My Vision
BY SHAWN DOWNS, PHOENIX, AZ, USA - The art of storytelling has been exercised since the beginning of humankind. In ancient times, it was a tradition of many tribes and peoples to communicate stories orally that were to be passed on for generations. These stories contained a meaning or moral that was significant to its culture. Furthermore, these stories consisted of the only understood history of its peoples as there was no written records or documentation.
About a century ago, the development of technology altered the method of storytelling so that it could be preserved through literature and motion pictures. In the United States, no one can deny the appreciation of this new method of storytelling. Recently, the film industry alone has produced revenues of approximately forty-five billion. Movie and television industries contribute sixteen billion to the State of California's economy, employing 164,000 and indirectly employing another 184,000. The film industry is a powerful industry that in time can produce large revenues and employ thousands.
For decades major studios have controlled the film industry and, by extension, the kinds of stories that are told in American. In recent years, technology has again changed the way stories are told. Recently independent filmmakers and film companies have been emerging. It is time for new stories to be heard. This technological evolution will allow a story that delves into an unfamiliar culture to be told. It will be told by an unlikely bunch. We are all hoping that the story will be so beautiful that a new industry will arise. An industry that will tell Zambian stories for years to come.