Back home.

After 7 weeks of helping to set up the Haiti Reporters film school and giving classes
to the students it was time for me to go back home.
So here I am in my beloved Amsterdam.

Finishing edit class.

After an intensive 1 1/2 weeks of giving editing lessons I am pretty sure that the students
are capable of editing their own material once they start filming their own reportages.
There are some great video editing talents in the class.
Thanks Craig and Jean Joseph for assisting me during the classes!

Jacob Kushner.

American freelance journalist Jacob Kushner gave a lecture on freelancing and pitching
stories. Jacob spents a lot of time in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and works on a
regular basis for AP and several newspapers and magazines in the US.
The question of the day was: can you find an original angle for your story so that the editor
accepts it?

Video editing class.

Today I started a five day video editing course. It was great fun. First I told the students
about my experiences as an independent filmmaker and as a video editor. And about the
important role the editor plays in realising the essence of a documentary. There were loads
of questions.
Then my good friend Craig, media mercenary from the US, working here for PURE
Water, and Jean Joseph, a Haitian camera man and video editor, joined in to teach
the basics of Final Cut Pro. The course involves a lot of practice and the students love it!

Interview techniques and camera classes.

Interview techniques and video camera classes today!

Andre Lambertson & Kwame Dawes.

World Press Photo Award winner, photographer Andre Lambertson and Emmy Award
winner, writer Kwame Dawes, came to the school to give a lecture. They have worked
together on several projects such as "Ashes", on juvenile violence in American big city ghetto's.
The students were full of questions. Andre Lambertson commented: "It was such a pleasure
to see the enthousiasm on these kids faces. They are the future of Haiti's photography and
videography."
Andre and Kwame are currently working on a project on AIDS in Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. Thanks guys! It was fantastic!

The road situation improves.

Nine students yesterday as the situation on the streets improved. Some of the barricades
have been removed and a few taptaps were running.
Johnny, one of our students who studied sociology, gave a lecture on the political situation.

Neighbors 3.

But there is more: I just love the Haitian people!

Neighbors 2.

Like usual in Haiti, there are many great characters, like "Mama Gigo", who can tell
about the old times and Bernard, working out in the gim to be more attractive to all the
beautiful girls around here.

Neighbors.

Our school is situated in a quiet neighborhood. But there is a camp close by with
people displaced by the earthquake. I don't believe what is happening here.
One year gone and many people still live in tents.

3 students.

Three students today as the street were still blocked by "Tet Kale" (bold head),
aka "Sweet Micky" Martelli supporters. One walked kilometers to be here!
It gave me the opportunity to give private editing lessons and we even did a
voice over!
After that our three students went on the streets to interview merchants if they
were hit economically by the blockades?
One of them was our sweet neighbor "Mama Gogo", who told about the
Duvalier (Papa Doc) times when the situation was even worse.
He, it was raining, what's better to protect the camera than a plastic bowl?

Empty streets.

Empty streets in Port au Prince today as supporters of opposition leader "Sweet Micky"
Martelli denounced the election results and barricaded main roads all over Haiti.
Taptaps (local buses) are not running and international flights are cancelled.
According to the election committee, former first lady Manigat won the most votes and
president Preval's protege Celestin is runner up. Nobody has a majority so the election
will be decided in a second round in January.
Two students managed to show up this morning. They are my heros!

Photography class.

 

Our photography teacher
Sebastien explains how the
Canon EOS 50D works
manually.
It is a good excersise in
focussing, composition,
light etc.
Complicated stuff but
the students love it!

Budget class.

A good filmmaker has to be
a business person too.

Breakfast, lessons and assignments.

 

The staff.

Where would we be without Rooseveld (Prezidan), who is cutting his son's  hair in an artistic way, Francoise, Hyacinth and Sophonie?

The school has started!

Haiti Reporters filmschool has
started yesterday.
The students introduced
themselves by telling a true
story and an untrue story.
Which story was true?
Great fun!
After that we had lessons
in video production 
and photography.