The Short-film: On Migration

The reason I was in Portland, was to make a short-film with friends that I had written almost a year ago –maybe longer. I have to go to past journals to find the exact date.  Twas the first time that I had been involved in such a type of project.  The closest experience I could recall had been in photo shoots.

The short is a small vignette about an immigrant arriving into a city and metaphorically seeking a place in society.  That society does not readily open a place for him.  Yet, tis not society’s prerogative to open space to new people.  A one-way conversation with a child during the filming reveals the lack of preparedness of the new arrivé: he has no idea of the laws, cannot speak the language. He is an unprepared wanderer, dwelling into uncharted territory with no compass, no map, no guide. What can he otherwise expect?

The film was shot in two days, but the length of time says nothing of the preparation that it took to get there.  In the “process”, was another lesson learned: that at the end, filming like any activity is a process and a process requires execution.  And in order to execute, on must have preparation, attention to detail and drive.  Twas very enlightening and comforting, had a feeling of elation to be able to decompose such a seemingly foreign activity into its components and see it thru this simple prism.

But I digress, attached are some photos of the people that partook in the creation of all, they are the real creators and am deeply thankful for and to all. (apologies in advance for not being able to depict them all here).

We had a budget, so actors doubled up as everything...even... Atlas? (in a Socratic kind of way)

here the main character, Juan, being touched before filming by another one of the actors..

Alfredo, the nonchalant thief at the end of the film, with whom we had wonderful conversations on and off set...

and another one of the actresses...

Raquel, the Director..

and our director of photography...

and coordinating all, Peter Monahan, beyond anything a wonderful friend and human being... (thankfully we were in Oregon and NOT in Arizona .. hence I felt comfortable next to the "man in uniform" without some form of ID...