There is a documentary training intensive coming up that is well-worth your time and money. If you’re looking to learn some very strong production techniques, story-telling techniques, connect with other producers in an intimate environment, and build on your networking circle then you should definitely consider taking this 2-day intensive offered by UC Berkeley School of Journalism lecturer. I took the course about a year ago and I not only came away with a great folder of notes and information that I consistently use in my production endeavors but I made some awesome connections with other producers. I feel like it is a rare occurrence that such a worth-while course is offered so when one does come along you know it’s a real treat. Note: this is not a ProTools or other type of technical course. It is more about how to construct, manage, and complete audio documentary stories and productions. But since this is such an intimate course you can easily ask others for more technical how-to’s.
I have to admit, I felt pretty bitter after not getting any favorable responses from a recent story pitch I sent to several radio programs. I know, I know, it’s all about ‘volumizing’ your pitching; that is, pitch lots of ideas and as often as possible because only a small percent will actually get picked up at any given time. I understand that and see the logic but that doesn’t take my bitterness away or answer the nagging question, is there a better way? Anyway, instead of dwelling on all that I just kept pushing with the story and now it’s taking on a new life. So, we’ll see what happens next in the process but it’s sounding good. The new wrinkle? I just got hired full-time for some rather mundane but good-paying, temporary, office work. The folks at the company are great so it’s a good thing…but now I ain’t got the time I had when I started this project. Oh life, you just love to be complicated don’t you?
Update: You can check out the second part in my podcast series with Michigan-based hip-hop artist One Be Lo over at Imagine2050.org. Today we’re talking about hip-hop identity and American identity as we continue our exploration of the question, “What does it mean to be American.” Listen!
I’ve spent the past few days in and around Phoenix, Arizona working with a group called Campaign for a United America Hip-Hop Project. The group itself is based out of Chicago, IL but has been working here to connect with the vibrant, grassroots hip-hop scene. Why hip-hop? Well, it’s one of the largest voices of the youth and one that has consistantly spoke against authoritarian abuses of power. And while not always “political” it is most often a deeply personal expression. But then, as the popular saying goes, “the personal IS political.”
Anyways, I was documenting the organizing efforts of the young people in Phoenix as they organized a hip-hip concert in support of human rights and in opposition to the recent anti-immigrant violence from Sheriff Joe Arpaio (for more visit the Imagine2050 blog). It’s been a whirlwind ‘tour’ here and I look forward to going over my tape once I get back home tonight. Below is a link to a VERY rough little “promo” piece I threw together for the event. Check it!
This morning I’m heading to Phoenix, Arizona to cover a hip-hop show being put on by the Campaign for a United America Hip-Hop Project. The show is in protest to the most recent and outrageous actions of local Sheriff Joe Arpaio who chained together 100’s of incarcerated immigrants and marched them through public streets into a “tent city” in the middle of the desert. Arpaio invited media and the public to witness this public humiliation. I’ll be producing several pieces from this event; some of which will be audio-blogged at www.imagine2050.org in the next couple of days.
This is my fiance’s aunt whose name is Lamia (spelled phonetically until I learn how to both spell and say it correctly). She is 78 and has been living in Amman, Jordan for about 3-5 years. She was forced out of her Baghdad home under punishment of death by U.S. Marines. She is a retired school teacher and former head administrator of schools in Baghdad. In this short sound clip we hear her tell us what she used to like to do during her retirement back home and what she does now since the United States invaded Iraq. This gets at the heart of my idea for this project: How has the U.S. invasion affected middle class and professional Iraqis and where are they now? Stay tuned, I have some translated audio of her daughter, who is/was a prosecuting attorney in Iraq, and her thoughts on what has happened to her country.
In about 24 hours this is the time zone that I will be in. Yes, I am so very fortunate and privileged to be able to go to Jordan to visit with my fiance’s Iraqi aunt. Actually, both my fiance’s parents are Iraqi but they’ve lived in the States for a long time. The aunt, however, stayed in Iraq but was forced to leave with her family because the violence became too great when America decided that whole WMD story…no need to elaborate, right? Anyway, I will be visiting and hopefully interviewing the aunt and getting some good audio and photos of the family there.
The story of the impact of the US lead war on middle class Iraqis is one that is not often told in the mainstream media. The New York Times did have a small story awhile back but there really hasn’t been much said (and that’s not because the story doesn’t exist). I guess our media/government would rather us think that Iraq is simply filled with the desert equivalent of Pigmie tribes. I get the feeling that they think it’s a lot easier to think that we are being of assistance if we think of the Iraqi people as helpless and dumb. Oy vey…the sad state of humanity. Oh well, we continue forward!
Stay tuned as I will be blogging photos, audio and words along the way…peace!
There’s nothing like working full time for a state bureaucracy to push you to do other things. I’ve been spending most of my time lately sitting in a cube working a job to pay the bills. Yes, a necessary evil for most of us at one time or another. Well it’s not all bad, one project is getting off the ground and that’s my contributing to a new blog called “Imagine 2050“. It’s a very interesting project looking at what it means to be American (with a focus on the projected demographic change in the U.S. from predominately white to…well…not). I’ll be posting audio pieces once or twice per month. This month is just a simple “podcast” style program I threw together. Check it out and tell me what you think.
Another exciting event is, this Saturday I will be traveling to Jordan and then to Egypt. I’ll be with my future in-laws who are Iraqi but who have been living in the States for about 40 years. My finance’s aunt stayed in Iraq, but not so long ago she was forced to relocate to Jordan while the U.S. spreads freedom and liberty in her country -sarcasm-. I’m hoping to get some good audio during the trip but in the least it is going to be an amazing experience.
I just posted a new teaser for chapter 2 of my audio documentary “SisterLove: Keeping It Real, Globally!” You can listen to it over at vocalo.org. The direct url, which you can share with all your friends, is: http://vocalo.org/node/12485. Spread the word, chapter 2 is coming soon!
Yes, an 8-minute version of my larger documentary, “SisterLove: Keeping It Real, Globally,” is getting an international airing all this week on over 200 stations. So, plug in that old receiver and crank up the sound. The program is called “Making Contact” and is a weekly 29 minute report with stories, issues, perspectives and voices often left out of the mainstream. I edited down an this version from my larger work for the show and it will be featured as the closing segment. I’m sooooo excited! So, please check it out via the good ol’ radio. And be sure to tell me and the radio station what you think of it! Of course you can stream it online, too.
Here’s the info you need:
The Color of AIDS: Bringing “Risk” Up to Date [#48-07]
p.s. I’m in post production on the second chapter in the SisterLove story and hope to have it out by January 2008. If you haven’t done so, stop by the project web site and be sure to sign up on my program email list.
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