I’m living in Santa Monica California this summer, a
180-degree turn from my drizzly Seattle stomping grounds. So, when mulling over
the theme “Local Encounters,” my first frantic thought was “But…I’m not a
local!!!” I went threw a slew of ideas: Mexican food carts, traffic, a set of
stairs used by suburbanites for their weekend workouts. Then finally I thought,
when do I feel like a local? At the
Venice Beach drum circle.
I began by writing the voiceover that would keep my piece
focused. From there, I mapped out images I would want to pair with my script. I
spent a few days shooting the drum circle, and then one in Venice collecting
stock footage.
The biggest challenges I faced were time and equipment.
Having scrapped my original “stair” idea, I was in a crunch to get enough
footage and edit. Using a flip camera to film my documentary proved difficult
when trying to capture steady images and to record the voices of the interviewees.
My goal as a documentary maker is to delve deep into
untouched subjects and areas of the world while giving them a beauty and
elegance that could rival any Jean-Pierre Jeunet film.
