Documentary on Guerrilla Gardening in London & Berlin by a student

[Gregoire]

Hi everyone!

(I hope I'm posting in the right topic).
 
Let me introduce myself, I'm Greg, I study geography and landscape in Paris at the Sorbonne University.
This is now my fourth year as a student, and this year is a particulary one.
Indeed.
I have to realise a documentary connected to geography. So I decided to enlarge the subject to something between urbanism, gardening and politics. That's why I choose you, the Guerrilla Gardeners. Everything came to me when a few days ago I saw you and your activits pals giving an interview to a french TV broadcast, reporting counter-culture all around the world, nammed "Tracks". I felt in love with your movement, and this new way to do activism. Then I said : That's it! I'm gonna ask those guys if I may meet them and shot a report on their actions.

But this exercise is much more than a simple film. I shall present my work to a jury of teachers, two of them are giving course at the Fine-Art & Cinema University. So this have to be something else, something more than a quickly-done documentary, it has to be a real cinema thing. That's also why the final cut will be 35 minutes lengh.
My point is to go deeper into your life as Guerrilla Garderners, and not just present you and your action in a short footage. I want to realise one of the first real documentary on guerrilla gardening in its two most active spots : UK and Germany. This film will tell history of the movement, the way you live as activists and all the stuff you do and don't do to keep the guerrilla going. And also the problems you may have with law, landscape business and police wich I will interview too.

So, you need to understand that my way to realise this film will sometimes be a bit intrusive... But I promess to keep it really low profile, shadow style.

I nearly forgot the most important, I intend to shot the fisrt scene of my documentary on March, and I will stay in London shooting your actions during 3 weeks, maybe a month.

I hope you will be as enjoyed as I am.
Don't hesitate to tell me if my demands are realistic or not, and what will be better for all us to make this adventure the coolest one!

Best regards, Greg.

Gregoire Bouvenot
ubb3r_n00b@hotmail.fr


 

[Gregoire]

Hello there people!

I know you are all busy, but it will be great if someone could answer me... Is it possible to do this video report, and if yes, when sould be right time this spring or this summer?

Regards, Greg

[Matthew Merrick]

Hi Greg.

Are you still intending to shoot the film? It sounds really interesting.  I don't live in London- actually quite a distance from it but could offer you some help anyway.

In terms of best time; Spring is good because there is lots of activity but summer is also interesting because certainly in Leeds where I live everyone leaves and goes on holiday so you can achieve a lot more I have found.

I am also interested in film making myself so it would be interesting for me personally so get in touch if you are still interested I would like to see how I can help.

Matthew

[Gregoire]

Hi Matthew! Many thanks for your answer. Sorry for the late of my reply I was abroad during the week end... You know those places were internet doesn't exist yet : France's back country.

It's great you feel interested in my project. So, as you said meet each other to discuss will be a good idea. Right now I'm writing down my scenario and try to plan the shots I'll do for further scenes. In the meantime I'm collecting money to finance that trip, so I think I'll be in UK, mostly in London around May.
I intend to go in London first, but the lack of answer from Richard makes me take the opposite decision : Berlin in number one, and London just after. But my flight is not reserved yet, so if you have any idea how to contact Richard better than with e-mails & forums, don't hesitate to tell me! If you have also some good adress to sleep in London, they are welcome too!

I don't know if you're doing a documentary this summer too, but yes, if you need help for travellings, multi angle shots, and so on, I'm your man! On the other hand I'm in the need for a good video montage software.

Tell me how you see thing on your side. Keep in touch. Best regards, Greg.

[Richard _001]

Apologies Greg. I've missed this thread and your e-mails. I'll e-mail you direct. I try to reply to every e-mail but things do slip through the net.