African Sunrise
BY PAMELA BOWMAN LUSAKA ZAMBIA AFRICA - We were told not to miss the African sunrise, but most of us found our beds too warm and our pillows too deep. It was curiosity that got me out of bed. I couldn’t wait to take an open air shower! I am weird, I know, but it was cool, because there was warm water and pressure and a tree to hang my towel and I could look outside while I shampooed my hair! I walked outside our hut and down the path to my personal chair overlooking the gorge. It was so quiet and peaceful even with the sound of the rushing rapids.
I walked down to our open aired dining room and found the crew and other guests visiting. The conversation sounded loud and inappropriate. I wanted to shout “Be quiet! Listen to the silence!” I wanted to take a moment and sit and reflect and think and just be in the moment. I was not able to do that. We might be in a beautiful place, but we were there to work. I promised myself to get up early the next day and take the time to ponder and think and reflect.
Off to Victoria Falls. We hiked as far as we could. It felt so good to feel the mist on our faces and the clean air in our lungs. Then off to lunch. Food! Yea! Back to the lodge to enjoy the evening at the top of the world. There is nothing quite so odd as blogging on a laptop under mosquito nets. Sleep came quickly. I love it here!
I managed to wake up for the sunrise. I sat at the edge of the gorge and watched the day begin. I thought how much I wished my family were here to share this amazing experience. I even shed tears and watched them dry in the red dusty dirt. I whispered words on the wind and felt them float away. This place is sacred.
I climbed aboard the helicopter and didn’t even have the chance to think about what I was doing and where I was going. We flew over the falls, over the river, over the elephants, over the villages and soon we touched down and the other crew members climbed on board. Was I just in a helicopter? Yep!
On the way home we toured the animal park. Tons of elephants (Really!) Zebras, monkeys, wildebeests, water buffalo, impalas, and hippos. Now for the long ride back to Lusaka! Back to the cast and our last days of shooting. Will we get it done? Of Course we will. We are the most stubborn bunch of filmmakers I know. Actually, we are the only filmmakers I know!
There have been so many memorable experiences, but for me the lodge and the gorge and my morning of solitude have been the most meaningful. No matter where I go I will always remember the rising African sun.
Even though I get a little irritated at these things it’s the little things that give this country it’s charm. It’s the 5 o’clock wake up sounds. The huge front gate being dragged open to let in the lodge crew. The laughing cooks in my kitchen preparing food for our entire crew (who happen to be sleeping still!). The fact that you can’t open any door completely because it hits the uneven floor and they all need WD40. We think WD40 should be sprayed over the entire city by dust croppers. Everything squeaks! Then there is the shower situation. When the shower has water you have to incorporate the hokey pokey to achieve rinsing off because it’s cold and the pressure is sporadic. Should we talk about time? We call it "Zambian Time." We add 2 hour cushion to any planned event to adjust to Zambian time.” We love how everybody speaks English but nobody understands each other. However, they are always willing to greet you with a smile and a wave.
After a moment of forever, 40 minutes, we arrived. We exited the bus and were greeted by a voice that could rattle your bones in fear and did! Raspy, deep, brawny South African accent accompanied by a demonic laugh. We clung to each other as we walked single file to where this man led. It was dark, It was quiet. It was after midnight. We followed the narrow path to our outside dining area. Waiting for us beside a campfire was an elegant table surrounded by real luminarias. The buffet serving table was built from small stones. The surrounding walls were constructed of hatch. We had finally arrived in Africa. Even though we were exhausted we wanted to explore, to capture, to feel the very essence of this place.
We've found a real jewel in Zambia. Mulenga Kapwepwe, the Chairman of the National Arts Council Board has been a real Godsend. She helped us find fantastic storytellers and a terrific student audience. She's also deeply committed to capacity-building in the area of fine art and performing arts in Zambia. 
August 25th 2006 – Friday
One day we verified with our location scout about the shoot the next day. He asked what time we would be arriving. We told him 8 am sharp. He said “No problem.” Our location scout is also our transportation coordinator. We were waiting by our gate at 7:30 then 8:00 then 9:00. The cast was waiting for their pickups as well. Finally our bus arrived and took us to a different location. We finally arrived to a surprised business owner who quickly tried to accommodate our cast and crew. We could tell he was uncomfortable with us being there, but we had no choice. We tried to get the set ready. As we lit the set our lights blew as did the owners transformer. The room filled with smoke and a smell that was well unbearable. Our location scout said, “No problem.” 
BY CARLOS ESPINOSA, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA, AFRICA - This is our last week, time has gone by so quickly; I can’t believe this is our last week in Zambia. Part of me is ready to go home but at the same time I do wish to stay longer in this country. Since I don’t use a computer on a regular basis, or cellphone, I don’t have any sense of time; I am frequently corrected by somebody letting me know that it is not the day I think it is. I feel a little disconnected. 
JOHNPHAN MVULA LUSAKA ZAMBIA AFRICA - My experience in front of the camera is not what I thought it would be. I think it is easy to do and say what someone else has told you to do or say. I think since I am not a professional actor it was easier for me to follow the direction I was given. I also think it was easier for me to act because my character was based on me. The difficult part was acting in front of my Uncle Jabbes. I tried to pretend he wasn’t there. 
BY JENIECE TORANZO, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA- Lately, I have been having major déjà vous and I don't know why. It's not like I have ever been to Africa before. I mentioned it to Heath one day and he said "It means that you are on the right path." Those words made me feel even better about my decision about coming. What I have seen and learned so far has changed me and opened up my eyes even more. I don't think any of us will be the same person we were in the beginning. 
BY EDGAR RIDER – LUSAKA, ZAMBIA AFRICA – Saturday, our student and faculty crew conducted a training session at the Arts Council. Following the training, we invited students, storytellers and other attendees to lunch with us at the Food Fayre. Our guests kept calling me over asking me to sit with them. “You’re the script supervisor; you’re the one I’ve been waiting for…how do you do this?” My immediate reaction is to say, “I don’t know how to do anything.” Even with the limited knowledge I have, they seemed somewhat impressed by it. 
BY M.K. RACINE – LUSAKA, ZAMBIA AFRICA – Today we shot at Kwazulu Kraal Resort, the lodge at which we’ve made our “home” the past two weeks; where we will reside until our departure from Zambia. Shooting at Kwazulu Kraal means reliable power, quick set changes and no stair climbing. Our rooms were used as sets, and our personal belongings as props. 
BY HEATH MCKINNEY, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Our Producer, Cyndi Greening, let us all in on a little secret not too long ago. She said, “Filmmaking is a lot like being a Fireman, there is lots of waiting before a brief moment of action.” This is my first film so I’m not too sure of how it all works but everyone tells me there’s a lot of waiting around. To fill up my time, I had Jared Moschcau teach me a little bit about photography. I got it pretty quickly; his trick was that the subject should be two-thirds of the frame and the other third is the background. 
BY JARED MOSCHCAU LUSAKA ZAMBIA AFRICA – Yesterday we were shooting at our lodge. This was cool because we didn’t have to haul equipment anywhere. It is everyone’s responsibility to get the equipment set up. So after we had set up the different sets in different rooms we were able to go out and about. I took the opportunity to explore the area by myself. After being with the crew for 14 days, 24 hours a day I felt I needed some alone time. It felt good to be myself. Then when I was by myself I had time to think about what I miss back home. That isn’t always a good thing.
BY CYNDI GREENING, PRODUCER, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – On Friday, we had a wonderful shooting experience. The folks a ZNBC, ZNIS and ZAMNET allowed us to use a soundproof stage to shoot the classroom scenes in the film. With all of the children there, the teacher and the policeman, we really needed the space. It also allowed us to build a lot more motion into the shots. We were able to use the dolly and the glidecam. We could have used a few more area lights. Of course all of the equipment means nothing if you don't have good actors. We had some wonderful child actors. The children are so natural on camera; they aren't self-conscious at all. In fact, they barely seem self-aware. One of my favorites was little Alisam Piri. I learned how a Zambian child indicates he doesn't know what to do. I asked him to write his name on a piece of paper. He quickly complied. When I asked him to write his numbers, he turned his hand palm up and waved it from side to side. Monica, his teacher, said, "He doesn't know his numbers yet." He was a great little actor. We even made him cry on cue.
BY PAMELA BOWMAN LUSAKA ZAMBIA AFRICA They have pizza here. They have bread. They have bottled water. You may notice we talk about food a lot. That is because we are working so hard that we are always hungry. We decided that we needed to have food on the set for everyone to nibble on between sets. So Cyndi and I left one night to go to the grocery store....alone! Cyndi was driving. She said I couldn't because I am a student. What is up with that? So she is driving. In Zambia you drive on the left hand side of the road. She kept repeating to herself "Do what feels wrong. Do what feels wrong." I guess that includes driving down the middle of the road because you can't really judge how close you are to the wrong/right side. Are you following all of this? Hitting the curb is the other alternative. She managed to do that a few times too. They have round abouts. We thought we were just circling around and around. I couldn't help but have a Depends moment! It was too funny. We did manage to find the grocery store, but then we had to figure out how to get back to our resort. The only thing I am allowed to say is that getting lost in Zambia was an experience and one we have managed to repeat again and again as we forage out for set food! I am not allowed to discuss details because some things that happen is Zambia must stay in Zambia. As a result Cyndi has hired a private car and driver to take me to the store in the evenings for the set food. 
BY JENIECE TORANZO, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA -- Ok so I had NO idea on how to do make-up on people other than myself. My first and frightening challenge was to learn how to apply the make-up on African people. I was afraid that I would do it wrong and make them look bad and so I made sure that as soon as I knew that my role was the make-up artist, that I would check out books and online information in order to get a better understanding on how it works. Having to do the hair and make-up has been a new experience for me. I found out that you have to be much more personal and a little more intimate with the actors and actresses. For me, that is a lot more scarier than what people would think. I am not a "touchy feely" kind of person to begin with, expecially when it's with people that I don't know or know very well. It was a huge obstacle for me and I learned that I just had to suck it up and overcome that fear because the crew needed me to do my job. I must admit, at first I was embarrassed, intimidated, and unfomfortable but now I am more relaxed. I was slow at first and now since I got the hang of it, I am learning to be much more efficient. I like having to look for little details and things that would make the complete product better. Now, when I think of putting make-up on someone, I think of a blank canvas and I am getting ready to paint. I think it would be interesting and fun to be able to learn how to do the special effects for fantasy characters and such. You can do so much with make-up. It's a challenge, but a challenge worth overcoming. Even though, at first I doubted myself and the value of my role, now I understand that my role is just as important than any other role because we are all connected and have to work together in order to make the movie a great finished product.
I can’t say enough of how hard the crew has worked, I think everybody knows our roles and as soon as we hear “set up”, you see everybody doing their own thing to begin shooting. I have learned so much this week, mainly to adapt to different situations, this being a tight room to shoot, light, power source, but we have overcome every single obstacle so far. The last two days, we got to shoot with the glidecam, dolly and the steadicam, even though it is a little more complicated, I am enjoying every minute of it, we are capturing some great shots. 
Locations and props have been giving us a problem -- well many things have been putting a rut in our path but I think the most exciting thing about this project, from the crew perspective, is how everyone does stuff on the fly. We change things that need to be changed, every day we make split second decisions and adjustments. We do anything to capture a scene and people just talk to each other. There are no egos and no one speaks down or up to anyone else, we respect each other and listen. We're slotted into our roles better now and everyone is on a Zambian rhythm now. 
BY MICHAEL MONTESA, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA - The people here are so hospitable, friendly, and they always smile at you! I have never met so many people who are always waveing and greeting me or saying hello. As a photographer, I try to capture the true essence and colors of Zambia. Last week, we went to a nearby neighhborhood and mingled with the local folks. it was fun and exciting. The kids were excited to get their photos taken and to see their photos on the LCD screen. It felt nice to see them smile at their own photos. 
The first few days my roommates (Carlos Espinosa, Mike Montesa) woke up to take freezing showers. So cold was the water that we had difficulty in breathing while showering. Screams were heard every morning as we dashed in and out from under the water. On the third morning I felt rather stupid when I discovered a switch near the ceiling in the hallway; directly under it were the words "Hot Water". 
BY GINGHER LEYENDECKER, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Today we went to the Kawata Cultural Center to interview craftsmen. A woodcarver, a basket weaver, a batik and fabric artist, and a drum maker spoke to us, explaining their craft and how they learned it. The people who live in this craft village are very proud to be able to work for themselves and support their families from their art. They were very open to speaking with us, especially because we bought lots of their crafts!
Today we visited the Kawata craft village. It is a village of artisans who live and work in the village. As Fine Art Faculty at Mesa Community College, we were very interested in our Zambian counterparts. We interviewed basket weavers, wood sculptors, textile artists and jewelers. They talked about how they learned their art from family members or friends. The art in this village is passed on from generation to generation and also from artist to fellow artisan. It was incredible to see a community of artists who live and work together with their families. These artists earn a modest living making their art. They are able to support their family and do what they truly love to do. This gives them a great sense of pride and sense of identity. It really was wonderful to see this village adorned with art. Behind the thatched huts, men and women were working diligently on their pieces. As you go through, it is apparent that they have built a strong sense of community. They are supportive and appreciative of one another. It really was beautiful in a unique way.
On our way back from the park we stopped for lunch. I thought we had mistakenly entered someone’s home there was only one table and a living room with couches and a napping cat. We were led through the house out the back door and across a patio to the kitchen, a small outbuilding, a chunk of fish was frying in a pan on the ground. A young woman poked here head out the door she did not look very happy to see us. We ordered one of everything. The food was authentic and delicious. We ate with our fingers and cleaned our plates. Lydia, our chef smiled hugely when we expressed how much we enjoyed the food.
Next we went to a national wildlife refuge. First we saw giraffes and impalas. Then monkeys and elephants (in the distance). We then hired a ranger who knew the migration of the animals, who took us in further. We came up on water buffalo, and he said we should keep our distance even in the car because they are the most dangerous animals in the park! Then we went to an abandoned training compound where baboons had taken over the area. Then, an experience that is hard to describe in its fullness. We came upon Zambia’s last two wide rhinos, an odd couple who were relaxing under a tree. The ranger told us to walk with him, and we got within a few feet of them! They were undisturbed and we stayed there in awe for a very long time. They were huge and beautiful. Finally we had to take the ranger back to his post. But first he took us to see zebra. As we were leaving I felt a little sad that we didn’t get to see elephants close up. Then, as we were about to leave the park, there they were—a herd of about twelve on the road and to the side! We actually had to wait there, they were blocking our exit—“trapping” us as Alan our driver said.
BY LINDSEY BLACK, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - I decided to take a much needed break from life before I get buried in my computer. I am going to be here in L.A. helping out with the needy to get my mind off of me and onto people who really don't know their place in life. It has been great these last three days. I feel like L.A. is home to me, maybe because growing up those were my initials (Lindsey Anderson), or maybe it is the atmosphere. Most people don't get this giddy around a picture of a slate outside a Burbank movie theatre. Everywhere you go, you can find at least one person who is connected to the film industry one way or another. But is L.A./Hollywood really where I want to be? It is so corporate. The great thing about the an Indie film and its crew is you become family. It is easier to get to know each other and I respect the films more because you have to work so hard to come up with the finances.
BY CARLOS ESPINOSA, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA, AFRICA | It’s hard to believe that we are finally in Zambia. The flight was an adventure of its own; it was not real fun. I think I only got a total of three hours of sleep in our long two days of international travel. However once we got here, those hardships seemed well worth it. Dr. Angoma has been very kind, providing every accommodation for the crew; he is very nice and giving person. 
![Bald%20Eagle%20in%20Flight,%20Alaska[2].jpg](http://www.filmzambia.com/africanvoice/Bald%2520Eagle%2520in%2520Flight%2C%2520Alaska%5B2%5D.jpg)
GINA PUMA, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, GILBERT, ARIZONA, USA-- I am so happy and relieved to hear that all is well and the crew has arrived in Lusaka, Africa safely. I went to the airport to see them all off and I felt like a Mama bird pushing my babies out of the nest. One little birdie almost didn't fly but he recovered (his passport, that is) and learned a very valuable lesson before taking that long journey on his own. As I said goodbye to everyone and watched them spend those last few minutes with their families, I saw their commitment and determination as they left behind the ones they cared for the most. There was some sadness, a little fear of the unknown, but mostly there was enthusiasm and a desire to allow this project to transform them. The last few weeks before the crew departed for Africa, we all spent a great deal of time working together to make these films a successful reality. First, there was finding the funding to take the crew to Africa for a month. We spent countless hours writing proposals to help others understand why this is such a great opportunity for Africa, the United States and the World. Next, we needed to buy more equipment and supplies, gather passports, acquire immunizations, purchase tickets, obtain visas - the list seemed endless and some days... insurmountable. Then there were weeks of preparing the script breakdown and the storyboards- this was no simple task. Jabbes accused me of being so detail oriented that I just about counted every hair on his head. Now the crew has journeyed to the other side of the Earth...without me. I know that I must let it be someone else's task to make sure all your hairs are in place, Jabbes. Whoever has that task, keep me informed! Our months of preparation built strong working relationships and friendships. There is still much work to be done here in the States while production begins in Zambia. I am so grateful to all those who contributed but I continue to search for more funding for the many production and post-production expenses that lie ahead. It is now Monday morning in Lusaka and all of our hard work is indicative of this moment. There is only one more word that needs to be said and I believe it is the embodiment of this project..."ACTION"!
BY ROBBY BROWN, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA -- Shooting a documentary really isn't as easy as some may think. The country is beautiful and the people are wonderful but it's tough capturing that experience. You want to shoot everything but you need to save tape and battery. At the same time, you don't want to miss a key part in a conversation so you don't want to turn the cameras off. If I had "spidey sense" I would definitely use it. You need to keep an eye on everybody and make sure that if something goes down, you're right there getting it on tape. Another issue I found that I need to work on is lighting. Zambians are naturally very dark skinned, so when we are in ... say the Lusaka Playhouse. It's dark in there so I need to change some settings on the camera; if I follow somebody outside, I have to change it back to shoot outside so everything isn't washed out. Of course everybody has stuff to practice and over time we will get better. For now things are a little rough. But nothing worthwhile comes easy. 
BY NICK MARSHALL, ZAMBIA, AFRICA -- In an internet cafe and typing by the dollar. Well more like cents. The money is odd to get used to -- they deal with thousands instead of singles. Bought a sub, cost 10200 kwacha. So far the experience here has been nerve-wracking, wonderful, stressful, beautiful, sad, tiring and a million other things. The flights were exhausting and seemed all to melt into the same day. We are staying at a housing compound provided by Dr. N'goma. He is very nice and very excited to have us; he welcomes us enthusiastically, as do all members of his staff. Everyone there is very friendly. When we first got access to an internet cafe I e-mailed my parents and we learned of the bomb scare at the Heathrow airport. We learned from an e-mail from Shawn's parents that it happened right after we took off from London. This whole trip has been close calls and things falling out of place only to be put back together at the last second so that we can move forward. 
PAMELA BOWMAN ZAMBIA AFRICA-Hello! This is "Stoneface." Yes, the crew has nicknamed me! What is up with that? I can't imagine why? I was the one who couldn't sit still and was smiling ear to ear as we approached Heathrow. I was in Europe for like 4 hours! I was so close to Italy and Spain and Greece! That was painful! Then when we were actually landing in South Africa everyone was telling me to look out the window. There was a problem because on a 747 middle aisle you can't see out any window! But they told me how beautiful the sunrise was. Wasn't that nice of them? OK I was a little sleep deprived. I found out that I can't sleep sitting up! 
The first night I sat between Cyndi and Alec. I was an oreo between two people who love to TALK! The second night I was between two people who thought the chair arm rests were only for them. I was squished! MEN! So finally we arrived in Zambia. We walked off the plane and it was so COLD! I had the privilege of being the only crew member to have lost luggage. Still lost after three days. But being stonefaced - nothing fazes me. 
BY GINGHER LEYENDECKER, SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN LUSAKA -- I am struck by so many things in Zambia so far. The kindness of the people, their happy positive demeanor and willingness to help. The city is beautiful. Our host, Dr. N'agoma, is so gracious, putting us up in his resort and feeding us. We really appreciate all he has done for us. To him I say a huge "Zikomo", or thank you.
BY JENIECE TORANZO LUSAKA, ZAMBIA- Well we made it here alive! That is good news. We have had some drama and interesting situations that we had to overcome but thankfully we made it through in one piece. I think there were some families that were worried about us because of the terrorist threat that just happened in London, but thankfully it happened right after we left Heathrow Airport. The plane ride was very long and tiresome. It was hard to get any sleep, especially when I was surrounded by two big guys who didn't give me much leg or arm room. Long travel itineraries can also lead to some personal hygiene issues too (read BO) -- not my favorite part of the flight. So I just watched a bunch of movies that I hadn't seen and watched the different shots and lighting and also, of course, the hair and makeup which is very important.
BY JACOB FELIX, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA - After 20 plus hours on a plane and running through airports we have arrived. Of course I had to be the only one to get sick on the way over here, but as soon as we arrived, I immediately began feeling better. This country is amazing; it's one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The people are friendly, the food has been excellent.
BY CYNDI GREENING, PRODUCER — When you think about how complicated it is to take 14 students and 4 faculty members to another continent to shoot a film, you might wonder why we made that choice. Here's a short piece on why we think it's important to shoot BAD T!MING and VOICE OF AN AFRICAN NATION in Zambia.
BY CYNDI GREENING, PRODUCER — Sometimes, it's amazing to realize how serendipitously this all came together. How did Jabbes come to Mesa Community College? Why did MCC sponsor such a project in Zambia? This piece might clear it up.
BY CYNDI GREENING, PRODUCER — We leave for Zambia tomorrow. Principal photography begins on BAD T!MING on Monday, August 14. The following video will help you to understand what inspired these projects.
I also spent time with Isaac and Audrey. Newlyweds are fun to be around. They argue so lovingly! Too cute. Then I spent time with my girls. We went to a movie, we went swimming, we talked. Did I mention shopping? I woke them up in the morning with a back scratch. I want them to miss me! Do you think they will miss me? Then Chris and I spent time with each other. I am pretty sure he is going to miss me, but you never know with those strong silent types. 
Jobs, commitments, relationships, my "old" LIFE will be put on hold for 4 weeks+ to make room for the "new life" that will allow me to make these films. For Cyndi and Jabbes this started a long time ago. And there is no doubt in my mind that these films will be succesful each in their own way. I think, so what if they don't win best film at SUNDANCE, so what if we don't get distribution. Of course that would be absolutely wonderful but what we're doing is so much bigger than just that, it's so much bigger than all of us. Our goal is that this is making a difference in a country and helping improve the lives of the the people we meet and giving the crew an amazing experience and unbelievable "resume." Fame and money that may come with the making of the films will only be temporary. This experience, on the other hand, will stick with us and effect us for the REST OF OUR LIVES. Such a great learning experience. 
PAMELA BOWMAN MESA, ARIZONA USA - We are as ready as we are going to get. The script is done, the storyboards are done, the day of days is done. The equipment is packed. The supplies are ordered. The shots are injected. The tickets are in hand. The actors are preparing for their parts. The sets are ready. Everyone’s roles and responsibilities have been outlined and explained. When we land in Zambia we will be ready to start shooting BAD T!MING and we will be continuing with VOICE OF AN AFRICAN NATION.
BY LINDSEY BLACK, CHANDLER, AZ, USA - I thought I would blog about my experience watching the Academy Award Winning TSOTSI. This was filmed in South Africa and gave us a clear idea of what it will be like in Zambia. I must say, I will add this to my DVD collection. I really enjoyed this film. People who know me, know that I am not into reading … especially subtitles. But I must say, I would not even begin to complain about reading TSOTSI. The movie pulled me in quick. I was very disappointed when the film had hardly started and the lights came on. We heard, “Come outside and get your tacos.” (A lot of the crew had been working on storyboards and other tasks all day so they needed to be fed.) I was like NO! I want to see this. I didn’t even leave my chair but rather sat anxiously waiting for the movie to start up again while getting to know another crew member. I was pleased when the movie started back up; thank goodness it was a hungry crew and didn’t take them long to eat.