Banjo Morton: The Untold Story is untold no more !
After 11 years of persistence, patience and not giving up, in July 2021 a project that began with a meeting on red dirt in central Australia was launched ! Banjo Morton: The Untold Story is a free comprehensive multimedia interactive website with accompanying Study Guide and Teachers Resource for schools around Australia, and also a site of interest for everyone. I first met Banjo out on his country in central Australia (Alyawarra land) back in 2010 after reading an article in The Age about him. That meeting inspired me to want to take his story to the nation and the world. I managed to get Channel 7 Today Tonight interested to do a story to help me raise funds for what, back then was going to be a feature animated documentary film. Unfortunately, all I was able to raise was $20 but that didn’t stop me. In 2019, I was…
Seeing the Good
Thanks to Adrienne Tam for her article about my documentary about a little girl from Vietnam called Bang, her journey with eye cancer and the work of Australian NGO Sight For All which was published recently in Stellar Magazine.
Impact and Evaluation Videos – how decision makers and stakeholders can see what’s happening on the ground.
I was recently in Cambodia on assignment for CUFA. CUFA is an international development agency whose aim is to combat poverty across the Asia-Pacific region. Their core programs have a focus on “economic, education, enterprise and employment activities, all of which enable people to lift themselves out of poverty and strengthen communities”. It wasn’t the first time I’d worked with CUFA and again, I saw firsthand the real results they’re achieving with their excellent approach. The assignment involved interviewing a number of Cambodians from Poipet and Phnom Penh who had been resettled as part of an ADB resettlement program. People spoke to us openly about their challenges and difficulties but also about the positive aspects of their resettlement. I found it fascinating to hear people’s perspectives and it really made me think about all the social and logistical challenges that appear when resettling hundreds of people. The final video will…
How one NGO is shaping a new economy for local communities in Bangladesh (and creating an experience of a lifetime)
Two weeks ago, I arrived home after an intense 24 days in Vietnam and Bangladesh shooting for 3 different projects for 2 NGO’s. One of these was Relief International Bangladesh’s Mangrove Ecotourism Project in the Sundarbans. The Sundarbans is the larges saltwater mangrove forest on earth. It’s home to the Bengali tiger and a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s also home to many diverse local communities who have relied heavily on the natural resources of the surrounding forest and river for their livelihoods. The Sundarban Mangrove Ecotourism Project has found a way to reduce the human impact on the forest and waterways – hence maintaining the biodiversity of the unique Sundarbans environment- and at the same time, provide villagers and communities with a new and sustainable economy. This new economy – ecotourism – offers visitors from Bangladesh and around the world an incredibly unique opportunity to experience the magnificence of the Sundarbans…
UNDP, Women and Climate Change Adaptation in the Solomon Islands
At the end of 2015, I was fortunate to be able to produce a series of documentary films demonstrating the impact of the UNDP’s SWoCK Project in the Solomon Islands. Climate change and rising sea levels are having visible effects on the low lying Solomon Islands which spans a large number of islands in Oceania lying to the east of Papua New Guine and northwest of Vanuatu and covers a land area of 28,400 square kilometres. The UNDP’s SWoCK Project, SWoCK stands for Strongem Waka lo Community of Kaikai – or Developing Resilience in Agriculture and Food Security, aims to support communities to better manage and adapt to climate change pressures and increase food security through community based adaptation. One of the areas of the project’s focus was on Women and Climate Change Adaptation. On our visit to Tirotonna village (best known around the world by international bird watchers who come here) which was a 2…
How Drones can Help NGOs and Development Organisations
Aerial footage can not only provide exciting visual opportunities in documentary film-making but also a before and after record of the impacts of climate change, environment and location changes and much more. The drone has become a must in all of my work for NGOs and Development/Humanitarian and Aid Organisations around the world and offers a very cost effective and lightweight option to record aerial footage that not only adds an exciting dimension to my filmmaking but also an essential visual record for organisations who measure their impact The drone I’ve flown and used to film with most recently has also provided a great point of connection with the local people, an exciting opportunity for people to see something new and unusual and I love showing the results of the footage as children and adults scramble around to catch a view on the monitor. It also provides them with a unique…
It doesn’t end with the film – how I add value to my filmmaking.
Ever since I started my new career as a documentary filmmaker in 2007 making my first ever film which was a feature documentary that ended up on television and in international film festivals, I’ve always had a strong sense of commitment to whatever project I work on that doesn’t end with just the film or films I produce. I’m passionate about raising awareness and sharing my experiences that can extend beyond the films I make. Earlier this year I was in Bangladesh working for Relief International making a short documentary about a really great project they’re running called the Sundarbans Mangrove Ecotourism Project. The project is all about creating sustainability in an area that is the largest saltwater mangrove ecosystem on earth but also about providing sustainable alternative livelihoods for local communities who have traditionally depended on the surrounding natural resources. I was also in Vietnam working on a short…