Massing The Troops
We're about six weeks away from departing so activity is really picking up now. The potential participants are working on passports and shots. The prompt ones have started their sequence of immunizations. Hepatitis A, Hepatitus B, Meningococcal, Polio, Typhoid and Malaria. Yellow fever and rabies are not required.
I have about a thousand production concerns. I'm working on making sure we have the right equipment, visas, power adapters, logistics, official letters from Zambian supporters and the carnet. I want to make sure the students are ready for this responsibility and that they can work together as an effective crew. I don't want to forget anything we might need. All of the nitty-gritty details of managing a film AND managing students abroad are weighing heavily right now.
On top of that, I have a whole pile of creative duties to manage. I'm working with Jabbes on refining the script and story. I'm thinking about casting in Zambia. He has ideas of the talent he wants to use. Since he was/is a producer at Zambian National Broadcast for a number of years, he has relationships with many of the best actors in Zambia. We'll do screen tests when we get there but I have great faith that it will work out okay. Since Jabbes has already worked with material by Samuel Kasankha, there's an affinity for the material and the probability that it will shape into something compelling.
Tomorrow (Saturday), cameramen Mike Montesa (pictured above) and Carlos Espinoza are going to get publicity stills of all the contributors. We want to get them onto the new blog we're creating for the documentary so they can start sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences. I want folks to know the faces and contributions of everyone.
