Michael Montesa - Cinematographer & Photographer
BY MICHAEL MONTESA, MESA, USA - During the last week of January, Cyndi Greening asked me what will I be doing this summer and I said I planned to go to Europe for a vacation. Then she asked me, "Would you like to go to Africa to shoot a movie?" My answer was "YES, forget Europe I'm going to Africa." It is such a thrill and an honor to be a part of this Zambian film production and to work with MCC's talented and dedicated filmmakers. I could have never imagined that I will be a part of a film production this big and a film being shot outside the US and a film that will be shot in another continent and a film that is history in the making for MCC and Zambia. It seems Africa was so far away, but now, in a month or so, we will be stepping in its soil and breathe its own air and meet new people and share our passion and love for art and filmmaking.
Working with Cyndi during the pre-production of the film is such an awesome experience. Her excitement and dedication are contagious and every time she speaks of the project, you can hear the thrill in her every word. Her dedication to the film makes me even more committed and makes me want to work even harder for this project.
The first time I met Jabbes was during our photo shoot for a publicity photos for Cyndi's website. I found him a very interesting person to talk to. He is very well spoken and you can tell right away that he has this big ambition not only for himself but for his country. I really admire his wisdom and family values. I had a chance to get to know him better when I invited him to my home and introduced him to my family and my culture. It is such a privilege to work with him and to work with his people.
For some time now, I proudly told my family, co-workers and friends about this film project and how excited I am. They are very supportive of me and even my work is willing to give me six weeks of vacation just to go to Africa. I feel so lucky to have all these people around me and all this support. This project is my priority and will always be my priority. I'm even willing to put my other career as a Respiratory Therapist on hold. Now, I even put sleeping on hold.
This experience will open a lot of doors for all of us. We will never forget this experience, and we are thankful for this opportunity. And I can't wait to share my experience through the photos I will be taking to post on this blog.