We went to Rita. From here you can not drive on. Majuro’s main road ends here. (*1) From this point you can look over to the next islands of the atoll, which are arranged around the lagoon. Our workshop participants Hanson and Ronny chose the location for their interview. Both grew up here in Rita, but now live in the town-center of Majuro. We set up the tripod, set up the big Canon and check the sound. Ok, are you ready? “Audio picks up.” “Camera is running.” Let’s go.
(Written by Christina Schulze) The third workshop week has started. We have a total of 46 participants in 6 different workshops (*2) over the week and things are developing fast. (*3) At the beginning of every workshop a theoretical input is given on the fields of technology, audio, camera work, image detail, interview and other aspects in documentary film. Then it goes directly into the practice, we go out, looking for places for interviews, the workshop participants interview and film each other first. Like detectives, we embark on a search for true stories. Together, we consider who is eligible as an interview partner (outside of our circle) for the film about the Marshall Islands. The participants are beginning to make their own decisions with more and more confidence and they notice how much they already know about the handling of the equipment, but above all about their own history and culture, which they continuously communicate to us. In addition to the voices of personalities from politics and society, education and science, we are particularly interested in hearing and recording the voices of the so-called “normal people”.
But today we are in Rita. Hanson interviews Ronny, who speaks partially in the interview rather in Marshallese. We actually understand some chunks, because some words are taken from English. Words like “plastic” and “Climate Change”. But it is not much what we can make out. Nevertheless, it is important to us that the English language is not a barrier. We keep saying that everyone is free to speak English or Marshallese. It is important that the interviewees feel comfortable if they want to tell us something. Anyway, we plan to work with translators on the material together and the participants speak Marshallese, which also helps.
We do not know everything what Ronny had to report that day in Rita. But we saw his facial expressions and gestures as he spoke Marshallese. They were insistent. That’s the way people talk, who have something to tell. We are curious to find out soon what it was.
Updates (in footnotes)
(* 1) The paved road leads from “Laura” to “Rita” and of course back. The names come from the time of the American stationing and are borrowed from the American soldiers with the actresses “Rita Hayworth” and “Lauren Bacall”. Here you can see the route.
(* 2) In fact there were even more participants later and there were workshops not only on Majuro but also on Ebeye. In Laura (Majuro), 13 students from Laura High School took part in our Monday workshop. They were our youngest group. The workshops were divided into two phases: turning and cutting. We had put an overview of the dates of the shooting workshops online on the old film blog (withstanding-the-waves.com) (and the newspaper also printed it). You can still find the dates today by clicking and scrolling here.
(* 3) This was the announcement text in Marshallese language:
[English below] Office eo an Jo-Jikum koba lok ibben jet German Filmmakers (KARMERADIST) rej bajok in kommani joun project eo im ej make wot. Im kwoj RIWAINENE nan koba tok. “Kin bwbwenato in Aelon Kain Ad”. Enaj joun film project eo im kwoj make ejak e, ak kommani. Enaj wor jilu (3) kotobar ko an project in.
1. Kwe eo im konaj bok ko naam, konaj ekatak kilen im wewin am kojerbal camera im audio program ko, konaj bar katak kilen im wewin edit video, renaj bar enwot lewoj kapeel ko, im konaj aikuj e nan ilju im jokloj nan am kojerbal jela eo kin kommani pija nan kwalok melele ak kotobar ko am nan aolep.
2. Ko ban bed wot im e katak, ak komeron bar erom joun Ri kaki in komman pija, konke ej joun project eo im elap wot am naj bok konaam im kommani jerbal in pija, men kain remaron bar komman bwe jerbal ko am kin komman pija ren bonbon im lal in en kile im katak jen yuk kin am kwalok kin manit in ad, kapeel kain ad , im ukoktak in mejatoto (Climate Change).
3. Project in enaj etal wot im walok ilo international cinema ko, ak jikin pija ko rellap ilo lal ko rellab. Enaj jet pija ko im naj kwelok ke rar komman jen armij in aelon kain ad, nan wot kwalok nan armij ro jet belaak in lal in kin jonan mweie in ad kin manit in ad, im ta kabanban ko jej jelmae ilo ad kajeon kojbarok koj kab lal in ad jen ukoktak in mejatoto ak climate change.
It’s free! Pick one of these workshop days and come in on time to join us:
– Every Monday from 3 pm to 8 pm at Laura Highschool (Ask for the media team)
– Every Wednesday from 10 am to 3 pm in the Majuro City Hall (Please take care of proper dressing)
– Every Friday from 10 am to 3 pm at CMI Campus in the Old Library
– Also every Friday from 3 pm to 8 pm at CMI Campus in the Old Library
– Every Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm at CMI Campus in the Old Library
