NEWS

Crossing Borders to Germany

November 6, 2016 at 09:35 am
Last weekend the Crossing Borders : Documentary Campus e.V. workshop students (including myself) received a rare chance to present our documentary proposals to a panel of broadcast decision makers from all over the world. While this does wrap up the 2016 edition of the Crossing Borders workshop it has provided many of us new beginnings with key decision makers for our WIP documentaries.
 
We could not have gotten here without the insight and encouragement of the Crossing Borders trainers. I would like to Steven Seidenberg, Head of International Co-production at LIC China, Lucinda Broadbent, director at @media co-op, Georg Tschurtschenthaler, Creative Producer at gebrueder beetz filmproduktion, Pauwels Jean Paul, Director of the EDN – European Documentary Network, Gitte Hansen, Deputy Director for First Hand Films, Phil Jandaly, ‎Story Consultant / Story Editor at WAKE UP Filmska i video produkcija, Ruby L J Chen, Chief Operating Officer at CNEX Taiwan and acclaimed filmmaker Qi Zhao for their advice and support for our documentaries. I believe we all benefited from their understanding of the film and documentary craft and their years of experience.
 
Cheers Crossing Borders 2016 Trainer Team! <3 🙂
 
I would also like to thank extend a special thanks to the Crossing Borders : Documentary Campus e.V queens Dorothea Schiebel and Cecilie Bolvinkel their work putting all this together, the workshop students, trainers and decision makers. It was an immense task and they both worked very hard to ensure that it was a quality experience for everyone. Thanks Doro and Cecilie! ^_^
 
If you’re a documentary filmmaker living and working here in Asia and you’re looking to level up your game and your professional network, I would strongly encourage you to apply to the 2017 edition of Crossing Borders. They don’t charge you a thing for applying or participating – and if you’re admitted to the workshop there is simply no way you can lose. You can learn more about it here:
 
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Where <3 Belongs

October 29, 2016 at 04:04 am
This morning, as I get ready to present Nowzad: Warzone Animal Rescue publicly for the first time to a panel of broadcast decision makers from around the world, my thoughts are very much with the unsung and unseen Afghan team back in Kabul that made this possible for all of us.
 
I am indebted to Ro Ya Heydari for her creativity and imagination directing the pilot production and to my cinematographer Edris Salehi for working tirelessly to capture beautiful and dramatic images for our pilot and sizzle trailer and Masood Mostamandi for making available to us the full resources of his production company, Vision.
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I have nothing but <3 for Roya, Edris, Masood and the rest of the amazing team back in Kabul, I hope to honour them today at the Crossing Borders pitch session. Thanks again for the great work Team Nowzad. 🙂
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It’s all about Brand Consultant and Illustrator Stephanie Medeiros! ^_^

October 27, 2016 at 07:10 am
In the run up to the Documentary Campus Crossing Borders pitch session this weekend here in Leipzig, I am incredibly thankful for Stephanie Medeiros‘s excellent design work on both the Nowzad: Warzone Animal Rescue pitch deck and on my first ever set of personalised business cards!
 
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Thank you Steph-star! <3
 
For anyone else in need of a superb, hardworking brand consultant and illustrator you can connect with Stephanie here: stephanie@24k7.co
 
I cannot recommend her enough and am looking forward to working with her again soon! ^_^

Meeting HISTORY Man!

October 26, 2016 at 10:07 am
It was a pleasure meeting Jacque Ruby, the mastermind of HISTORY Con. His passion to bring large scale, groundbreaking infotainment events and content to Manila is as real as it gets!
 
Special thanks to Chris Humphrey for taking the time to put us together!
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Nowzad: Warzone Animal Rescue goes to the Leipzig!

October 24, 2016 at 06:07 am
This week in Leipzig, Germany I am honored to have the opportunity to bring my program Nowzad: Warzone Animal Rescue to the second part of the Crossing Borders documentary workshop!
 
You can check out links to my program and the Crossing Borders workshop here:
 
Nowzad: Warzone Animal Rescue – Official Trailer 1
 
Official Website – Crossing Borders
 
As part of the Documentary Campus Masterschool, myself and my peers from the 2016 edition of the workshop will have a chance to present our work to a panel of commissioning editors from around the world.
 
This panel will include senior executives from Scripps Networks UK & EMEA, Channel 4, ZDF/ARTE, PBS, Al Jazeera English, Discovery International and my colleague Chris Humphrey for A+E Networks Asia.
 
I am looking forward to reconnecting with the Crossing Borders organisers Cecilie Bolvinkel, Dorothea Schiebel and Pauwels Jean Paul, mentor Steven Seidenberg and am looking forward to meeting the new instructors that will be joining us for the workshop. Here we go. ^_^
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Work Riddles. ^_^

September 26, 2016 at 03:24 pm

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Up to no good at all with The Outlaw.

September 24, 2016 at 12:06 am

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Thessaloniki Tango

September 11, 2016 at 06:24 am
After 5 action packed days of filming Nona, Christy and Andreas wrapped up the production for our sizzle trailer in Thessaloniki, Greece last Wednesday. From the notes and productions photos I received from Nona, I believe she and the rest of the team accomplished something special together and I am looking forward to now honing the footage they produced into sharp pitch trailer by the end of September, in time for DOK Leipzig and beyond.
 
We still have a long way to go on the road to finding a broadcast channel home for our pitch but it is good to know that we have allies on the journey. At the EDN: Crossing Borders 2016 Team I would like to thank Cecilie Bolvinkel, Phil Jandaly and Gitte Hansen for both taking the time to introduce people like Rea at Anemone, Location Producer Eleni Fanariotou and Producer-Director Angelos Tsaousis.
 
I would like to especially thank Producer and Audience Developer Dimitra Kouzi who dropped everything at the last minute to schedule a Skype call with me to find out how she could help our upcoming production. As part of our conversation Dimitra helped connect us to Athens based Tango artist Vicky Damianou and while sadly we were not able to work with her due to time constraints, I remain thankful for her willingness to assist us.
 
In Thessaloniki I would like to thank Mihalis Gkatzogias at Artcut video equipment rentals for providing an excellent equipment rental solution for us and for taking time out of his day to share location advice with Nona. The exploration of the world through art, power and beauty of dance is at the heart of our pitch effort and Tango artist Diego Mastrangeloo was instrumental to the success of capturing this essential aspect of our pitch. I am very grateful to him for setting aside the time to teach Christy his art and to allow us to feature him in our sizzle trailer.
 
And these are just the people I was in-touch with prior to Nona arriving in Thessaloniki. I am sure that many stepped forward to help out Nona, Christy and Andreas that I am still not aware of – for anyone I might have missed, thank you for your kindness and support to my team.
 
Lastly, I would like to thank my Battle Brother Raymund Cruz AKA the Great Blonski. To put it simply, without his assistance the production would not have been able to move forward. And he provided that assistance during one of the most challenging times in his life, carrying the world and more on his shoulders. I will always be grateful for his love and support. <3
 
And that then brings me back to the Wild Ones. To Nona, Christy and Andreas. Again, I thank you all for embracing this production together and putting so much passion and heart into making sure that this sizzle trailer will be exceptional. I shall dedicate myself to making sure that this will be your first Tango together, not your last. Let’s keep pushing together. ^_^
 
– Waise
 
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leather & lenses, larger than life. Feat. Nona and Christy.

September 8, 2016 at 09:28 pm

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Purple Haze, feat Christy Anthonis and Nona Catusanu-Popp.

September 7, 2016 at 10:48 am

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