David Fedele’s e-wasteland: a visual portrait of unregulated electronic waste recycling in Ghana

You might remember David Fedele from the featured interview in Issue 3 of Gorilla Film Magazine. He’s the passionate documentary guerilla filmmaker responsible for PNG style (awarded Best Documentary at the Portobello Film Festival 2010) and Bikpela Bagarap, a film that explores illegal Logging in Papua New guinea. David’s a nice chap, refreshingly down to earth and eager to make a positive change in the world. He fell into filmmaking accidently (PNG style was originally just a way to document his trip and combat loneliness) but has since used it effectively as a tool to tell the human side of current events. His lack of experience as a professional filmmaker turned out to be a positive thing, as his work has an incredibly natural and honest feel, setting him a world apart from sensationalist and manipulative “documentaries” (such as the famous Kony video).

David Fedele’s latest film is e-wasteland, a visual portrait of unregulated e-waste (electronic waste) recycling in Ghana, West Africa, where electronics are not seen for what they once were, but rather for what they have become.

Here’s some information (copy and pasted) from the official site: In developing countries, the demand for second-hand electronic equipment is growing, due to increasing connection to the “global world”, and an inability to afford brand new products. Every year, around 200,000 tonnes of second-hand and condemned electrical goods arrive in Ghana, West Africa, mainly received from the “developed” world. Many of the electronics are nearing the end of their life when they arrive, and will soon be discarded as e-waste. A significant volume of electronics actually arrive as e-waste, exported illegally as second hand goods. 

e-wasteland is set entirely at Agbogbloshie slum in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Agbogbloshie is home to between 30,000 – 40,000 settlers, mainly from the poorer Northern regions of Ghana. It is also the largest e-waste dump site in Africa. Generally uneducated and with few employable skills, many of the settlers at Agbogbloshie are forced to make a small living salvaging and recycling e-waste. 

Find out more by visiting the e-wasteland website. You can also follow the project on Facebook.

Wastelander Panda

Epic Films is an independent production company based in South Australia. They’re currently working on a series set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, using Pozible (Australia’s version of Kickstarter) to raise funds. If you’re looking for a good example of a bunch of talented filmmakers earning support from the public, then look no further. Hoping to hit their target of $20,000 by the 14th of March, Epic Films have promoted the Hell out of their project with great success. The plan is to make a series of web episodes, and this $20,000 is the minimum amount of money they’d need to make it work.

So what is this series actually about? Well, the title should give you a clue as to what to expect. Wastelander Panda is a story about a world after the breakdown of society, along the lines of Mad Max, or Cormac Mccarthy’s The Road. Also, the protagonist is a Panda.

It’s an inspired premise, and wonderfully executed in Epic Films promotional videos, which show off a great deal of what to expect should the series go ahead. To show your support for Wastelander Panda, head over to the crowdfunding website Pozible and donate. There’s 6 days to go, and they’ve already raised $16,900 (although if they don’t raise the full $20,000 by the 14th, they’ll lose it all). There’s also a Facebook page you can like for updates about the project.

Basically, if you want to see some new and interesting projects, you’re going to have to get involved. It’s no good sitting on your hands and waiting for Hollywood to come up with something original, you have to show your support for new talent. Crowdfunding sites are an excellent way for people to show they care, and really help keep truly independent filmmakers alive.

The End is Nigh!

It’s Christmas in London. Unfortunately for lovesick teenager, Jamie, and his oppressive parents, it’s also the night of the Apocalypse.  

The End is an ambitious and effects-heavy spectacle, cleverly presented as a tightly focused drama. The story follows a young man who is attempting to find his identity in London’s night life, forsaking his domineering parents as he gives in to ‘temptation’. We’ve had a chance to see the film ourselves, and can confirm it’s a lot of fun, but it won’t be available to the public for a while. To rub salt in the wound, here’s a great little teaser for the film.

Hopefully The End will be making the Festival Rounds soon, and we’ll be sure to let you know if it’s playing near you, as it’s best seen on the big screen. Meanwhile, here’s a bit more info about the project, courtesy of the press pack.

Raising more than 11,000 dollars from over ten countries through Kickstarter and using Skype, WeTransfer and Google Docs to achieve round-the-clock collaboration, we crafted a grand-scale, Hollywood-style production that wouldn’t have been possible even a year ago at this budget and time-scale.

This technology allowed 22 year-old director Ted Marcus the chance to shoot on location in London with a Canon 5D and conduct post-production in Los Angeles, Massachusetts, London, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The online exposure gave Ted Marcus the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of James Mather (sound supervisor on the Harry Potter films), Hollywood mixing facility Todd-AO and a team of ex-WETA visual effects specialists lead by John Nugent of Sandbox FX to create the most thrilling and professional result possible.

Prometheus: Will Ridley Scott Steal Fire from the Gods?

Just as Peter Jackson returns to the beautiful, idyllic world of Middle-earth, Ridley Scott returns to the dreaded nightmare of the Alien universe, only there’s not an alien in sight. When asked whether everyone’s favourite metaphorical penis/Archaic Mother would be making an appearance in the upcoming Prometheus film, Scott had this to say:

“No. Absolutely not. They squeezed it dry. He did very well. He survived, he’s now in Disneyland in Orlando, and no way am I going back there. How did he end up in Disneyland? I saw him in Disneyland, Jesus Christ!”

To be fair even James Cameron’s rather good Alien sequel felt like a bit of a wasted opportunity, and that’s to say nothing of Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection and the awful AVP films. For Ridley Scott, it was the universe that was presented in the first film, not the monster itself, that was so intriguing, and of course exploring the origins of the mysterious ‘Space Jockey’. What we see in the Prometheus trailer is a fairly epic space adventure, that nevertheless holds onto it’s gritty roots and horror theme. Intriguingly, the plot revolves around the search for mankind’s beginning, which suggests a philosophical angle, appropriate for a science fiction film, especially one that seems to be emulating the style and themes popular in the 1970s. If nothing else the title of the film certainly conjures up fascinating possibilities, this might be the Alien film we’ve all been waiting for, even if there won’t be any recognisable aliens in it.

Prometheus is out in June, 2012 and stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron. You can Check out the trailer in all it’s shiny glory over on iTunes Movie Trailers.

Peter Jackson is a Massive Tease

It’s been eight years since The Lord of the Rings movies, but the stunning new teaser trailer of Peter Jackson’s two part follow-up prequel looks to be just as immersive and awe-inspiring. The Hobbit tells the story of a younger Bilbo, as he reluctantly accompanies a band of Dwarfs, guided by Gandalf the Grey, on a quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom, and possibly slay a dragon.

The Hobbit is lighter in tone than The Lord of the Rings, but has the potential to be just as grand. Peter Jackson is clearly a master of suspense, he’s delivered a teaser that introduces all the key players, presents the tone wonderfully and hints at the epicness to come. Released in December 2012, The Unexpected Journey looks to be a romantic, good natured adventure with a lot of heart, while it’s sequel, There and Back Again, will probably go into darker territory.

Whatever the reasons behind The Hobbit films (and I’m sure a lot of studio greed has encouraged it’s creation) a return to Middle-earth is most welcome, and It’ll be nice to see a big budget blockbuster that hasn’t been compromised by studio influence, especially with Peter Jackson at the wheel. Although Christopher Nolan makes technically brilliant films, they’ve always been rather cold, The Hobbit will be the 2012 Blockbuster that retains a soul.

Check out the trailer in all it’s shiny glory over on iTunes Movie Trailers.

Spider-Man Begins (again)

 

Like a colourful fungus, rising from the freshly slain carcass of Spider-Man 3, a reboot of the “puberty-metaphor” franchise is headed for a 2012 release. Directed by Marc Webb (ho ho) whose previous efforts have included 500 Days of Summer, and starring the rather talented Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man will reinvent the character… Again. The question is, does anyone care? Seriously? Anyone? It’s perfectly understandable that these sort of superhero flicks need a reboot every once in a while, Chris Nolan obviously did a fantastic job with Batman, and it was right of the studios to burn all records of Joel Schumacher’s films, even if they are still seared into the brains of those unfortunate enough to have seen them already.

Teenagers being confused and/or annoyed

However, apart from the cinematic mess of Spider-Man 3, Sam Raimi’s films were pretty decent, and, well, the last one only came out a couple of years ago. Can the world really not go without Spider-Man for a while? Given the sheer volume of superhero movies coming out at the moment, could Spider-Man not just take a well-earned break? Well no, because familiarity is a powerful tool in the film industry, actually it’s the predominant attraction of putting comic-book superheroes up on the big screen. No need to come up with an original idea, just make a lop-sided, witless re-imagining of a beloved character and people will come in droves to see their icons in all their cinematic, 3D glory.

Peter Parker/Spider-Man, presumably about to say something hilarious

Depressing? Not really, you don’t have to watch these films, and so what if Samuel L. Jackson turns up at the end of every Marvel movie, to remind you to watch any you might have missed? You can always choose to ignore the laughably forced Avengers team-up, starring all your favourite Marvel heroes. Actually no you can’t, because the recent Marvel films are little more than feature length trailers for a hundred and fifty million dollar cash-in (directed by Joss Whedon). Oh well, maybe the Spider-Man reboot will steer clear of the superhero exploitation, indeed it seems more likely it’ll be ripping off Nolan’s Batman– I dare say The Amazing Spider-Man may even be “darker” than the previous, upbeat instalments. These movie studios, eh? Squeezing the juicy drops of potential from even the crustiest of franchises. Oh well, Snow White and the Huntsman is out in 2012, lets all go watch that instead.

The Amazing Spider-Man will be in cinemas on the 3rd of July 2012 and will star Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors. If, like me, you were wondering what a Spider-Man film would be like if it were directed by Wes Anderson, you can find out by clicking on this link.

Thoughts on The Thing, a prequel

I am a huge fan of John Carpenter’s The Thing, it may even by my favourite horror movie, it’s an unflinching, remorseless bastard of a film, darkly intense and totally nihilistic. Carpenter perfectly captures the sense of terror and paranoia, while simultaneously piling on the gore and the goo with such gusto as to portray a deep affection of the genre.

It is probably unsurprising that I was somewhat concerned when news came of a 2011 prequel to The Thing, to be produced by the same people who brought us the reboot of Dawn of the Dead (by no means a bad film, but nothing to shout about). Our return to the world of The Thing focuses on the Norwegian camp, which is gingerly explored by Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady in the original film. The Norwegians are the first to discover ‘The Thing’ and so come to a rather gruesome end, while it’s true that we only know for sure that four of them die, I imagine that number will increase dramatically. My concern for a prequel to this classic horror film has been replaced with cautious optimism, the trailer seems to suggest a faithful attempt to capture the fun of the original, with plenty of scares and a healthy dose of gallows humour.

John Carptenter’s The Thing will always be a horror classic, and a fairly faithful adaptation of the book it’s based on, far superior to the 1951 version, The Thing From Another World, which is a rare example of a 50′s horror film that I found to be disappointing, especially as it missed the point of the story entirely. While I’m certainly not a fan of this disgusting trend of remaking classis horror films (and I’d like to just take this moment to say, fuck you Michael Bay, and while I’m at it, fuck you Rob Zombie too) I am interested in the idea of a new The Thing, if only because it seems to be embracing what made 80s horror movies so much fun, rather than attempting to reinvent old classics as desaturated, angsty torture porn (fuck you Michael Bay and Rob Zombie).

There has been a noticeable trend of great directors attempting to craft the perfect b-movie, Frank Darabont made The Mist, Martin Scorsese recently directed Shutter Island, and there’s a good chance Guillermo del Toro will make At the Mountains of Madness, while it’s true Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. is no great director (he hasn’t made any other films) I do believe The Thing prequel wants to be in this category, and I really hope it is.

UPDATE: It was rubbish.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

The Pirates! Band of Misfits is an upcoming stop-motion film produced by everyone’s favourite stop-motion studio people Aardman Animations. The film stars Hugh Grant as ‘the Pirate Captain’ and is based on the superiorly titled book The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists. The film is directed by Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt, and is distributed by Pathé, just like Chicken Run was.

The plot: Pirate Captain (Grant) sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals, Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek),for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes the Captain and his crew from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.

There’s not much to say about The Pirates! Band of Misfits at the moment, other than it looks bloody good. Watch the trailer.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits will be released on the 30th of March 2012

The Trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, all these films have something in common; they suck. I am not a fan of Guy Ritchie, on the one hand he irritates me because he almost predominately makes films about parody gangsters, on the other hand he is just a terrible writer. The awful, witless Revolver movie proved to me that Ritchie thinks himself far more clever that he actually is. However, that said, I liked Sherlock Holmes, partly because Guy Ritchie didn’t write the script, partly because there’s a lot less of the parody gangsters, but mostly because Guy Ritchie introduced us to a fairly unique take on the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson. While the actual story isn’t exactly a head-scratching mystery, the film is a fun, silly adventure with some cool set pieces and great chemistry between the leads; Robert Downney Jr. as a an appropriately disheveled Holmes, and Jude Law as a refreshingly intelligent Watson.

The clever casting was integral to the success of Sherlock Holmes, and it would seem the sequel has done it again, With lovable Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock’s older, smarter brother) and putting Jared Harris into the doubtlessly pointy shoes of Professor Moriarty. Sherlock Holmes obviously won’t be a masterpiece, but I’m betting it will be a lot of fun, and even seems to have more heart than most of the blockbusters showing at the moment. If nothing else it will remind audiences that it is possible to have a lighthearted fantasy adventure without making a pantomime, like Pirates of the Caribbean 4, a porno, like Transformers 3, or immoral bullshit like The Hangover 2. What I mean is, If nothing else, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows won’t treat it’s audience like shit.