Ok, so yesterday was "The Day!" due to a personal mishap I was not able to attend school, but the documentary was submitted. I hate when my grades lay in the hands of persons other than myself; for reasons such as this - CONTROVERSY!!! 
  Imagine,  Timmy and Leja trying to put together a documentary; not just a documentary but a 20 minute documentary the day before the due date. I didn't see it but I am sure that it was far from "ORESOME!" All owed to asinine behavior. If I had to do things differently; if I had the chance to do it all over again; I will ask to be removed from that group. 

We, Candy Caton and myself tried to quell things; but Leja was too obstinate. Even after Ajim met with the group and Jillian had a meeting with the group just after that; Leja seemed bent on NOT working as a team; which she didn't!!...but, that is in the past.

 Jillian Wickham was a good lecturer. she made learning fun. She tried with our group. Hopefully for the next semester she doesn't have to deal with another team "oresome"; but the lessons learned from the documentary class was valuable.

Ovwa for the last time# sniff sniff#


Sly!

99th Hour Woes! Jah Help Us!!!

Yesterday was another drama filled day with "Group Oresome," that stemmed around Leja. Unknowing to the other group members she did ten interviews. Naturally this will infuriate group members which was evidenced by the bandy between Timothy, Leja and Lleana. Ms Ajim was carbon copied on the unfriendly exchange of words and she herself was disappointed at the fact that the meeting held last Tues was a colossal waste of time; she asked to be excluded from the emails and said that we are on our own...TINGS BADD!!!!!

Timothy the camera man; a good one at that is concerned that the footage may not be of the good quality he is accustomed to producing.  Lleana thinks that Leja is going overboard with this pretensive victim role when clearly she is doing what the hell she wants. BTW, those so called questions that Leja claimed to have submitted to Ingle were as she puts it, "just her thoughts," of which nobody but Leja understood. I dare you to look at the questions and comment!!! I looked at it and was confused. Timothy tried to conduct a man on the street interview and was lost as to what to ask the interviewees because her questions were incoherent. 

 

In addition to the drama, Leja who said in an email that she will share the footage yesterday, didn't show up to school; she had some group members waiting. Llena said she called Leja at least 3 times. Timmy even tried to contact her, but there was no answer. Leja sent an email only this morning apologizing for her absence which was attributed to an emergency. She said that she will be in school today at 1 p.m. then she pushed back the time to one hour later. 

With just two days to go and no editing, narration and shot lists completed or started, I am in full panic mode.

So what is my take on this whole "Ego/Power Trippin" incident? Leja needs to STOP being solipsistic; it's not all about you Leja! It's a group effort. That is where the problem lies. Yes Ingle is aggressive and  dogmatic(I SAID THAT TO HER FACE FYI)  but she apologized and showed a willingness to work with all team members. However Leja, even after the meeting was blatantly obstinate and has self inflicted an intractable reputation among the 2011 cohorts. So you might ask, why don't I tell that to Leja? At this 99th hour, does it really matter now? NEVER ME AGAIN!!!!!!!JAH KNOWS!!!!!

 

Sly!

 

 

Wayne Chance Interview

"Wayne Chance is a radio personality on I95.5fm and a local businessman. He was also a former prison inmate who founded Vision on a Mission while he was incarcerated in 1995. Vision in a Mission is a NGO which provides rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement services to deportees, prisoners, ex-prisoners, delinquent youth and socially displaced persons. Mr. Chance has agreed to an interview on Thursday afternoon at Vision on a Mission Headquarters"(Ingle Watson 11/18/2013). 

The interview will be held at 3 pm today. The team is hoping to interview some of the patients of the rehab centre, to bring more of a realness to the documentary. Wish us luck!

Sly!

Good Interview

The interview with Marin Gonzales was excellent. He shared a plethora of Rastafarian principles in relation to the topic of our documentary- Marijuana Decriminalization. 

He made a bold statement that Marijuana is the answer to global warming and gave a convincing explanation. The selecting of soundbites might be a little difficult with so much information, but it is better to have more than less. 

Highly Critical of My Recording Duties

As for my skills as an audio operator, it needed some practice, in that we never used that digital recording device in Christopher Aaron's class so it was a new experience where by it required me to not just turn on the recorder, but to keep a steady hand and face the device in the direction of the interviewee; the device was sound sensitive.  While this seems simple, it was tiring after a while to keep the recorder in hands becasue some interviews lasted over an hour. 

In the interview with Israel Khan we used a less stressful plan, which was to rest the recorder on a stand and attach it to the camera tripod; that proved effective. Admittedly, I was only able to attend two interviews becasue of my work schedule and lack of transport( my vehicle was stolen on 25th November, 2013). I didn't feel that I had enough experience as an audio operator, nevertheless it was just a matter of inserting the battery and pressing record.
 

Sly!

Interview postponed.

An interview was scheduled to take place at ten this morning, but because the producer was spending family time yesterday and the director didn't share the interview questions with the rest of group members, no one was able to forward the questions to the interviewee in a timely manner and as a result, the meeting was postponed with 12 days to go. May I remind you that we have not done scripts, narration and have not selected the sound bites to be used.

Sly

12 Days To Go

With 12 days to go and just three interviews completed, I am not impressed! So much for Team Awesome

Sly

Group Drama, Mama!

So this is what Leja emailed to Ingle

Ingle,

As Producer and Director we must work together, I find your consistent efforts to disregard and disrespect me, disconcerting.

From inception, you have tried to eliminate me from the role of Director. 

As Producer, it is not your responsibility to:

Conduct interviews unbeknownst to me. (Yesterday - a slip of Timothy's tongue simultaneous with my arrival to Mr. Singh's interview)

Meet with prospective interviewees unbeknownst to me. (Last Week - a slip of Timothy's tongue in response to the lecturer asking)

Provide selective updates. (From inception)

Adjust the interview questions I've prepared. (Yesterday - during Mr. Singh's interview)

Please cease and desist your efforts.

Leja

P.S.

These are the things I need:

The TV6 footage.

The video and audio data compiled for this documentary thus far. 

Research and ideas from the group.

All updates henceforth disseminated to the group.

Your co-operation.

Ingle then forwarded this email to thew rest of group members along with the following message...

Good day all,
I am sending this email so you are all aware of the following email which was sent to myself, Ms. Ajim and Ms. Wickham unbeknownst to you.

The initial message was not copied to the group but I thought everybody should be made aware of what is going on.

Ingle.

I am going to give this message the "golden silence" and continue with my online Christmas shopping. Really fed- up with this power struggle bs! 

Sly!

First Documentary Interview

Things are looking up, in that yesterday marked the first official interview for our documentary. Shyam Sing of the Decriminalize Cannabis of Trinidad &Tobago was scheduled to be interviewed at 6 p.m. at the Symbolic tattoo shop, in St Augustine.  As the "audio specialist" I arrived at 5:30 p.m. It  was locked and bolted like a chastity fortress. I stayed for 35 mins, then left for SBCS for the SSI tutorial with Ms. Ajim.

I would have called but I don't have a working cellular phone at the moment. Ingle explained that the residents were there but the building was accessible at the posterior end. Something that could have been sorted out with a ph call but I refuse to purchase another smart phone at this time of year. After all it's Christmas!!!!

Sly!

"Ministry Run Around"

We are roughly 3 weeks away from the due date for Documentary Production Assignment. The progress? Non- existent! I am sure you are familiar with the expression in Trinidad, " Ministry Workers are the Worse!" Well it is true. To get an interview with the Chief Justice, medical professionals and the Acting Police Commissioner is proving to be a frustrating bureaucracy. The lights are on but nobody's home!

Hoping it gets better.

Sly!

Submission of Group Assignment

After a week long amorphous sounding documentary proposal, due to differing of opinions, the group was finally able to pull it together #hands over face & sighs#. Hoping a distinction is garnered as a result.

JC asked what makes a good documentary. I think it is more than creating strong emotions, and change in behavior and being engaging. It's also important for group members to be humble, pragmatic, tolerant and respectful as it creates cohesion. Without it, the documentary would mirror the misery and frustration of the group# real talk#

Sly!

Assignment Woes

After completing my individual assignment two weeks ago, the PC and internet decided not to work this morning, the due date of assignment. Luckily my group member Lleana Joseph was most gracious to assist in  the printing my assignment. This was all after a soft copy was sent to Lisa and Eva of the Admin department and Lecturer Jillian Lucky. I was  inundated with technical issues this morning but I managed to pull through.

Also thanks to Candy C and Lorraine G-Brown for coming to my aid :) Oh and Timothy!!!! Ooops!

Sly!

Docu-Drama

Well it finally happened! The anticipated "Clash of the Titans," except that one was clearly more disadvantaged than the other from the inception. I was amidst the catharsis. Extremely exhausted by the unnecessary "bloodshed." 
My sentiments are that,  if you bring solipsism to any group, opposition will be met. 

Sly!

Earth Under Water in the Next 20 years Documentary!

Guidelines to writing a Documentary Synopsis and Tagline.

Documentary class was interactive yesterday. This was the first time  that I worked collectively with all group members. I humbly say that my group is one of the strongest, as in terms of ideas and talent, but the problem lies with making unanimous decisions without the risk of slighting members and their ideas. I honestly feel like I'm perched on a time-bomb just waiting for a cataclysmic eruption. 

Nevertheless, we learned how to write in part, a proposal for a documentary, namely the tagline and synopsis. It was more or less a refresher to what was learned in one of the former modules by lecturer Christopher Aaron. 

As for our documentary topic, we have decided to take the angle of defining  the term "Decriminalization of Marijuana." We are hoping to get an interview with both Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Acting Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams. While this might appear to be an overly ambitious approach, I think it is better to aim for the sky, in the event that we miss, we will be cushioned by the clouds. 

Sly!

Defining the word "Documentary"

The purview of a documentary is vast, therefore to define it in a solitary sentence will be difficult, if not reticent. However the use of the words "fact" and "reality" is imperative to the annotation. 

Sly!

Assignment # 1 of Moving Image Documentary Production.

Today marks the commencement of part A of assignment #1, namely the written essay.

Now based on learning outcome # 1, I am to understand the history (development) of documentary production . To be more specific I am to:

Write a 500-800 worded essay on my choice of  documentary mode e.g. Reflexive, Observational, Poetic, Participatory, Performative and Expository.

Discuss the origins of documentary production and the pioneers and leading practitioners in my choice of documentary style.

Define the characteristics or key elements of my chosen format.

Also, consider influences  that have helped in the growth of chosen format, ranging from its empirical stages to present.

Execution mode "ACTIVATE!"

Sly.

Documentary on Weed!

As in the famous words of Peter Tosh " Legalize it!!!" That is the basis of our documentary. The decriminalization of "Mari-colli-dutchi-dubi-juana." I'm in!!!! 

Sly!

Group Placements (Group Four)

 

Last Saturday professor JC randomly placed students in groups. It was "epic" torture, until a classmate made the comment that I was placed in one of the best groups. Admittedly I am not a team player but my question is what really determines a "good group?" (Leja, Ingle, Candy C, Timmy, Ingle Llena and myself). Is it innate aptitude? Is it to  orally contend a view point efficaciously? Is it making it to TTFF or TV 6?

What happens if obstinately opinionated members are grouped? Would there be a yielding of views?

Time will be the revealing factor. So I wait.

Sly.

Documentary On George Washinton.

Last Sunday I was trying to blog about the documentary on the real George Washington, aired on the  National Geographic channel, but the internet was down for some reason. Nevertheless, it was quite interesting. It was said that painters caricatured Washington's physical appearance and altered the structure of his contour.  As a result scientists tried to re-construct his real facial features. They had very limited material to work with since they were not allowed to excavate the body of  the late President. The experts took two years on that project. However, it' was amazing to see how antithetical the reconstructed George Washington appeared, to that of "the man" on the US$1 bill.

To summate, any history-genre documentary that keeps viewers at the edge of their seats deserves a 5 star!

Sly!

The truth about Cleopatra.

Merging documentary, history and mystery. How much do you think that you know?

Check out the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXfcM7gYFgg

Sly!

Documentary Project 101

I attended my first Documentary Production class on Saturday 24th August. Imagine my disappointment when the lecturer JC said that she would put us in groups of 5. I was more than toying with the idea of doing a documentary on colonial structures in Trinidad. I made contact with the Peshiers, Stollmyers a historian among others to make this dream of mine come to fruition. I just don't think that the other group members might be interested or let alone be passionate about my "baby", so I have decided to do it as my final project. This will give me enough time to prepare. In the meantime, I wait to see who I will be paired with this semester so that we can discuss documentary ideas. Hoping not to work with slackers this time around.

Nevertheless, Saturday's class was quite engaging. I learned the true meaning of the word documentary and the six (6) modes that exist. Which makes me realize that Trinidad & Tobago's style of documentary is somewhat limited in that it is done mainly in a narrative or expository form when there exists other exciting forms to create a documentary such as observational, participatory poetic, reflexive and performative.

I also had a scary cultural experience. JC, the lecturer, was schooled in New Zealand and showed how

New Zealanders meet and greet each other. Let's just say that I thought JC was going to kiss me! WEIRD! # robs nose#

The 13th of September will be the next Documentary Production class as JC will be in Alaska for 2 weeks. Pretty exciting stuff. However I will be blogging again before that time.

Ovwa tout moun!

Sly!