A Public Service Announcement for the Jabez AID’s center in Grahamstown highlighting the need for foster parents
Blog Archives
Grahamstown Ink
On November - 9 - 2009
A short documentary by Grethe Koen and Roza Carvalho
Talk about commitment to journalism! Roza went as far as getting a tattoo when we shot this documentary. It attempts to challenge the stereotypes surrounding “inked” people by literally confronting them with the stereotype of “Baxter,” a cardboard cut-out of a heavily tattooed guy. We also document the process of getting tattooed as we go along to Silver Dragon Tattoos and watch Gary put on Roza’s tat.
Spaza Life
On October - 23 - 2009
A 4 minute doccie on Akhtar Abbas, a Pakistani spaza shop owner in Extension 6, Grahamstown.
The Doccie with Xhosa subtitles:
The doccie without Xhosa subtitles
Nuns pray for stronger communities
On October - 23 - 2009
A four minute documentary on Mother Zelma and the Sistersof St. Peter’s Rectory in Grahamstown and how their lives and desire to help the needy has been adversely affected by crime
Masisebenzisane – let’s work together
On October - 23 - 2009
As part of our Critical Media Production course of 2009 we decided to, in our work, take on our Group’s name, Masisebenzisane (Let’s work together) in a literal manner. This translated into a collaborative approach to making a TV doccie in which the ‘subject’ become more than a ‘subject’ – rather a stakeholder in his own story. This was our interpretation of citizen journalism in the sense that we wanted Mzwakhe to be able to tell his story unmediated by us as journalists. In this way, he was able to shape his own story while drawing on our journalistic experience.
We didn’t want to simply sweep in as journalists hungry for a story. Instead, we spent a lot of time with him at the Egazini Centre, in his home and his community. We met his parents, his nephews and his friends. We asked him to take on the role of reporter – as you can see in the intro of the final doccie. At the showing of the doccie at the community meeting, at which Mzwakhe was present, he was proud of the piece and felt it truthfuly reflected his story. Other community members commented that it was a good representation of the youth in the Joza community and the role that Egazini plays in keeping the youth off the streets and away from crime.
Watch this short clip of Mzwakhe and his nephews helping us carry our equipment. This is a rite of passage to all journalists.
Watch this clip to see Mzwakhe and Jess, our reporter, taking some time out to get to know each other.
Listen to this sound clip to hear Jess and Mzwakhe discussing how Mzwakhe would like to word his standupper for the beginning of the doccie.
Mzwakhe Komsani’s story
On October - 23 - 2009
Mzwakhe Komsani, an ex-offender who now takes part in the Egazini diversion programme, shares his story.