This is a short entry that I feel compelled to comment on. This is one of the most surreal videos in political history. Dirty-lyric Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee showed up to support republican presidential candidate John McCain at an Central Arizona High School. Does McCain really know what the lyrics to the song “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee are really about? OK.. how can anyone not laugh their ass off, or at least sit there in disbelief as Daddy Yankee goes around kissing all the high school girls while McCain sits there probably having one of the most awkward white man moments in history. It is ridiculous that McCain is really trying to win votes by having Daddy Yankee support him. Latin mothers who do understand his lyrics should be upset. Oh, and not to mention Daddy Yankee claims that McCain has always “fought for immigrant rights”? Daddy Yankee, please do your research first. I pose the question, who are these people anyway?
@Techcrunch Meet up 08 - “Internet Famous” Julia Allison signs her first Aug 08 issue of Wired Magazine in which she is the cover girl. Her die hard fan, Andrew Mager, was the first and only one to request an autograph that night. She was happy. The cool part of the story is I decided to go at the last minute. I hit up Andrew Mager who was set on going to meet Julia in person and get his copy of Wired autographed. Upon arriving and waiting outside the entrance for a cue, Michael Arrington himself walks by and waves us to follow him in. Thank you Michael
Julia Allison was the featured cover story on Wired Magazine’s Aug 08 issue - “Internet Famous” they called her. Mager had been Twittering about her earlier and it became more special when Allison revealed it was the first Wired cover shes ever signed. This prompted me to whip out the Canon TX1 and start shooting video. The party was extra exciting for me thanks to Kabbodle’s lovely Community Manager Kristi Herwarth who crowned me with a pink feather boa. Lots of fun specially when meeting Chamillionaire and McHammer and of course Julia Allison
When I made this movie in September 2006 I had different goals in mind. I wanted to work at Current TV, Al Gore and Joel Hyatt’s maven viewer created content TV network. I wanted to work at Current so much that I decided to make a movie and show them I had what it took. I had no idea that two years later this movie would inspire a journalism education program at an Oakland high school. Check out the original version in case you haven’t seen it yet.
With only 30 days left until the deadline of a contest that Current TV was running called, Seeds of Tolerance, I embarked on this project. The prize was 100,000 dollars - I was in for the ride of my life.
I picked this topic because I myself am an immigrant to the good ole U.S.A. and I felt it was my duty to explore this topic closely. I am so happy that I did.
I quit my job (I got it back when I returned), borrowed the equipment, secured the funding, and flew off to New Orleans with only two contacts upon arrival, a friends friend who lent me his floor to sleep on and Christian Roselund who ran Indymedia in the area and whom I met through email correspondence.
Blood, Sweat and Tears is the best way that I can explain these 30 days. Sourcing, shooting, directing, and editing. I was a one man show. I went up to scared immigrant strangers on the street, this is how I met all the subjects in my movie. My time in New Orleans was very short so every minute on the field was worth gold. I met heroes and downtrodden people. Then entire experience felt somewhat apocalyptic. Certain people will always stick out in my mind.
9 hours of footage later, I had to teach myself how to edit video. This took about 2 hours thanks to my audio editing skills. I’m not kidding. I am a natural at this. I boiled all the content down to 11 minutes to meet the contest requirements. I can easily make a 40 minute movie with the footage.
I did not win the $100,000 but out of approximately 380 entries, 8 movies were picked, 6 finalists, and 2 for television. This movie was picked for television - I got paid. Not much money, but the reward today is bigger than anything I could have possibly imagined back then.
Tomorrow, I will be giving a speech after the screening of my movie at Unity High School in Oakland, California. This website has all the details: http://www.unityhigh.org/gulfcoasttrip08
The aim of the fundraiser is to send a group of students to New Orleans and make 2 documentaries about this topic. You are all of course welcome to help out.
This is a much deeper story because it involves everything from the Detroit techno music label Underground Resistance and an old school Dj friend from back in the Ann Arbor days. However, you will have to ask me in person about this if you really want to find out more.
Credits and thank you’s:
Eddie & Johnny & Larry for letting me crash in your places, and Kieran Walsh for hooking that up.
Alex Outhred for funding
Gregory Kellet and Ian Kellet for the Camera and the tips - good juju!
Elsa Wenzel for support and research help
“CESAR” for putting up with me in his editing suite.
Christian Roselund, Ed Holub, Eva San Martin, Luz Molina, Jorge Lopez, Damion, Claire Didier, Lamar LeBlanc, Albert at Common Ground, and the immigrants themselves who put themselves at risk to help me make this film.
Thanks to Cornelius Harris for passing it on and thanks to Daniel Zarazua for inspiring the youth to take further action.
