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THE PROCESS / LOGISTICS

Summer of 2012 & 2016, 2017: Filming/Production in New Guinea
Spring 2018: Post-production / editing / locating publisher & film festivals

For filming in the summers, arrival in Wewak, Papua New Guinea to buy necessary supplies for the 6 week stay in the Sawiyano tribal territory. There is no electricity in there so I will be getting a solar panel and small backup generator to power the cameras and flashlights. A small Cessna will fly me, hopefully an assistant, the supplies and equipment to the Ama village airstrip. From there I will proceed on foot to a nearby village chosen by the tribe for me to stay.

I will work with the elders to decide the content of the film as well as who will be the main narrators of the film. Ideally, each activity will have a narrator; either a man, woman and child. I will also train them on how to use the cameras so they can record their own footage.

bilas na singsin

I know Tok Pisin and much of the Sawiyano tribal tongue, but I will need help with some translation. When needed I will have a Sawiyano translate into Tok-Pisin and I will then translate into English.

The music throughout the film will be by members of the tribe. I will record vocals, drums and jaw harps.

THE STRUCTURE (likely to change in post-production)

  1. Open with footage from the air or from the nearest mountain to get a shot of the area which will show rainforest and swamp as far as the camera can see. I want to show the isolation of the tribe.
  2. Introduction to the village which is home to 2 or 3 extended families
  3. Show aspects of typical life which will act as introductions to crafts
  4. Each art or craft will be shown from location of supplies, to the making of the item(s), to the final use.
  5. Continue to intersperse elements of family life while being sure to show the larger community
  6. Continuously film animal, bird, and insect life in the rainforest and swamps
  7. End with interviews of tribal members regarding their opinions of their future and their land, mining and timber companies, and the continuation of  “tumbuna” ways

When I return to the States, I will do the post-production. Meanwhile, the Sawiyano will continue to film and photograph for as long as the solar panels and cameras allow.

Please email us at tumbuna.arts@gmail.com