Director's Cut -- Mi Futuro en Santiago Atitlan

The Making of "Mi Futuro en Santiago Atitlan" -- now that the movies are posted.

It's hard to believe that so much emotion and so many hours and emotion went into the making of a five minute video. Below is a quick overview of what did go into the making of the movie.

Here's the frame-by-frame run down.

 

Opening pan of Lake Atitlan
"Santiago Atitlan lies on a beautiful lake between three volcanoes"

Lake Atitlan is stunning.  The long pan that starts the movie is from a series of photos that the kid's took and that Phil helped the kids stitch together in Photoshop Elements.  The panorama spans nearly a 180 degrees of the view as Lake Atitlan spreads out before the Posada Santiago, the small hotel where we stayed.  The town of Santiago Atitlan is on the southern end of the lake and is where most of the kids live.

Women by the lake
"Atitlan with beautiful and hardworking people with strong traditions"

A short walk from the hotel, a group of 8-10 women were doing their morning wash on the shore of the Lake.  Large plumes of blueish laundry detergent  washed into the lake behind them.

This was the first series of shots the kids took.  Most were using Canon Powershot camera's with limited zoom capabilities to ensure that they got close enough to engage with the subjects.  Later in the week, many of the kids were using the larger cameras of some of the pro's in the group.

Man and his son walking to work in the fields
Fisherman on the lake with volcano
"The people here have worked for centuries as farmers and fishermen"

The father and son crossed our path as they walked up a dusty road on their way to work in the fields.

The fishermen set out early in the morning in the most basic wooden boats.  Some of them draped themselves in huge plastic bags to stay dry.

Man with Hoe walking down the street
"Today traditional occupations are disappearing and finding employment is a big problem"

This problem of employment and an uncertain future is the heart of the story the kids settled on.  We came to this topic after two hours of discussion.  Other topics that were considered included gang violence, alcoholism, black magic, and vigilantism.  While important topics, they did not touch the kids as directly as the uncertainty of their future.  We also wanted to make sure the topics did not put the kids at risk in any way.

David in front of the main church
"My name is David Ixbalkan.  I am 16 years old."

As the oldest boy in the group, David is the first to face the decision of which path his life will take and if he'll be able to stay in Atitlan.

David fishing from the boat
Football pitch — with large piece of rebar sticking out
David at the market
"I like to go fishing, play football, and go to the market for my mother"

The kids picked these shots to show the things that David likes about Atitlan and what he does on a normal day.  The soccer field pictured above was a dirt field that is had a two foot piece of rebar sticking out waiting to rip into someone's shin. 

David in front of church
"An important part of my life is the church"

Like most kids in the area, David is very religious. David took time out to stop and pray when we were in the church.  (He was probably praying for a break in the photography).

David's dad in the field
I am fortunate to have my father living here and working as a farmer
"My father's life of a farmer is very hard"

This was one of the most moving periods of the trip for me.  We hiked half an hour to a field where Dad's dad was working a field of beens and corn by himself.  The group of about ten of us approached -- kids and gringo adults wielding huge cameras and microphones.  David's dad was incredibly gracious as the group moved in to photograph and interview him.  The most intense moment of the week came as he was describing his dreams for David and how he wished to be able to give him more.  It was a surprisingly powerful, emotional experience for David and his father.

Interviewing the fisherman – life is hard
Shots of the catch
"The life of a fisherman is very difficult as well"

While his life is probably very hard, this fisherman was open to having four kids hop into his boat and probe him with questions.  The kids displayed amazing confidence in how they asked questions, recorded the narration, and took photos.

Shots of the Catch
"The fish are becoming scarce"

I was told that most families are living on about $2 a day and supporting 4 to 6 kids. 

Kids working and not going to school
"Most boys my age can’t afford to finish school"

Fisherman on boat
"So the jobs for them are the traditional ones like fishing...."

Carpenter
Dad and child
Tuk-Tuk Driver
"Farming and carpentry... Or more modern jobs like tuk-tuk drivers"

David at home showing his work
"I want something different for myself
"I have always liked to draw
"My dream was to continue studying but I couldn’t afford to go beyond elementary school"

When we asked David what he really wanted to do, he said he wanted be an artist.  We were thinking about how to best convey this and the kids decided we should go to his home and show David with his etchings.

David at Fotokids
Painting mural
"Fortunately I received a scholarship from Fotokids which inspired me to become a graphic designer"

Interviewing the mayor
"Because of unemployment here, I went to the mayor to ask about the future.
He said he will increase the export of local crafts, get a fair price for our coffee, and improve professional education opportunities"

The group came up with the idea to talk with the mayor-elect about the future of the town.  The mayor agreed to an interview and invited us to come down in 20 minutes.  The kids mobilized with questions, cameras, and sound gear and proceeded to interview the mayor outside his office to at least half an hour.  The mayor took the kids seriously and gave earnest answers to their questions.  The event looked like a UN news conference except that it was 9 and 12 year olds holding the monster camera gear.

David with artist in San Juan Atitlan
"Hearing the words of the Mayor motivates me to finish my Graphic Design education"

David's mother working in the market.
"My mother support my dreams.  Her life is very hard.
She works in three places selling tomatoes but earns very little."

One morning the entire crew got in a boat and headed across the lake to meet David's mom in a market in San Juan Atitlan where she worked.  It turns out that she was not in San Juan and was, instead, on the far side of the lake.  We ended up having a wonderful day in San Juan, an enclave of enlightenment.
 

Dad in the fields
Multiple shots
"My parent told me the feel bad that they could not pay for my education
As for me, I feel only pride for my parents"

Mom in the market
Pan up dad in the field
"I respect them for achieving so much even thought hey never went to school, sat at a desk, or put pen to paper.   I feel badly because they feel bad"

Dad and David together
"But this motivates me and gives me the strength to go forward with my dream....
No matter what obstacles are in my path"

FIN

About the Music & Narration

• The kids went to the radio station to get rights for the music.  When doing this, they met the band that played the music.  We invited them to play in town on the final evening when the movie was shown
• The Narration is all from David with the exception of the excerp t of the interview with the Mayor.  The mayor and all other interviews were conducted and recorded by the kids.

The Stars
Kevin

Otoniel
 

Henry

Eliseo

Jonny

Werner

David

Comments

[Lake Atitlan]

Why is there a black stripe on the top and bottom of the video? It looks depressing.