I’ve been back from Nigeria over a month and been steadily working on a presentation to Sundance and the Skoll Foundation. Now that I’m done with the cut, I think we’ve got something really amazing here. I had imagined ten minutes of material (all that I was required to create), but I ended up with 25 good minutes…scenes, characters and a narrative. Of course, I feel good about it!

Indeed, from the very beginning, I wanted to tell a story about Africans returning from the Diaspora to create wealth, not to fight poverty. I wanted the business to be part of the new economy, not traditional ones such as agriculture or extractive mineral industries. It couldn’t be about manufacturing or micro credit. No, I wanted something that would be a potential game changer in Africa.

I believe we’ve found it. SW Global is that company and what they’re doing in Nigeria might change the economic landscape for that country and perhaps the entire region. At the heart of what they’re doing is the creating of accountable and accurate digital identities that allow Nigerians to begin to participate in the formal economy. No one can get on line and purchase goods in Africa and that means the costs are inflated (sometimes two and three times what we pay here in the US) and black markets evolve.

I’m excited and confident that the film will be made. I knew it was an important film. Now, I’m confident it’s going to be a good one.

Yesterday afternoon, I headed off to film in a market in Lagos.  I was a bit nervous for while I had a remarkable few days around the city, shooting in markets can be dicey.  Now admittedly, I was well accompanied.  I am certain that alone, I would not have lasted long, but guiding us into this world was Amanda Angell, a smart, lovely, fun woman who, as the daughter of the former police chief of Lagos, had a very good sense of how to work in this city.

As soon as we got to the location, I climbed up the stairs of a pedestrian overpass to get a good view of the crowded market entrance.  It was a perfect perch, human energy, like a bee hive below, with enough distance (and a long enough zoom) to capture lots of cool moments.  Then after a week of hitchless shooting, two of the screws that hold the plate on the Sony Ex 1 fell out and were gone into the street below.  There were two left but it was insufficient to hold the camera down.  At first, I tried using the tripod to balance the camera, but it was really impossible. Exasperated I dismounted the plate and began trying to tighten the remaining screws, each the size of a pin head. Amanda and my partner from SW Global, Anita Nomah suggested they go look for a screwdriver in the market which struck me as looking for a needle in a haystack.

At this moment, a young man who had been watching me for the past ten minutes approached.  After a quick glance at the camera he said, “let me see if I an help” and he reached into his bag which unexpectedly contained a set of well used tools.  He then pulled out a mini screwdriver that fit perfectly and in a few seconds all was fixed.

People here are poised for opportunities and ready to work hard when they come and deeply grateful when that ingenuity is appropriately rewarded.

Something like a metaphor….

I’m in traffic on my way back to my hotel in Accra, Ghana at the end of a long day of shooting. I am here to make a film on SW Global, a nascent software company headquartered in Accra, whose dedicated team is trying to revolutionize the way their country – and their continent – does business. I’m here solo, shooting and directing without technical support – another crazy challenge. This project is also particularly hard because it’s not easy to make a strong film about technology. How to avoid boredom?

Yet, Dr. Aloy Chife, SW Global’s founder and CEO, is inspiring, forthright and a visionary. If we get this right, we not only help SW Global succeed but we can raise worldwide awareness of an intriguing path to progress.

… Just as I was noting the terrible traffic, our driver lurched forward and slammed into the car in front of us. No one was hurt, but the long ride at he end of a long day just got a lot worse.

I’m on the plane to Ghana and then a few days later off to Nigeria. This comes after a week in Amsterdam, a week in Guinea and quick foray to Indiana. And, if that weren’t mind boggling already, I stop off for three hours or so in Atlanta for one meeting on the way back. Ouch.

Actually, besides being mentally exhausted and a bit bedraggled after the closing night party at IDFA, and overwhelmed by the traveling ahead, I feel pretty good. It is a bit crazy to be with the equipment for a shoot alone (three cameras!) in Nigeria, which I’m told is a hard place to work.

Right now, I just want to get to Accra without losing anything! Then, I’ll figure out how to make this film (Connected)….

Always at the start I’m a bit nervous… so many unknowns!

Angola’s warden Burl Cain told a group of legislators Friday that there are about 200 prisoners he would send home if he could…..
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