Damn Torpedoes
It has been one of the most challenging summers of my life. Thus far, I have avoided writing about it because it has been so difficult. Besides, I like to write about fun things. I like to write about movies and art and film production. I like to write about Zambia and world travel and adventures. One of my favorite stories is DON QUIXOTE. I’ve always thought it was important to run full-tilt through life. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.
This summer, I ran into the damn torpedoes. It wasn’t so much fun. Frequent readers of this blog might think there was a challenge with Alec, my 19-year-old cherub who made the his high school years rather difficult. But, no, the good news is, he’s alive and well in NYC. Surprisingly, the challenge has come from a most unlikely place.
Mesa Community College has faced extraordinary difficulties in the last year. Media coverage about international travel, extended contracts and athletics propelled the resignation of the college president and created a climate of paranoia on campus. When I returned from Zambia, I was worried because, well, let’s be honest, Zambia is international travel. I asked several people if I needed to worry. I was assured that the FilmZambia project was exactly the sort of thing international travel funds were for … to fund the travel for 4 students and two faculty advisors to another continent to acquire skills in their chosen career and to participate in a cultural and humanitarian exchange … no worries.
To be certain, if you read the FilmZambia blog, it was a growthful and challenging experience. The other three faculty had to return to MCC before we were finished with the project because they had to teach in the fall semester. That left me alone in Africa with fourteen students. I didn’t realize how worried I was until I set foot back on U.S. soil. I could feel the tension leave my neck and shoulders. I was lucky everything went well, we finished the films and everyone came back in good shape.
To this day, I constantly marvel at how lucky we were. We missed the terrorist threat and shutdown of Heathrow by less than an hour. Less than an hour. All of our equipment arrived unscathed. When the lights were too powerful for the Zambian wiring (and we burned out the transformer for an entire building on the first day and we couldn’t find a single bulb on the entire African continent), we were able to fashion our own light kit from local supplies. It only cost $350. A great deal that let us finally start principle photography after a dismal first day.
We had a wonderful place to stay in Lusaka at the Kwazulu Kraal. Okay, one of the faculty was bitten by a spider and got an infection that required 90 days of antibiotics via a pic-line BUT she is alright now. Yes, we didn’t really have warm water for most of the hours of any day. Shower? Who needs a shower?! When they funding ran low for supplies, my ATM card worked without a hitch in Lusaka. I could keep the crew fed and the bus running from location to location. When we went to Livingstone, pure luck had us book into the Taita Falcon Lodge on the edge of the Zambezi. While we were eating lunch, the woman who worked for the helicopter company was at the next table. Our PR Genius and Line Producer, MK Racine, was able to negotiate an aerial film shoot that took everyone up to see Victoria Falls with their own eyes.
When it came time to return to the U.S., we had been told (luckily) that we wouldn’t be able to take our gear back on the plane. We shipped four cases of lights and the glidecam back. To be honest, it was expensive. 
$2000. Luckily, I decided to pay extra to insure all of the gear during shipment (the insurance rider I’d put on my homeowner’s policy prior to leaving only covered the gear from theft, damage or loss while it was in my possession). It was also expensive. Another $1000. So, when two of the cases were lost in transit, the school was reimbursed for the lost lights. Okay, it took nine months to get the money and I never got reimbursed but, luckily, they did. Almost none of the student computers, cameras or gear were damaged. Mike did lose an audio adapter in shipping (which was covered by insurance) and Pamela’s small computer was dropped on set. The damage was mostly cosmetic. She just has to be careful when she plugs it in. We did finish the film. Our first edit did not make Sundance 2006. Luckily, we can try again in 2007.
So, if I’m going on and on about being so lucky, what’s the problem? On May 11, 2007, a letter was delivered to my home by courier. Now, you know as well as I do, that’s rarely a good thing. I could not believe it. It shocked me to the core. I was hired to teach in the Media Arts program at MCC, to make certain that degree-seeking students could earn their AAS degrees or Certificates in a timely fashion AND provide instruction for industry professionals to further develop their skills. I devoted the last nine years of my life to serving all of these students (well over 300 per semester) and serving the college to the best of my ability. Our student successes are, in my opinion, amazing. I feel blessed to have had such an opportunity to work with so many dedicated and talented people! (I got a letter tonight from Etsuko, a former student, telling me of her current work as a fine art photographer for Hollye.Com. What a bright spot in a really yucky couple of weeks.
So, if you’re a former student or friend, please think good thoughts for me as I fight this challenge. I’ll keep thinking good thoughts for all of you, too.
