Before I leave on this journey, I have quite a few things that I need to take care of. A visa is probably the most important thing that I will need to travel. I have already applied for it, and am waiting to hear back. This should not be a problem though since it it pretty easy to obtain one being a US citizen. I also have an appointment this week to get all of the travel immunizations that I will need. I have to buy airfare of course, but this is the least of my worries. I have traveled quite a bit in the past, so packing and figuring out the logistics of traveling are not wording me that much. The most important thing for me will be developing a shot list and rough prospectus of what exactly I want the end result of my documentary to be. I know that I want to tell a story about the current conditions of youth in India, and contrast that to that of those in Seattle, so I also need to dive into getting some footage and understanding of the current conditions back home. I will attend local shows, go to skateparks, and get interviews from youth around Seattle.
In order to get started, I need to acquire certain equipment. I have been saving, and will use student loans to acquire a Panasonic GH3 camera, which will enable me to take quality stills as well as video. I already have a 50mm lens for interview, but will also need a good zoom lens for a lot of other different kinds of shots. On top of this, I will use a go pro to get action shots that the GH3 will not allow me to get, and with a different perspective since the go pro uses a wide angle lens. I will also use the go pro to get lime lapse footage for my documentary. Extra memory cards, batteries, and a hard drive will also need to be obtained. I am very weary about traveling with such expensive equipment, especially since last time I traveled I had my macbook air and iPhone stolen from me, so I will definitely be purchasing travelers insurance to protect me financially if anything does happen to get stolen. Since this trip is quite expensive, and I don’t want to overstay my welcome with my hosts, I am planning on staying for 2 weeks, give or take a few days depending on the cost of airfare.
Week 1: Develop a shot list and prospectus for the story I would like to tell
Week 2: Submerse myself in the Seattle music culture and get footage of my research
Weeks 3-4: Travel to Bangalore, submerse myself in the culture of skateboarding and music that I have arranged through my hosts. Obtain footage and really understand the current conditions in India.
Weeks 5-6: Develop a story and edit into a documentary to be viewed when I return to school for my presentation of my field study.
I am very nervous and anxious for this trip to actually happen. India will definitely be the most exotic place that I have traveled to so far. I really don’t have any idea what to expect after I land, and am relying heavily on my hosts to get me around. One really good things about India is that English is a very common language there.
The one thing that I am probably looking forward to the most, is volunteering for a program that Abishek also started that gives impoverished youth free donated guitars and guitar lessons. I feel like this part of the trip will really give me the most understanding and connection with the current feeling of youth and music. It will give me a one on one connection with the kids that are actually living in the culture, and it will be a good time for me to make contrast and comparison notes. A lot of what I will be experiencing will be revolving around the skateboarding scene in India, but one connection that I have already made is that just like here in Seattle, skateboarding and music go hand in hand. And just as skateboarding and music go hand in hand, they all relate to the cities that they are coming out of. I really have not done too much extensive research on Bangalore, and am looking forward to just submersing myself in a culture that is completely different that my own, or I may find out that they are really not so different after all.