Came across this screen grab from a video the other day. Two really brave guys, both Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) survivors—both blind and missing both hands. They were part of a peer-to-peer project I filmed in Laos way back in 2015. Check it out here.
Tag Archives: Vientiane
Tribute To FB, In Client’s Home
I really enjoy it when a client sends me a photo of my work hanging in their home—especially a home in which I have very fond memories.
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From the Archive: Danger
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Haam Jap! (Don’t Touch)
This was a great project I worked on in Laos last year. The kids learned filmmaking skills, had a good time, and got to go to the capital (most had never been there). The twelve hour bus ride was a bit of an ordeal, but it was worth it.
Here is the info about the project:
Conceived, written and produced by the students of Lone Buffalo, the short film ‘Haam Jap’ is a Public Awareness Video designed to alert children in Laos (and worldwide) of the continued danger of Unexploded Ordnance.
The film was shown at the 2015 Vientianale International Film Festival.
The students wrote three scenarios in which bombies can maim or kill. They used props available in the classroom and local market to produce special effects, and shot the film on location in and around Phonsavan.
On Vimeo:
If you can’t see the video above, click here.
Film Director Teng Vue Fai Dang (18) said he wanted to create a film that would remind both children and adults that bombies are sadly both metaphorically and physically “in our roots” and will pose a danger for many years to come, especially in Xieng Khouang, the world’s most heavily bombed province.
The only shots not taken by the students were of the defused munitions, since it was deemed inappropriate for them to be near or handle actual UXO, even though it was all FFE (Free From Explosives).
On YouTube:
If you can’t see the video above, click here.
The film was Executively Directed by Jon Witsell and James Thomas. This film was produced for and funded by the US State Department.
Lone Buffalo is an free English Language project in Phonsavan, North East Laos. The students who produced this film live in Xieng Khouang Province.
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Raining Cluster Bombs
This is a time-lapse of the cluster bomb display at the Cooperative Orthotic Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) in Vientiane, Laos.
If you can’t see the video above, click here.
Below is a picture of half the Chronos Light time-lapse rig used to shoot the image sequence—there is another tripod below, securing the other end of the rail.
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Lone Buffalo at the Vientianale Film Festival
Finally! Here is the video and some photos of the Lone Buffalo students at the 2015 Vientianale Film Festival, where they presented their Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) awareness film Haam Jap! (Don’t Touch!) to a standing room only theater!
If you can’t see the video above, click here.
Only two of the students had ever been to the Capitol, so it was quite the experience for them. It was quite a trip—nine hours on a bumpy, serpentine road. There was extensive car sickness, even with a dosing of motion sickness medication before we left Phonsavan…
But even with all the excitement of the festival, I think the following photograph captures my favorite experience of the entire trip. Philip (one of the teachers at Lone Buffalo, my translator during the film classes, and one of my all-time favorite people in Laos) was sitting next to Kou Kham, who is all of twelve years old (and one of the actors in the film). Kou Kham had a rough time of the trip, and after a long bout of car sickness, pretty much just passed out. Of course, you end up bouncing all over, which just adds to your intestinal misery.
Philip laid him down and hung onto him so he could get some rest. Right as this happened, that orange-red Lao sun broke through the clouds and lit up the inside of the bus. The light was gone a few seconds later.
These are the kind of people I meet in Laos; These people are the reason why I keep coming back.
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Leaving Laos!
What was supposed to be a trip of a few weeks turned into an adventure of almost three months. I was “embedded” with an international NGO medical crew (more on that in later posts) photographing their activities. Now I’m leaving Laos. Click any image for a larger version.
Laos is amazing—I think I’m in love. This is one of those posts that could go on and on, and I was going to try to keep it brief and to only 20 28 or so images. However, if you are looking for brevity, this ain’t the post… I go could on for hours. I will write some more posts on certain aspects I want to delve into in greater detail in later posts, but let’s get on with it…
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Canon Concept Store In Laos Rocks
So… I created a bit of an issue with my carry everywhere point-and-shoot Canon Elph 110 HS that I bought for my trip to Thailand/Laos. Let’s just say a visit to the factory will be required… don’t ask. If I mention “water buffalo” will that suffice?
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Feeling Apocalypse Now
Ever have one of those moments that strongly reminds you of a movie? I had one of those not long ago. I was in Vientiane, Laos, across the Mekong from Thailand.
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Entering Laos!
On the move again, entering Laos. Was only, err, somewhat eventful. I’m sitting in the Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, about to board, and one of my front crowns (all four of my upper front teeth are crowns; my original teeth were all damaged when I was a kid) comes off with a bite of a granola bar. This thing has been reattached to the post several times and just doesn’t want to stay fixed. Great. I quickly clean it off in the bathroom (taking care to not drop it down the drain) and wedge it back into place. No chewing until I can get affixed back in place. Sorry. No pix of that. Would you want to really see that?
But then on the plane things get a bit odd. We are getting close to landing at the Udon Thani airport and get the ‘sit down and buckle up’ message. As I’m in row 7, I visit the restroom just to the rear of the cockpit. But when I’m done with my business and come out, I’m not greeted by a plane full of sitting down and buckling up passengers—I’m greeted by the back side of an media circus. Three people with pro still cameras, a guy with a video camera on a Steadi Cam-type rig, and three or four assistants. I couldn’t get to my seat. I couldn’t actually go anywhere but stand by the door of the restroom in a bemused state. Turns out that the guy in charge of the whole operation is standing right next to me and spoke English. He told me that this woman was proposing marriage to her sweetheart on the plane in her wedding dress. Now that’s a woman who knew exactly what she wanted. She came on board with her dress packed in a bag and went to the bathroom, quickly changed, and as the media crew lept up, pounced on her fiancee and proposed…
Mr. In-Charge takes the PA microphone and announces the whole thing and the entire plane starts to cheer. Much more interesting than the airline-provided in-air entertainment.
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