It's been a few days since I've been here and honestly, it's a little harder than I imagined to do everything we planned all by myself, alas it is wonderful to have such a great network of people helping out. It does take a second to settle in. It takes more than a second to realize it's a bad idea to apply for funding from a giant source while on the road...I mean, sleep is not really necessary, but when shooting and researching becomes impossible because a deadline is coming up, it's kind of absurd. Finally done, though!
So, moving forward, I would like to mention that every time I come back here, I get to know Cairo a different way, and new blessings and new obstacles come up, quite interesting, might I say. Right now I'm sitting in a place called Cafe Kunst Gallery, writing, after a day of a lot of running around and a little bit of shooting. The thing with Cairo is that if you declare what you want, you'll get it within moments, and then there is the opposite: when you wake up in the morning and have a vague idea of whats necessary and then it takes all day to get a vague representation of your vague idea of what had to get done! Pretty great, teaches you to be focused at all times FAST!
It is true that the first few days in Cairo are a simulation of unmaking scrambled eggs! HA! The act on rewind, I guess! It has apparently become an On Look Films tradition to loose a lens cap the first day in town and to also botch a photo session within the first few hours off the plane! An amazing moment happened (journalistically) between a cat and a fog crow - and I LLLLLLOVE both - and I thought I captured all of it, but really...not so much, in the middle of all the excitement I somehow changed a setting...and I refused to let the cat hurt the bird, so I stopped my monkey reflex, as our director Miguel Silveira calls it, and turned the camera off to chase the cat away! But thats neither here nor there! So, I have given into the unknowing and now that it has been a full three days, I know that I can begin work FULLY and not be stopped, because Cairo and I have now completed our negotiations, bombs away...I mean...!
I have learned so much in such a short period of time and don't know who or what I will be when I leave here.
Below is a list of what I have learned:
my predisposition for coincidences no matter where or what!
1. Before I left Chicago, Yoni Goldstein, one of our DPs introduced me to Amira, a friend who would be in Cairo when I am! and we literally...literally...ran into each other DOWNTOWN Cairo. HILARIOUS!!!
2. Baxter Jackson, a new liason and hopefully member of the groundcrew who is currently in Oman and I hope to go meet for a couple days and Dr. Kristina Nelson, an amazing woman and scholar based in Cairo who Dr. Shakeela Hassan introduced me to used to live in the same building!
3. Dr. Kristina Nelson knows Dr. Muhammad Eissa, based in Chicago AND Ahmed Rasheed, based in Cairo and our Line Producer!!!
Conclusion: Small world no matter how big the city! (and this is only a taste!)
more later, on my way to make things happen!Can't wait to share full production stuff with everyone.
It's only going to get better! REALLY!!!! (pictures will be included in next post!)
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2 comments:
I love how you too lost a lense cap! Note to self... bring a lot of caps to Cairo when I come join you in Egypt!
Wishing you a great deal more magical moments in Cairo! Even though it is cold here in Chicago, warm thoughts are being sent from your faithful producer and amazing team of On look Films!
Cheers,
Rodion
YAY first Cairo post! I'm sorry you lost a "my favorite" shot, but maybe the bird will return the favor. Happy to hear you are finding friends like gravity. Can't wait to see those pictures. Good luck.
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