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Viva Venezuela! GH1 used in short documentary about socialism in Venezuela
  • 36 Replies sorted by
  • lefteditleftedit

    PS - thanks to the people mentioning 'The Battle of Chile'. I am trying to find a copy to watch it, looks great by what i can see on youtube (no english subs on there).

    *Also - about subtitles - what exactly do people find 'annoying' about it? That they are not always centred, or that they are without much drop shadow or boxing around them?

    **Also - yes, the focus hunting on this panasonic auto lens is very annoying... but we were glad to have an auto lens, and at £80 second hand, its all we could afford :S

    ***Also - people should know this is actually the FIRST documentary we have done from this trip. We are working on a second film now as we speak!

    The whole film production costs were less than £2000 including sending the crew there and paying for their whole journey, food and accommodation.

  • lefteditleftedit

    greetings people.

    Thank you Vitaliy for correction on Cuba. I certainly won't tollerate such nonsense about one of the most democratic, revolutionary, nations in the world today where ordinary people are voted in and run the country. Yes, Ive been to Cuba blahblah blah but most importantly I have made efforts to understand the revolution and the peoples struggle- which is an international one. See

    (*edit- i directed the above film in 2009/10)

    OK Venezuela - critics should least allow people in Venezuela to decide their own sovereign future of their own nation - otherwise you have totally failed.

    Im from Britain (I sent a video team to make this film, im the director/editor) but I am inspired by how ordinary people are now organising against neo-liberalism, capitalism and imperialism in Venezuela. It has taken many many many years to achieve this. If you are a capitalist of course you wont like it. Im sure Venezuelan capitalists hate it the most, and international banking cartels! Haha.

    Im inspired to see so many open minded comments here tho - an understanding about Venezuela is building up around the world and this film is part of that fight. Bravo.

    About the film technically.

    xenogears - the audio was recorded into a external recorder 60% of the time, especially for interviews. It was a Tascam DR05 and the mic used is a Sennheiser cheap chinese copy of a 416. Other audio was recorded in camera - the top mic on the GH1 is really great for a built in mic! Better than the ones ive used on a Sony Z1 or EX1 I think.

    The lenses used were Canon FD 50mm, a generic c-mount 25mm and Panasonic 14mm-45mm. We had a more lenses with us, including Canon FD 28mm and 135mm, but never got used due to hectic nature of traveling around and the 'crew' in fact being a one man team with an interviewer/journalist helping sometimes.

    Tripod used was a EI-717C - which is very good by the way for about £220 ($300). Has a nice mini fluid head on it and its light and not too big, plus it extends quite high.

    Any questions - ask away!! Technical or political - ill try answer! :)

    L

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    You can use the word "regime" for Cuba (and many other countries) not for Venezuela.

    Here you can't use word "regime" for any country.

  • rikyxxxrikyxxx

    @kellar42 You can use the word "regime" for Cuba (and many other countries) not for Venezuela. I can agree that their democracy is imperfect (which one isn't?) but the majority of venezuelans is for Chavez and they voted for him.

    An article worth reading: http://truth-out.org/news/item/12074-independent-observers-venezuelas-election-a-model-of-democracy

  • DuncanarioDuncanario

    @kellar42 You don't have to agree with what they do but don't just parrot the same old garbage the western media churns out. Venezuela is arguably the most democratic country on earth. Their constitution allows for almost any law to be repealed if enough signatures are raised by petition. What you said isn't based on facts at all. Venezuela is far more democratic than the US for example where the two parties are just two cheeks of the same arse (to steal a phrase).

  • kellar42kellar42

    While much of the apparently large community of Venezuelan ex-patriots here in Panama is made up of wealthy individuals who fled with their assets, the several that I know are humble, good natured folks who work harder and more reliably than anyone I've ever seen in Latin America. They universally hate Chavez, and many were deeply saddened by the recent election.

    I understand that things are complex down there, and that too many people were ignored and mis-treated for too long. The current regime is not 'the solution' however. I think the Hollywood celebrities hob-nobbing down there are especially ridiculous...there is little 'liberal' about an autocratic, all controlling government, whatever their social programs.

  • xenogearsxenogears

    My friends; i live in Venezuela, Caracas city, i just gonna talk about the video work because the work it self is too biased (too much). Is good to see the GH1 defending herself as a nice documentary tool, the subtitles are a little annoying, also the focus hunt, the audio is in camera? i see some mics around, are recorded externally on in camera?

    Cheers.

  • rikyxxxrikyxxx

    I've been there, only a few days as a turist, but enough time to realize how complex things are over there.

    On one hand Chavez has been the first president who created real social programs for the population using oil extraction proceeeds. On the other I found militar control and governative propaganda a little bit too suffocating for my "liberal" taste...

    About the video: good work :-)

  • arnarfjodurarnarfjodur

    Nice. Reminds me of the beginning of The Battle of Chile - which, as I recall, begins with street interviews close to the election. Would have been interesting perhaps to hear from some opposition or indifferent people - not because I think all documentaries have to show "both sides" - but simply to understand better what the conflict are about. The star of the show was the young woman in the yellow t-shirt in the car - she was really sharp.

  • AlbertZAlbertZ

    really nice :)

  • MirrorkisserMirrorkisser

    very nice! just the subtitles are annoying sometimes.

    Also i am very curious how this thing develops. If its an anachronism with many known bad sideeffects or whether it really is something good and new that can stand up against hardcore capitalism. we shall see

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