WeOwn.TV

August 14th/15th 2017 material assembly

www.survivorsfilm.com SYNOPSIS: Through the eyes of Sierra Leonean filmmaker Arthur Pratt, Survivors presents a heart-connected portrait of his country during the Ebola outbreak, exposing the complexity of the epidemic and the socio-political turmoil that lies in its wake. Survivors chronicles the remarkable stories of Sierra Leoneans during what is now widely regarded as the most acute public health crisis of the modern era. Survivors interweaves the heroic stories of Mohamed Bangura, the senior ambulance driver at the country’s main emergency vehicle dispatch; and, Margaret Kabba Sesay, a nurse who works at the Emergency Ebola Treatment Center, caring for some of the sickest patients. Through intimate verite footage of these characters’ daily lives and Arthur’s first-person account of his own family's experience, the film not only explores how the epidemic ravaged families and communities, but also exposed broken infrastructures, deep misunderstandings between international aid organizations and the communities they serve, as well as unresolved political tensions after the decade-long civil war. In this way, Survivors profoundly wrestles with what it means to be Sierra Leonean at this critical juncture in the country’s history.

Filmmakers without application essay video

This is a scene we filmed during the release of the quarantine at Tamba Kula Wharf and a message from WeOwnTV manager Arthur Pratt. At WeOwnTV, we are working to foster positive change out of the devastating health disaster by providing forums for expression and peaceful debate through authentic Sierra Leonean reporting and expression. Our films provide forums for political discourse and the sharing of Ebola-related experiences that is so critical for the country's healing process. Learn More at www.weowntv.org Show your support at http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sierra-leone-ebola-campaign

WeOwnTV students watch Charlie Chaplin's during August workshop - clip blends the the laughter and joy of this evening with images from one of the first films they created completely independently entitled 'Black Sugar'. www.weowntv.org

YOUTH is the first of three short films created via a collaborative group writing process. Young Sierra Leonean filmmakers led the writing, pre-production, location scouting, costumes and production for each of the films. Research focused on shared video diary entries highlighting memories from different time periods: before the war, during the war and present day. The scripting process began by identifying thematic through-lines in these entries and developing selected stories through active discussion. Youth was created from shared entries from before the war touched the young filmmaker's lives.

Talented vocal trio, Blessed Sons, perform an original song celebrating the election of President Barack Obama. WeOwnTV production crew met the Blessed Sons during their January scouting trip to Sierra Leone. Sadly, Kalman, one of the members of the group died unexpectedly in May 2010?an incredible talent and wonderful spirit. Rest in peace Kalman.

www.weowntv.org Quoting Arthur Pratt, WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone manager, "We the loose ends, the have nots, the people living in the gutters, the people who will never make it in life, we have come together to create our own family, to have own identity—to create our own space." This clip presents a collection of standout quotes, interviews and creations from the young filmmakers that began to create their own space during the August 2009 WeOwnTV Intro to Filmmaking workshop.

WeOwnTV's Arthur Pratt plays the role of Hassan, an EBOLA survivor who wish to bring Hope to the Hopeless. This video was designed to help people trust the health system and to combat the dangerous misinformation that prevents individuals and families from seeking testing and treatment. Hassan and his family are characters that are in subsequent dramatic informational videos. Please help support the campaign: http://weowntv.org/donate/ebola-campaign/

Included is a collection of Flip cam footage from the first day of WeOwnTV's August 2009 workshop in Lunghi, Sierra Leone. For a majority of the participants, this was first time they had ever held a camera of any kind. Fueled by the new medium, creativity began to flow. No sound or narration was added in post (with the exception of opening music); all voiceover comedy was performed live by the student filmmakers.

This clip includes introductions to project participants via video diaries about their memories of the war. Clip ends with a beautiful and thoughtful video diary entry by WeOwnTV in country director, Arthur Pratt (b-role footage of practicing in rain was shot by students). The group included ex‐ combatants, former child prostitutes, street children and physically disabled individuals, many of which had never held a camera before but all of whom showed us they had a remarkable gift to give in their creativity.