Chris
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Chris Symes
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Chris's blog
Participatory Video website
31.01.2008
I stumbled across this site, you may find it interesting. Here is a descriptive quote from the website:
'Insight is a UK/France based organisation pioneering the use of Participatory Video as a tool for empowering individuals and communities.
Insight’s Participatory Video methods value local knowledge, build bridges between communities and decision-makers and enable people to develop greater control over their own development and the decisions affecting their lives.
If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a video must speak a millon! The best way to explore our work is to watch it.'
The Other Side of Dour
17.07.2007
So it is now the day after returning from the mass sprawl that was the Dour festival 2007. I have been to many festivals at this point and can easily notice the differences in organizational skills and atmosphere.
The Dour festival lacked many small elements that would have made the average punters life a little easier during a very tiring experience.
When arriving at the festival a couple of beer cans were consumed, then my mind turned soar as i saw this ridiculous sprawl of people all scrambling to enter the site. To enter the site one first had to bring your ticket to a small hut located quite far away from where you had to have your armband secured and enter the site, due to this poor organization it resulted in many people sleeping where ever they could until the sprawl calmed down, many people skipped the queue or got crushed.
My particular problem with this particular way of entering the site was the beer cans that i had previously consumed, as there were no toilets before entering the site my bladder became gradually agonizing. I cannot imagine how others survived, during this poor entry. The relief that was experienced several hours later, saved nearing permanent damage.
So after this queuing nightmare we entered, setup the tent, chatted and then slept.
Day one of Dour water, water......where is the water...ah there it is, oh crap the queue is massive.So organizational error number two. I think it is slightly ridiculous that in a campsite with forty thousand people the organizers only provided two tap facilities, which resulted in even more queuing.
Too the music 'aww' a random spike sticking out of the ground, i wonder how many people damaged themselves on this or the many other spikes that stuck out of the ground - once again a lack of thought for the welfare of the punters.
So after dancing for quite a period of time i decided to search for some free water and once again this proved to be quite a challenge. Eventually i found a water source ( 1 hose with a tap for 120,000 people or so ). Luckily i was not the guy who slipped down the slippery slope into the large puddle of urine, water and muck, the guy proceeded to fall asleep in this wonderful concoction, luckily for him his friends were on hand to save him.
So several days of fun were had that were slightly compromised by poor organization, yet it had its perks like the bbq and microwave area that saved me a considerable amount of money and the odd colored lake that was damn refreshing and picturesque, yet could have had a life guard (yet however this would be acknowledging that the lake was part of the festival and i am sure that this would have led to a substantial insurance hike).
Ah Monday morning and more annoyances. The campsite lacked security so a gang of youths were able to cause havoc. The gang hassled soft headed party goers and searched tents where some people were sleeping. Some people reported that there money was stolen.
Several people that i met on Monday were having an extremely stressful day, the safety locker facility that they used for passports, etc were removed before everyone had retrieved their belongings. The belongings were all put into random bags and stored in the festival police station where u could only get to if you had a +3 wristband! These were only given to semi vip's and i think they went up to +5 with normal camping tickets being +1 or 2. So as you can imagine some people were getting very angry by this and as far as i know some violence was close to occurring. Then after a period of time the belongings which weren't retrieved were shipped off to the local police station in Saint Gislaint which was just sending a lot of these people on journeys they really could have avoided. This was the biggest mistake of the festival and makes me question where did the stupidity of the situation derive from?
Surely after 18 years of this festival the organizers would have learnt to avoid such problems. I know it is a cost friendly festival, but if low cost means poor quality in the customer safety and satisfaction areas, you have to weigh up what you as an individual look for in a festival. Obviously lineup and cost would be most peoples first consideration, but maybe if some of these issues affected you, you may agree that Dour needs to reflect on things in order to cover all areas...
After YEFF
11.07.2007
It is now the day after returning from YEFF. I will the miss the wining and dining, some of the people and the general atmosphere that was present.
I believe that the continued development of YEFF is necessary, due to the topic that relates to all people in Europe. It is very important to give a voice to the youth of today, so as to enable the issues that are present to be tackled, such as integration and diversification.
The standard of films that were made varied quite significantly, yet the majority of them had good intentions. It was a shame that the time for debating and analysing was so short, I think that this is one of the areas of YEFF that needs reflecting on and improving.
I hope to keep in contact and hopefully form a few cross border projects with some of the participants. I also look forward to YEFF 2009 in Gotenberg, Sweden. I would love to go again.
I call to any young filmmakers who read this blog to make a film on this topic for Sweden, as it is a worthwhile event that could well inspire you in life. If anyone else feels that i have not included information on my blog, then don't hesitate to ask me. Also check out the YEFF website at www.yeff.net for more info.
A long night in Paris
08.07.2007
so, other than watchin films and workshops, fun had to be had. A group of five of us decided to check out Paris night life.
Arriving at 11 or so we decided to go to a boat club. After arriving we decided that it was not for us and thus headed elsewhere. After travelling for quite a long time we arrived at a free venue, but we were not allowed in as one of our group was wearing shorts, tres bof - me thought..........so once again we had to change our plans, so we headed into the centre of Paris to go and have a drink in a bar. When we arrived at a bar, we check the menu and left. 9 euro for a pint - ridiculous. so after wandering and wandering and wandering, we eventually ended up back at the train staion that we had started from, 7 hours later, not the most fun i have ever had......also the concrete floor was cold. BOF
Fantastic sound workshop
08.07.2007
the best day so far for me at this YEFF excursion was a workshop yesterday involving an interesting french guy and an assortment of household goods.
For the duration of the day we used the assortment of goods to create a sound track to go with a variety of short movies. there were a total of 15 or so who took part in the workshop and in general all were given an object thats purpose was to create sound. Unfortunately i am unable to upload the finished products, which is a bit of a shame............. ah well sure.
However the French guy has really inspired me to follow through with some sort of sound FX production..............whether i will actually do anything, only time will tell
YEFF! workshops Paris
07.07.2007
Neem uit een 12 Europese landen een 4-tal jongeren, eens goed schudden, en je krijgt....YEFF!
Volg onze avonturen op de voet via: www.yeff.net
Na een reeks uiterst vermoeiende dagen in in Lille, kwam de Poolse-Belgische-Franse groep aan in Parijs. De eerste dag was er tijd om kennis te maken met de andere groepen en wat uit te rusten. Vandaag organiseert Kyrnea, de coördinerende organisatie een reeks workshops.
Hierbij een kort verslag van de Pocket Film workshop door "Forum des images".
Forum des images organiseert een jaarlijks filmfestival voor films gerealiseerd met een GSM. Volgens Benoit Labourdette, de artistiek directeur van het festival, film je met een GSM andere onderwerpen want een GSM heb je steeds op zak. Je werkt ook spontaner dan met een digitale camera. De filmpjes die hij liet zien waren echter vooral hoogstandjes op het vlak van montage, dus helemaal overtuigd ben ik niet.
Je kan de films bekijken op: www.festivalpocketfilms.fr
Indien je het zelf eens wil proberen dan volgen hier enkele tips:
De nieuwste generatie mobiel telefoons gebruikt het video file formaat 3GP. Je kan deze beelden rechtstreeks bewerken met 'Quick-time Pro' en op je PC met 'Sony Vegas'. Maar als je een gesofisticeerdere montagesoftware wil gebruiken, dan kan je de beelden converteren via de gratis software:
- Super voor PC (www.erightsoft.com)
- FFMPEGX voor Mac
Veel plezier!
YEFF! PART 2- Seperating into groups
05.07.2007
ok day 2 after breakfast we all gathered and seperated into three different groups. The three groups had to make a films on on different topics. The 3 topics that we could choose were Differneces, Similarities and a Group Portrait. I ended up in the portraits group led by Pierre from coup2pouce.be apparently in belgium this is a very particular project, the only tv program entirely made by young people, in belgium.
After seperating into groups we started to brainstorm about our subject. We decided to do a portrait on Jerome a resident from MAJT. MAJT is a place where young people without a job can stay to allow them to get back on there feet. If you would like to see the result of our workshop have a look on this site (and only this site) tomorrow.
Off to Paris to discover something........
C what i have discovered tomorrow................maybe ;-)
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Yeff! 2007 Day 1 : Arrival
05.07.2007
It is now day six on this Yeff adventure and i have to say that fun has been had throughout the duration. So I hear you ask what have you been doing, well allow me to tell you.......
On the first day of the adventure we (me, arnout and greet) left Brussels at around five or so in the evening, destination Lille. We were heading to Lille to attend Yeff Campus the first stage of YEFF! ( Young European Film Forum For Cultural Diversity). The idea behind the YEFF! campus was too meet people from other different european countries and create a short movie based on the topic of cultural diversity.
After a fine feed (heel belangrijk voor Chris!!, cfr Greet) and introductions with all other participants who hailed from Belgium, Hors Cadre and Polland it was time for a brief visit to Lille. Then a sleep..........ZzZzZzZzZzZ.....ummmm
Avaaz - The world in action
22.05.2007
Avaaz is an internet based petition that confronts some of the world's issues by giving a voice to the masses. At present avaaz is trying to aid the Iraqi government, which is being pushed to surrender control over its oil reserves to multinational corporations and this for the next 30 years! Recently they helped pushing Paul Wolfowitz out of the world bank.
Check it out at
Fietsersbond Adventure
21.05.2007
During the Fietsersbond Adventure of early May I learned quite a lot. For the very first time in my life* I have finished a movie.
It was a total blockbuster involving Kristien Hemmerechts, a guy with an Al Gore mask (actually it was a printed piece of paper) and a folding bicycle. It was certainly a challenge, as I had not done something like this on my own before. I am glad that there was a kind of script to help the 'fish memory'. The editing was a bit of a challenge, yet I received essential tips and as a result, it came out ok.
On a side note: I can't believe the people from the Fietsersbond managed to persuade me to go on a 94 km cycling trip. I had not cycled in such a long time and I was utterly shattered at the finish point. I was glad to reach the end.
* Hopefully this life of mine is only a quarter of the way through, but you never know! A tram could derail, cutting me into two. I don't expect the witnesses or onlookerer to have any any super glue and as a result I would fade away in seconds.
Politicans, Fat Cats, The Environment and a Sceptical lanky Git
13.03.2007
Since my last blog i have had an interesting time. I never thought that i would be interviewing politicians when i came here as a volunteer, i still have not but yet i am filming them(its a start). I have been assisting Wim Leysens fron actiplatformpalestina he has been asking the chairpersons from the major flemish parties the same three questions on 40 years of occupation.
so far 3 interviews have been successfully executed and three more remain, although only one more should remain, yet the chairpersons of political parties are busy and overworked especially when coming up to an election when every vote counts to gain or regain power, an issue such as palestine which seems to be a never ending struggle seems to get less priority. i suppose this is logical considering the US will be the major player in settling the dispute, but does the current leadership care, its hard to say sometimes.
too many vested interests in the region me thinks. 'global security' and all that milarky wouldn't it be nice if the large arms manufacturers stopped supplying weapons and ammuntions, but they are not going to do that too many fat cats require the supreme deluxe barbeque, a new lexus, a helicopter, a yacht, a house in st tropez, not forgetting the one in LA, a second wife. All causing much strife. a hand shake of the president, front row seats at 'the big game', cryogenic security, anti hair loss laser treatment and so on. i think you may get my point. The majority of the money eyed baffoons may of course not ever get to appreciate what they have, as they are the second in command and due to this fact they work there lives away,dreaming for that caribbean retreat.
where as a mere fisherman in the caribbean lives the fat cats dream while at the same time contibuting nothing to the worlds woes.
I think it is time to move onto the other issue and that is the environment. on friday last i was sent to cover a large friends of the earth action on climate change, apart from the weather i thought it to be a most enjoyable reporting exercise. I hope for this world that big business and governments act quickly on this issue, i believe that drastic action is required or else we could well be in for one hell of a remaining existance. I have noticed a shift in the publics attitude towards this issue, hopefully it was soon enough (it apppears that the hippies were right all along, not just a bunch of drongos after all)
Even if we manage to save the environment there is one other issue that concerns me and that is the sterility of a man, according to a friend mens sterility is 10% of what it was 100 years ago,this could well be natures natural solution, to the pests that are humans (medel too much with what has been created over millions of years and good things are bound not to occur)
Settling cluelessly
05.03.2007
I have now been at indymedia for one month as a volunteer. I have found it to be quite a beneficial experience. I came here hoping to
learn something and improve skills and so far that is what has happened. Escaping the dulldrums of the west of ireland was without a doubt neccessary for me.
I have now worked on several items. When i am sent out with another volunteer i may not be able to communicate with the person who we are interviewing and remain somewhat clueless to what is happening, but i still try to capture something worthwhile. Everytime i use the camera im taking baby steps towards becoming competent, although sometimes i step a little backwards i believe that eventually all aspects of the reports that i do will look and sound good.
The way in which indymedia works is good. People volunteer, because they feel strongly about what they are doing and not because they expect to gain financially or in any other way. There is definately too much emphasis towards selfishness and greed in the world today.