I took a World Documentary course before traveling to the
Philippines. I learned the concept of “untold stories” about people from
marginalized societies. Scavengers are deemed inferior, illiterate, and lazy, so
I wanted to share their stories and change perspectives.
I
visited the City Hall and talked to the Disposal Facilities Administrator. He sent
two staff members to escort me to the main landfill. Due to political conflicts
surrounding landfill management and earnings, guards wouldn’t let outsiders in.
Fortunately, we found Darwin’s landfill. Another challenge was filming,
interviewing, and following subjects at once. Many shots were shaky, because I
couldn’t take my tripod everywhere. The only other plan I had was visiting a
scavenger’s community. I tried to film open-mindedly and let Darwin guide the
story.
As
a documentary maker, I want my films to serve as a bridge of communication. I
want viewers to gain different viewpoints. In my process, I’ve learned that
scavengers are strong-willed and able to complete extraordinary tasks. They aren’t
lazy. I also want people in the documentaries to have a sense of self-worth. My
favorite part was when Armando’s mom said “thank
you for visiting us and looking at how we live our lives.”
