ON A THUMB AND A PRAYER A HITCHHIKING DOCUMENTARY
INTRODUCTION
There was time when a dirty, dreadlocked wanderer could hit the highway with his thumb in the air and best leg forward, and easily hitch a free ride from a lovely couple in their air-conditioned sedan. These days the mere thought of standing by the roadside at the mercy of strangers, makes the stomach lurch. With the World Cup looming its head, and the increasing number of media stories proclaiming that the event will be riddled by crime and misconduct (www.truecrimexpo.co.za), we aim to investigate safety and social altruism by hitchhiking from Cape Town up the coast to Durban and ending in the City of Gold. Throughout this journey we will encounter a variety of characters from Rastas in the Transkei to the man that drove the Magic Bus back in the 70’s and we’ll even drop by the Arts Festival en-route. During this social climate of heightened patriotism and foreboding we are given an opportunity to try and capture the diverse face that is South Africa.
BUDGET TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT
The World Cup is an exciting time for our country, one in which all South African’s wish to participate. However, it would seem that because FIFA’s megalomania and humanity’s general greedy nature, most of our country’s people will be stuck screaming at a screen. It is therefore, an additional aim of this project, to explore the possibilities of budget travel during one of the most costly periods in our country’s history. In terms of accommodation we plan to make use of backpackers, camping and often the kindness of strangers. From an entertainment perspective, we plan to stop en route at a variety of different locations and participate in activities that are part and parcel of the specific location. We plan to watch the various soccer games with fans at local bars, homes and community centers and so get a sense of the game and its importance. It is amazing how honest people can be with a beer and good game of sport! We also intend to sneak our camera into one of the official fan parks to get a glimpse of the FIFA controlled festivities. This allows us to gain a completely different perspective on the World Cup events and is a lovely tension building theme that we can plant from the first day.
CRIME AND SOCIAL ALTRUISM This documentary allows us an opportunity to engage with ordinary citizens in an informal manner. We will be able to see what types of people actually stop to pick up strangers, and what determined their benevolence. We also plan to ask these people a few questions regarding their views on crime, South Africa and the World Cup. We will focus on questions related to the idea of Ubuntu (the quality of essential human virtues including compassion and humanity) and whether or not it still exists in the current South African climate. Although our collective history is scattered with violence and the dark side of the human soul, South Africa is known for is open, friendly and loving people. This paradox is somewhat interesting and we feel it worth exploring during our travels. The relaxed and informal nature of the documentary allows us to gain the perspectives of a variety of everyday people (local and foreign) and hear what their stories are. The relevance of our questions will go further than just the World Cup event and will in time be a truthful voice during this momentous time. Once edited, the documentary will be able to reflect a broad social sector in an engaging, informative and most importantly entertaining way giving the viewer the opportunity to see what others truly believe of our country, its people, politics and soccer.
CONCLUSION
In short this documentary is a unique opportunity to investigate the South African social climate during an interesting period of our history. It is our hope that through this adventure, we will be able to capture both the excitement and concerns of everyday people in a honest and entertaining fashion. Hopefully our observations and the interactions with our audience will lead to a clearer understanding of who we are as a whole. This documentary will be exhibited primarily online to a Digital Native audience however, media outlets such as magazines, newspapers, gazettes and radio are all ingrained in our crossplatform distribution strategy.
TRAVEL ITINERARY PLAN A
Pit stops will be made in concurrence with the world cup matches (www.fifa.com/worldcup) where we will watch specific games with fans. • Cape Town (11/06/2010: Kickoff – RSA vs. Mexico) • Watch the Opening Ceremonies • Braai with friends • Discussing the trip ahead •
Wilderness (13/06/2010: Germany vs. Australia) • Stay at an informal backpackers • Watch game on a project at one of the local’s homes.
•
Knysna (16/06/2010: SA vs. Uruguay) • Stay with the Knysna Rasta Community • Watch game with them
•
Jeffery’s Bay (17/06/2010: France vs. Mexico) • Stay at Island Vibe Backpackers • Watch game with them • Attempt some surfing lessons
•
Port Elizabeth (22/06/2010: RSA vs. France) • Watch game at Fan Park
•
Grahamstown (24/06/2010) • Stay at School Dormitory • Investigate the Festival
•
Cintsa/East London (28/07/2010) • Visit South Africa’s best rated Backpackers • Watch game at backpackers
•
Transkei (30/07/2010) • Visit Mdumbi backpackers and investigate site of new luxury chain hotel, and its impact on the local community.
•
Durban (03/07/2010: Quarter Finals) • Stay at SPCA
•
Bloemfontein (07/ 07/ 2010: Semi Finals) • Stay at a Farm
•
Johannesburg (11/07/ 2010Final) • Attempt to get into a world cup game at the official stadium through unofficial means.
Our Gear Cameras
Camera: SONY PD150 (3CCD) Standard Definition • DV • 12 x Optical Zoom • 3CCD Optical Sensor • Optical Image Stabilizer • 360 Kpix Video Resolution • LCD Viewfinder The size of the camera makes it ideal for light traveling and sneaking it into places and situations. We’ll be recording to tape, since there won’t be space for hard drives and computers on the road. We will also mail these tapes from each destination to ensure that all footage remains in tact.
At first you'd be forgiven for thinking this was just a drop-in upgrade of the EOS 300D with the EOS 20D's eight megapixel sensor, but in actual fact it has a new CMOS sensor (it's 8.0 megapixels versus the 20D's 8.2 megapixels), the 350D also has a smaller body, re-worked design, DIGIC II, new features and custom functions. By taking a Canon 350D camera along, we plan to make a photo journal of the expedition (photos of landscapes, locations and people), which can be used in the final edit, as well as posting it online from the road. In uncertain situations, cellphones can be used to gather additional footage.
Our Gear Sound, Music and Post-Production The soundtrack will incorporate only local music much of which we have official access to through our direct contact with DPK. De Plate Kompanjie is a dedicated network of music lovers who unite their individual talents and experience to bring all aspects of the music industry together. www.dpk.co.za
Sound: Lapel microphone and onboard microphone A lapel microphone would be ideal for loud places as well as for sit down interviews. We will also be using the onboard microphone for location shots and as backup.
We have access through the U.C.T to offline suites in order to get a rough-cut done. If we are able to secure exhibition through an online media portal and raise sufficient equipment and budget our editing strategy will be incorporated into our traveling itinerary in order to edit while we go.
Media.
Media Platforms This allows users to contribute to this social experiment, both ideologically (views and comments) and practically (lifts, beds, parties).
We hope to make use of many forms of media, so that our story can reach a wider audience. If our footage and story fits exhibitors criteria, then we have a platform to reach both a local and international audience.
It would be a good idea to keep a consistent blog which people can use to follow our journey and comment on it.
Contact various local radio stations in order to create exposure for our adventure through gaining small spots on any of the stations.
PRESENTERS AND CREW Presenters & Crew This documentary will focus on two male protagonists,who attempt this journey with R500 and a few makeshift signs. The presenters have had experience in front of cameras as actors and in documentaries. The previous documentary that was made by Beer and Jozua showed on MK Music channel as a 4 part series following the biggest rock show in South AFrica around the country. The presenters, Marc and Beer, are from different backgrounds and approach hitchhiking from different perspectives. The drama between them may be used as C-story line. Ideally we would use a skeleton crew of three additional members in a support car that would serve as a production vehicle. It would be ideal in this scenario to make use of another camera, so that footage can be taken from a different angles and perspectives and so add further suspense to our journey. It also allows for preparations to be made at locations, prior to the presenter’s arrival.
Beer Adriaanse is a 25 year old musician, writer, producer, journalist and actor. He also dabbles in editing, composing, photography and has been one of few men to swim naked over the Orange River during winter. By day he’s the creative director at the events and production company, De Plate Kompanjie, and by night he plays drums for the Afrikaans folk rockers, ZinkplaaT. Since 2010 he’s been doing his M.A in Media Theory and Practice at UCT, while also writing columns for Die Kampusburger and JIP.
Marc Dey is a writer based in Cape Town, currently completing his MA in Media Theory & Practice at UCT. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English, Psychology and Greek and Roman Mythology and a Master’s Degree in Psychology. He lived and worked in South Korea, where he was involved in the script development and copresenting a children’s educational television show. He has travelled extensively through South East Asia, China, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He also worked as a freelance technology writer for the Cape Times and is currently writing a seven-part graphic novel.
Jozua graduated from AFDA film school and became a 1st assistant director shortly afterward. H av i n g w o r ke d w i t h L e o n S c h u s t e r, G ray Hoffmeyer, The Film Factory and Spier films, Jozua is putting that hat down for a while to pick up his first love, producing. Jozua was a founder of The Big Eyed Deer Network and started N-Gage productions for Waterfront Post. Currently doing Business Development for Cab Films Jozua is focussing on where media is going starting new enterprises in the New Media, feature film and television spheres.
Kelly currently works as a freelance production coordinator with previous experience at Fremantle Media in London. She has a Communications Degree in Audio Visual Production Management from RAU (the University of Johannesburg) and has completed various media courses in an attempt to gain a broad knowledge of the industry. Kelly is currently developing various media projects with a focus on digital media and hopes to launch a daily podcast in the near future.
Elsa Glenn Sound/ Production Elsa Glenn is a drama editor who has b e e n w o r k i n g i n C a p e To w n since 2004. Local work includes ‘Interrogation Room’, ‘Known Gods’, ‘Montana’, ‘Geraldina die Tweede’ and ‘URBO: the Adventures of Pax Afrika’. Her most recent international work is Disney’s “Florrie’s Dragons”. She has also written screenplays and pitches. She is currently doing her Masters in Media Theory and Practice at UCT.
Sorrel Adams Camera Born and educated in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands Sorrel was bitten by the film bug after doing her school work experience at a film company in Cape Town. An experienced amateur photographer, Sorrel spent a year travelling and working in the UK. She now has an undergraduate d e g r e e i n p s y c h o l o g y, anthropology and film and is currently doing her honours in film studies at the University of Cape Town.
Anna Sacco Sound/Editing Anna Sacco studied Philosophy, Ancient History and Economic Policy in Germany and Mexico and is currently completing a MA in Media Theory & Practice at the UCT. She worked with several newspaper and radio stations, both in Rome and Berlin, and co-hosted a cultural Italian radio show in Germany. Anna has travelled extensively through Middle and South America and calls several European country’s home. Due to her own migration background, her writings often deal with cultural identity and boundaries.
A FINAL WORD. This is a documentary that has not yet been made in South Africa post 1994. Hitch Hiking is the hook to get audiences involved and excited, and who knows, even to join in. Our attempt at finding interesting stories to somehow make sense of our society is something that South African artists have tried and failed with for decades. Taking inspiration from fellows like Obie Oberholzer and David Goldblatt we believe that there is a sincerity and enduring belief in this country and its people. If we are able to bring that message across and have audiences enjoy the entertainment we present then we would have succeeded in our task as film-makers, story tellers and academics. Technology is offering us another unique opportunity and as media agnostics we hope to make use of this media rich culture that allows communication with anybody at almost any time. If we can utilize these tools correctly the exposure for our supporters, investors and suppliers is great. We hope that you come on this trip with us.
CONTACT US.
Marc Dey Writer. Director 079 393 6480 marc.dey@gmail.com
Beer Adriaanse Writer. Director 082 660 4567 beer@dpk.co.za www.dpk.co.za
Jozua Malherbe Distribution. Sales 076 582 5642 jozua@readwrite.co.za www.readwrite.co.za
photographs in proposal by Matthew Eddey & Jozua Malherbe
Kelly Dillon Distribution. Sales 071 597 9498 kelly@thebigeyeddeer.com