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.
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)
- 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.
- Introduction to the village which is home to 2 or 3 extended families
- Show aspects of typical life which will act as introductions to crafts
- Each art or craft will be shown from location of supplies, to the making of the item(s), to the final use.
- Continue to intersperse elements of family life while being sure to show the larger community
- Continuously film animal, bird, and insect life in the rainforest and swamps
- 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