When I returned from 2-months in east Africa in late 2006, my audio recorder's SD cards were filled with sounds and my Sony TRV-38 digital camcorder captured many images on mini-DV tape. I immediately began trans-coding and organizing these digital files and spent a year on a preliminary edit trying to figure-out what I came back with. But then I stopped.
The reason why I put the project aside was that I wanted to make this film (Tile: MZUNGU) my most artistic and avant-garde digital film to date. I knew I was gradually improving my editing and special effects techniques, but something told me I needed to wait. I wanted to earn it. So I waited.
But the future for this film is now. I have the computer hardware and software technology in place, combined with the experience gleaned from previous efforts to make it happen artistically. Mzungu when finished, will mark the completion of a decade-long series of short works that I would like to make into a DVD compilation.
When reviewing the original edit of the film recently that I started in 2007 - the original 'idea' or 'concept' for Mzungu was correct. I see now that the 2007 post-production effort was only an outline of what the film will become. Additionally the original edit was not only the blueprint, but significant 'artistic risk' that now I can translate into the style that has established itself in all my earlier work.
The process of deconstructing the earlier version of the film is now seen to have a purpose. It showed that the concept was sound. Now with renewed confidence in the project, it can move forward. Looking forward to it.
