. Writing is tough work for me. It helps to have an inspirational view of Dunedin and the harbour. This is what you see through that big glass window by napping Flea. Best of all though, is Flea's quiet, loyal company.

This is Flea marvelling at two fur seals on Aramoana beach. She has good manners and doesn't interfere with the wildlife. Perhaps this is because she believes she is human.

Filming wildlife at Victory Beach

2006-09-15T08:18:00.000+12:00

This is a short video Jinty and I put together about our class trip. We were learning how to film wildlife from master cameraman, Paul Donovan. I posted it earlier, but this version is better quality. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2006-09-14T21:03:00.000+12:00

Sarah turned 24 and we are celebrating Saturday night! Sarah is from Ireland. She just teamed up with Louise, or Lu as we call her.
Some filming teams that have been announced:

Pip and Mark
Julia and Jinty
Alastair and Myself

Other teams to be announced soon.

One of our star colleagues, Nick, is leaving the course and returning to medical school. Nick is one of those people that drives me crazy because he's excellent at everything. When he's not taking beautiful photographs, he's climbing some huge mountain. He is pure talent. The world is losing a great filmmaker but gaining a superb field surgeon. I will miss you, Nick! I don't actually believe you'll leave filmmaking for long. I am looking forward to your field documentaries...maybe you could make one like award winning War Hospital . That film was so moving!

Isabelle is fine

2006-09-14T07:48:00.000+12:00

A woman is carried away from the scene of a school shooting at Dawson College in Montreal, September 13, 2006. REUTERS/Shaun Best

My sister, who attended Dawson College months ago, was going there today to meet friends when she received a call, saying this tragedy happened. This school is moments away from my home in Montreal. I am grateful that Isabelle was not hurt. I feel terrible for the families and those who have a relative involved.

Gunmen reportedly kill four in Montreal
Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:54 PM

By Robert Melnbardis

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Up to three gunman dressed in black army fatigues opened fire in a downtown Montreal college on Wednesday, and early, unconfirmed reports said four people had been killed.

RDI Television quoted unofficial sources as saying that 16 people may also been injured in the shootout. The network said one gunman had turned his weapon on himself and committed suicide, while a second had been shot and killed by police. This could not yet be confirmed.

"A suspect has been neutralised, which means he is not shooting any more," said Ian LaFreniere, a police spokesman.

Montreal police said they believed there were between one and three suspects.

A health agency official told reporters that at least six people have been taken to hospital, of which three are seriously wounded.

The shooting took place in the cafeteria of Dawson College, in the heart of Montreal, Canada's second biggest city. The college has around 10,000 students aged from 16 to 19.

The shooting triggered memories of a 1989 massacre at the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women before killing himself.

Collaborate or perish

2006-09-12T11:16:00.000+12:00

Happy times...this is a few of us aglow after the pitching session. Well, not exactly. I admit this is many hours later, after the stress of the day was diluted with a little Emerson's.

PEOPLE CALL CINEMA the 7th art. I believe that. Great films can be great art. When I used to study and practice fine art, it was a pretty lonely process. Of course I shared studio space with my classmates, and we gave each other valuable feedback. But at 1 o'clock in the morning, with a deadline looming , it was just me, the paint and the canvas. Filmmaking is quite a different beast. The nature of cinema is that it takes so many instruments to compose a melody that a team is helpful. You can't shoot, direct actors, edit, and create the music all by yourself and expect it to have perfect craftmanship and carry the message. Of course some creators do the one-man-band-thing. And are successful. But it must be a long and lonesome journey. And, in the end, who do you share the kudos with? There's no sound when you make a champagne toast with just one glass.
Luckily, the course I am undertaking makes filmmaking in pairs mandatory. So last week, my colleagues and I pitched our hearts out to each other and a committee of veteran filmmakers. Everyone had a viable story idea. In fact, the ideas were so well cultivated and passionately delivered, that it makes this next step very hard. Students must pair up and make only 6 of those 12 films. A delicate dance has begun. Negotiations are in progress. Feelings may be inadvertently pinched. It's not exactly Project Runway, but close; there's some of that vibe in the air. Tomorrow we are supposed to announce our partnerships. The big question is, will we strike the lonesome path to 'art' or will be be able to supress hubris and nurture fruitful cinematic collaboration? To be continued...

Taxidermy in Art

2006-09-12T10:18:00.000+12:00

I am fascinated by taxidermy in art. These are currently my two favourite pieces. Please tell me if you know about others!

Head On is by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. It is on exhibition now at the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. Composed of 99 life sized wolves, confectioned from painted sheepskins, they charge in a continuous stream towards, and finally crash into, a manufactured glass wall. The idea of a wolf in sheep's clothes is not lost on me, but the sheer dynamism and ambition of the piece really grabs me by the collar. More here. Or read "Tragic Beauty
A Conversation with Cai Guo-Qiang."

Untitled, 1979 by Jannis Kounellis is made from charcoal, paper, arrows and stuffed birds. In June, while visiting my friends the Ganzlebens in London, I saw this piece at the Tate Gallery. I am intrigued how a simple black line can carry story. Those industrial buildings, by their starkness, invite you to infer your own experiences. Standing in front of this piece, you want to gasp for air, you actually feel sooty, and dirty. My thoughts went to climate change, fossil fuels and the environment. This was probably not Kounellis' preoccupation in 1979, but it just goes to show how imagination in the form of great art is timeless.

Being Caribou

2006-09-06T08:42:00.000+12:00

We are watching one of my favourite films today in class, BEING CARIBOU.

Interviews with the filmmakers

official website

this is the latest news on the Arctic National Refuge

And that wonderful institution that makes great Canadian documentaries, the National Film Board Of Canada

Pitching Tips from AIVF

2006-08-31T22:55:00.000+12:00

A circus hippo and its trainer from the Great Rayman Circus of India. I bet they know a thing or two about pitching.

Next Tuesday we have to pitch our project ideas for films...I found this helpful.

Pitching Your Best Foot Forward (more here)

The Pitch

Most AIVF (Association of Independent Video and Film) producers who pitch have a strong hook, and their pitches prove their research is very thorough. However, describing actual style and approach proves more difficult for most producers. A good pitch clearly demonstrates your vision of how your story will evolve in real time. It also states why your project is best suited for film/video as opposed to a photo essay or printed article.

Be clear about:

the story. stick to WHAT HAPPENS, where the story goes. Get to the conflict, the drama. Basically, the funders want to hear what they’re going to see for the duration of your film.
the style: verite, narrated, talking-head, etc.
the audience. Specify if the program is targeted to a specific audience or age; age group is very important, particularly if you’re targeting children.
the genre your program might fall into: i.e. educational, entertainment, scientific, etc.

Your initial pitch should:

Be limited to a couple of sentences. A pitch sums up what the project is about.
Tell the story first; detail characters, side stories, and issues last. Start your pitch off with its relevance to viewers, then progress with the story: i.e. "Eating disorders affect X amount of women over 40. MY PROJECT tells the story of a group of women who ban together to overthrow the diet industry."
Include the program’s structure. For example, character description is significant, but how do you see the characters and story fitting into a structure? How will it be formatted, envisioned?
Demonstrate you have command of the subject. Be clear on what the question is that you are trying to answer with your film. Know what answering this question will do for the audience and why it is important to them. Theorizing about the story and the film is fine, but it doesn’t convey what the audience will see on TV.
Talk about how you will handle and present all of the elements. Mention the style or approach you will take with the material (i.e. point of view, amount of narration, etc.) and don’t neglect technical aspects: what holds it together? interviews? archival footage? is there a narrator? host? is it shot in the studio?
--Be clear about what footage you have besides interviews. How are you going to tell the story? If it includes archival footage or specific music, state where you are with rights clearances.
--If there is a long, complicated back-story included in your pitch that is not the meat of the film’s story, tell how you will relay this background information in the film.
Include your credentials. The funders should be told who you are and have an idea of the experience you bring to the table.
Start with the specifics of the story. Beware of communicating high levels of abstraction. What is the story? Why does your story matter to us, and why does it speak to us all? Why should people want to see your film?
State your point of view. How are you connected to the story and why is it important to you? Convey what you per se (your experience, your relationship to the material) will bring to it. This should also prove to the channel that you are going to bring a unique perspective that no one else could.
Have a good lead-in: tying the project into a current event or issue that society is talking about. Tell why it’s relevant that you do this project NOW and why it’s especially of interest to audiences.
Specify if your film is about a current event or if it’s social commentary. The immediacy of the issue is important, as a network may not be able to schedule the film two years from now.

Most importantly, you should be able to distinguish why your project is different from existing shows. You should acknowledge any similar programs out there (now or in the recent past) and how your approach and form is different. Plus, comparing your project to something already out there helps the rep being pitched to picture it in their mind, and place your project within the context of current programming.

Decidedly, your pitch should tell the network why they should spend their money on you and your film.

Lastly, remember to stay focused. Don’t bring up your other project(s) unless it comes up in the conversation.

A Film By Jinty & Kat - Up Close And Dangerous

2006-08-31T00:33:00.000+12:00

Pitching Hell

2006-08-29T22:03:00.000+12:00

Kiaora, You. In 6 days we will have a massive pitching session, proposing ideas for our thesis films. Each of my eleven (11) distinguished colleagues will throw out their latest and greatest idea for consideration. I'll add mine to the fray. We then have to deliberate and choose only six (6) ideas to make this year. Which means we will pair up on the six stories that are most compelling. Not everybody's idea will be realised. Pretty scary stuff when you think you might have to kill your darlings, as they say.

I like this filmmaker's journey through pitching hell. It gave me inspiration:

http://www.indiewire.com/ots/onthescene_040423muse.html

Here are a couple of pics Alastair took of me, one shooting a seal at Victory Beach and the other with Elton Smith at Orokonui Sanctuary. Thanks, A!

Happy Birthday Bassie!

2006-08-27T23:54:00.001+12:00

Happy Birthday Ramzy!

2006-08-27T23:54:00.000+12:00

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad!

2006-08-27T23:46:00.000+12:00

Flea and Kat's film debut, by Julia Kelbling

2006-08-26T18:30:00.000+12:00

Complain, Complain, Complain

2006-08-23T22:52:00.000+12:00

Grrrr, You. Apparently last year’s students felt the course was not challenging enough. So this year all the instructors have gone into Kill-The-Emerging-Filmmakers-With-Two-Tons-Of-Assignments-Overdrive. Tomorrow we are filming snails in elaborate sets we are designing on a dime. Friday we have a massive research paper due. A week from now we are pitching our thesis films in front of a critical audience. Ideas anyone? We have a feature article due in there somewhere, I can’t even keep track of which day.
All my friends and family back home are like, hey, have you been skiing? Toured wine country? No. Word to the wise, if you plan to come on this course from overseas in order to travel around the country, book a separate trip. Time is the most precious commodity you have, and it evaporates faster than a tear can dry. Please note, I am the only one complaining. That is because my distinguished colleagues are cut from superior cloth. They are a pack of over-achievers who laugh in the face of adversity. I endeavor to steal a page from their book and get on with it. But I really just had to vent. That’s it, that’s all.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

2006-08-21T21:15:00.000+12:00

Bonjour, You. I received my favourite thing today – a fat care package in the mail! What a treat! Thanks to my godparents Lyne & Jake The Snake and Mum & Dad! I just fell into all the things I miss so much from home – labeling tape, face cream, er… more girl stuff. Awww, Mum - Flea was very pleased with her toy. She carries it around in her mouth all the time and nudges me in the leg, as if to say, “pull, pull, NOW!” We love the sheets. So soft. Although Flea does not like me pretending to be a ghost. Woo-hoo for the people we adore overseas! Merci mille fois, je vous aiment et vous me manquez beaucoup. Bisous.

Dress Rehearsal And The Real Deal

2006-08-19T11:49:00.000+12:00

Hello there, You. The last two days have been exhausting but enlightening. Under the watchful eye of cinematographer Paul Donovan, we’ve been learning all about filming wildlife. Thursday was a dress rehearsal in class, with Peter Rabbit graciously loaned by Denise from The Pet Warehouse. Friday was a field trip to Victory beach. Poor Katie had conjunctivitis, so she couldn't come, but the rest of the crew was there. We hoped to see Hookers Sea Lions and Yellow-Eyed Penguins. Aside from an old bull sunning himself in the grass, I was disappointing to see so few sea lions. Getting up at the butt-crack of dawn and slogging through miles of sand for a big view of a cold, empty ocean is a bit frustrating. Hard to make a sequence, let alone a story, out of nothing. But this is the nature of wildlife filmmaking, Paul says, you never know what you are going to get. Patience is a virtue. Then we did see something very rare: a fearsome Leopard Seal. Their territory is usually Antarctic waters, but occasionally they have been spotted around the South Island. This one seemed to be a sick juvenile, gauging by its size, lethargy and the bites on its back. It was being annoyed by a thick cloud of flies, and had viscous slime pouring out of both nostrils. Once in a while it would crack open a whiskery muzzle to bare sharp teeth. Jinty, my classmate from Moeraki, said she knew someone who had lost a leg to one of these monsters. I left a voice mail for Jim Fyfe, Programme Manager of the Coastal Otago Area Office, over at DoC to let him know the animal was there. He’d had a report of a Leopard Seal the previous week, and I wondered if it was the same one. Maybe I’ll find out next time I visit DoC.
Observation pays dividends in wildlife filmmaking. Alastair noticed a well-worn penguin path and suggested we build our hide strategically facing it. Of course, he ended up with the National Geographic shots. The penguins basically parked in front of him and preened for about nine hundred hours. Talk about making your own luck! There are great benefits of being under the tutelage of someone with as much experience as Paul. He constantly gives you tips on how to accomplish the best images while putting the welfare of your animal first. For example, he made sure we got our hides built well before the Yellow-Eyed Penguins made their way from the surf to their sleeping grounds in the knotty grass. He also made us wait until after dark, when the penguins would be settled in, before packing up and leaving. Hopefully, by respecting Paul’s golden rules, the penguins won’t remember us, we’ll have great images in the can, and our footprints will be washed away by the next tide.

Photo Essay - Dress Rehearsal And The Real Deal

2006-08-19T11:44:00.000+12:00

This photo essay covers two days, from shooting a bunny in studio to filming wildlife on Victory Beach. Many photo contributions are from Alastair Jamieson and Jinty . Thanks guys!

Sarah and Julia relax the star.

Mark creates the perfect close up.

Reviewing our material with our instructor, Director Of Photography Paul Donovan.

Off shooting we will go, a shooting we will go...

Can you spot the sea lion?

Pip tests out her hide.

Dwayne warms up with a well-deserved cocktail, I mean, coffee.

I spent a lot of time behind binoculars (a gift from Catherine and Bill, thanks!)

Bojun and Louise suggest a plan to move location.

Filmmakers on the move, heavy packs and all.

Filmmakers take stock of a dangerous Leopard Seal.

Fearlessly, Jinty risks life and limb to get the perfect shot.

Sarah moves in gingerly towards the dangerous killer.

Alastair abandons all security, laying himself out as a leopard seal snack.

Nick coaxes an Oyster Catcher into shot.

Nick sprints back to get his shot. Maybe he needs an assistant!

Louise, the hardest working girl in show business, laughs despite the lack of sleep and cold.

Can you spot our hide?

Our hide!

Bojun eagerly anticipates Yellow Eyed Penguins while Paul offers shotmaking advice.

Jinty in full concentration...

I am freezing, but refuse to abandon my post, in the spirit of true guerilla filmmaking tradition.

It's getting dark. Sarah and Paul are hungry...are the penguins asleep yet? Can we go home?

Can you spot Sarah? She just took the last shot.

Finding inspiration

2006-08-16T22:59:00.000+12:00

Hola You. My friend Diego Briceño-Orduz, a Canadian-Columbian filmmaker, sent me these links to the Magnum In Motion photo essays. Diego is an extraordinarily brave and talented filmmaker. His last film, Souvenir Kids, was about child prostitution and the tourism sex trade in Acapulco. Diego could write a book on documentary filmmaking ethics, he’s experienced some very dark, challenging situations. Here are the links Diego sent me, well worth exploring. As I sweat, looking for the topic of my next film, these provide so much inspiration.

Bruce Gilden is a stalwart of street photography:
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/fashion.aspx

McCurry is well known, but listening to him describe how he perceives light makes all the difference:
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/mccurry.aspx

This is the most powerful of all the essays, so prepare yourself emotionally:
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/chernobyl.aspx

Larry Towell's politics and subtlety strike a cord:
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/land.aspx

Of Gods And Lemurs

2006-08-15T00:10:00.000+12:00

This photo is unworthy, apologies to all. My distinguished colleagues are gathered around Richard Thomas, our professor (left) and Rod Morris (right). What can I say? I was under the influence of The Rod Morris Effect.

Perhaps You don’t know that filmmaking magic and Rod Morris are synonymous. Rod is the Kiwi superstar of natural history. This afternoon, he came in to share his experiences with our class. For me, it was like dissecting a concert with the Maestro, when he happens to be an expert on all the instruments. As a scientist, he can tell you anything you’d want to know about the most obscure creatures, like parasitic wingless fruit flies. As a filmmaker, photographer and author, he reinvents the art of communication. If I didn’t pinch my lips as we scrolled through his film, Ghosts Of Gondwana, I would have been constantly blurting out “Get out! That was fake?! You mean that was a set up?!” The man is a sorcerer. But he generously shares his tricks. He mesmerized us with his latest project in development, Gods And Lemurs, a story that includes the Golden Crowned Sifaka, the Aye-Aye and a whole lot of human tragedy. Rod makes natural history films that celebrate biological wonders, while still making us reflect on the fragility of our existence. Conservation films that convey the bigger picture.

Finding your way...

2006-08-14T23:48:00.000+12:00

Hey there, You. Suppose you were young, say between the ages of 16 and 25, and you were stuck in some kind of rut. You woke up a little blue. Either education didn’t meet your expectations or maybe you felt your peers were stunting your growth. Apathy was creeping in. Or you were just plain bored. What could you do? Here in Dunedin, you could go along to The Malcam Charitable Trust. You would have a chat with Fiona, and she’d offer you something from the buffet of programs designed to empower youth. This morning I went in to meet the superstars of The Malcam Trust - the team leaders. They are the frontline, working in concert with kids to preserve Otago’s nature reserves, tracks, rivers and coastline. I have the privilege, in my capacity as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, to volunteer with this organization. They’ve asked me to produce a short video to promote their programs. More on this later.

Happy Birthday Lukas and Sebastian!

2006-08-13T22:05:00.000+12:00

Hi You! Lukas and Sebastian Marsh are my nephews who live in Barbados (where I grew up). Today they are having their joint Scoobie-Doo-themed birthday party. In his spare time, Lukas likes teaching karate. Especially to his younger brother, Sebastian, who is happy to learn when he is not out conquoring the waves.

A Film About An Ecosanctuary?

2006-08-13T21:26:00.000+12:00

Hi again, You. Well the race is on to find the subject of our films. My classmate, Alastair Jamieson, and I went out this week to meet Elton Smith, the newly hired Operations Manager of Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Elton is an affable, sharp-as-a-tack fellow. When you meet him, you soon realize he’s the perfect person for this job. His experience with the Department of Conservation in biodiversity and species recovery work, as well as his stints as a Nature Guide in ecotourism industry, make him a rare combination of a science and marketing whiz. He was kind enough to give us a tour of part of his new domain. It is 230 times bigger than the Wildlife Reserve my family established, and I thought THAT was a full time job! You need gumboots out at Orokanui, it’s pretty mushy in some areas. I was unprepared, but Alastair is an old hand at this stuff. He should be. As a photographer and writer for New Zealand Geographic he’s often in hostile territory. Thank goodness Alastair was at the helm, because as an ecologist, he knew all the right questions to ask Elton. I had the privilege of basking in their eco-glow. And spot possum poo. Elton’s in control of the physical development of the ecosanctuary, for example, the creation of walking tracks and wetlands, the development of visitor facilities, as well as pest eradication (with the help of his trusty dog!). We talked at length about his plans for ecosanctuary volunteers. It’s a tough thing finding reliable volunteers that commit to such an ambitious, large project. But it’s important that people from the community invest their time and energy in the ecosanctuary, so that they feel a measure of ownership for this special place. It’s too big a job for Elton to undertake without his green army! There are big plans to reintroduce endemic species such as Tuatara and Kiwi in the ecosanctuary. Is there a film to make here? You bet. But it may be a process film that would need 2-3 years of shooting to do it justice, to record Elton’s trials and tribulations and watch the story of this beautiful place unfold.

Dolphin Magic in The Bay of Islands

2006-08-12T11:26:00.000+12:00

Bonjour, You. So what was Auckland like, you ask? Well, I wasn't there long enough to really take it all in. But the most memorable part of my three-day stint was my trip to The Bay Of Islands, to Paihia, a few hours north. I have never seen wild dolphins, and here I had an unprecedented opportunity. We were only a few minutes out on our way to the Cape Brett Lighthouse, when we saw the playful dolphins. Bottlenose and common dolphins raced alongside and showed off their aerobic flips! Too hard to photograph, I have a million pictures of splashy water. No wonder dolphins enchant people, they have a magical sleek quality about them that we rarely encounter in our everyday lives. Further out we visited beautiful Motukokako Island and the famous Hole in the Rock. I held my breath as we tried to navigate our way through the hole and into spectacular Grand Cathedral Cave, but the swell was too high. We abandoned this plan to my great relief! With your fear of small spaces, You would have died. As we cruised back to Paihia we pass several remote islands, fringed with golden sand beaches and decorated with red-flowering pohutukawa trees. I loved seeing the low, long clouds. No wonder they call this place Aotearoa – Land of The Long White Cloud.

Big Birds

2006-08-12T01:24:00.000+12:00

Hello again, You. So since you asked me about the photo on my profile, here's the 411. In June I was in Doha, Qatar, visiting my friends who both work for Al Jazeera. We went on a camping trip in the desert. Some of us found it difficult to sleep, so at 4 a.m. Ramzy and I went cruising around, leaving Reem, his sister, fast asleep. We discovered three ostriches, which are not endemic to Qatar at all, and in fact had escaped from someone's private zoo. At first we photographed them from a distance, creeping up slowly . Half an hour later we were doing close ups on our fine feathered friends, who were perfectly tame. They seemed sad to see Ramzy go, and followed us back to our camp. By 5 a.m. it was too hot, around 40 degrees C, so we headed back to the city. I miss you, Reem and Ramzy, and our big birds too.

The beginning of a film adventure

2006-07-19T19:24:00.000+12:00

Hi, You. I'm here in Dunedin, New Zealand with 11 post graduate students from 5 countries. What do we have in common?

A desire to popularize science and natural history
Choosing a career that permits us to explore the 4 corners of the globe
Making films that bring about positive change

The University of Otago is one of very FEW place in the world to learn these skills. This program is supported by NHZH, the premier documentary company. I'm ready for the wild ride!