Toronto Hot Docs was both amazing and a drag…  Yes, I love the films and I thought the filmmakers were fantastic.  I was especially ecstatic to see Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s film “12th and Delaware” about a fake abortion clinic (a must see).   I have known these two women for years and to see how far they have come is very cool.

The mixed part was that the business of documentary filmmaking is increasingly off kilter.  I looked around the table at the commissionning editors who were part of the Toronto Documentary Forum and it was startling to see how little energy there was, how little change there was in terms of new blood and how little opportunities there are for US filmmakers in that universe.  Why? Most of the attendees are from public broadcasters scattered throughout the world. The amount of money they can offer a foreign filmmaker is meager, their value is in their capacity to stimulate funds set up in each country for the citizens of that country.  So, perhaps they can put up 10 – 20% of the budget, well in their country that makes it possible but for an American pitching to them, it’s not much use.

I think the greatest creativity when if comes to social media is on-line. There are so many innovative, cutting edge things being launched that the old form (feature docs), while wonderful to watch and important for many reasons, lacks financial support.

It’s always a risk averse universe where people be on horses they’ve ridden before.  I know the world.  I can be part of the clique, but I don’t like cliques and I don’t like elites so it’s not comfortable for me.

More good things…

The pitch for Connected went well.  I was nervous most of the week trying to figure out how to be concise in the presentation, but still remain real.  Not an easy thing when your film is about information and Communication Technology … right?  I think we did a good job.  My partner Mara pushed and pushed and it was much needed and deeply appreciated.  Anyhow, you be there judge.  Click this link to read the transcript.

I believe in what we are doing and confident that the right ideas always surface. I believe this is our destiny and I know it will happen.  So keep following us… it’s going to be a fun ride!

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.

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!