Intro

THE PROJECT: This documentary is done as part of an Oxfam International competition to advocate against small arms by showing their impact on social and economic development. All of us living in Burundi, we are able to see this dreadful connection first hand, in every day life. So we decided to participate, and this is how we came up with: "Bang for your Buck." READ MORE

The Team

Seth
In 2007, Seth Chase was invited to be the regional communications director for World Relief, tasked with producing marketing videos and short documentaries for world relief in Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Seth based himself out of Burundi because it was the least known of all the countries. He now works as an independent film maker, in the heart of Africa:



Brice
Brice Blondel is a political affairs officer. Since October 2009, he has been working as a volunteer with the United Nations in Burundi. Brice reads security reports every morning with numerous accounts of grenade attacks and killings over small money and land issues, a key aspect of his job is to monitor and raise awareness on this situation. Brice has studied and worked on African politics for years and was involved in advocacy work (sometimes through videos) in the Central African Republic in 2008. Brice will be producing this film.You can see some of his videos and photos here:
This is one about bush schools, still in CAR
An interview with a Burundian musician
And my Flickr account


Teddy
Before living in exile for over 10 years in Belgium, Teddy, then a young student, decided to partake in the resistance against the gangs of gunmen affiliated with ethnic militias. At that time - we are in the early 90s - Burundi's capital Bujumbura is a city under siege, Balkanized, with whole areas controlled by militias who divided the city into ethnic neighborhoods. The organization he founded, Organization for Youth’s Future (OJF), used all means possible, to protect threatened individuals, Hutu or Tutsi (the two major ethnic groups in the country) without distinction, by helping them to escape, to find shelter ... When he decided to return home last year, Teddy Mazina began to build his multimedia studio, MDM Communications, then he began Piga Picha 2010 so that from now on, there is a photographic memory of the life of this country ravaged by civil war and small arms. Among his colleagues, many are used to covering institutional politics issues, in addition to working on pre-ordered articles.  When not capturing the beauty of the country's Sacred Drum, Teddy prefers to invest in marginal areas, meet the landless, the homeless ... You can see his flickr page here:
PIGA PICHA PAGE
Teddy's Flickr page

Jonathan
Jonathan MacEwan, has been working professionally as a graphic designer in Vancouver BC for the better part of two and a half decades. From creating comics, to special effects in films, to signs, banners, posters, websites, you name it, he's done it. Having achieved graphic wizardship resulting in Jonathan, being knighted by the Premier of BC, Jonathan could move no higher in the realms of graphics... it was then, that he turned his attention to film making. He began the art house production company "concept 81" in 2003, with his colleague Seth Chase. Since then he's been making short films, for festivals, and clients in the Vancouver Area. Currently he's working on his first feature length documentary called "LARPS" which will be released "eventually." On this film however,Jonathan will be doing sound design, as well as all the graphic work, as well as all the special effects for the film. He also designed a font to use in this film. The font is called: "flabbjabery." This will be the world debut of this new font... look for it in the begining of the film... you won't believe your eyes! Step aside "Helvetica", Flabjabbery is coming to town!
Issue # 142 A short film made in 100 hours by Jonathan.

The music crew
Here is our music team: Gérôme, Albert, Hervé, Samantha and Aron (left to right). They recorded "Brûler ces armes" (burn those weapons), written by Albert Kulu, which will feature in the documentary and conclude it with a poetic and powerful touch. The magical combination between the depth and harshness of Albert's voice and Samantha's youth and powerful interventions will carry a simple universal message that Burundians urge the world to hear: Burn these weapons!


Albert: writer, vocals and guitar
Aron: music producer
Samantha: vocals
Gérôme: guitar (and guitar provider)
Hervé: sound technician
Discover Albert and see more of his music on vimeo:
Mawe music video
Albert Kulu interview
Get his CD on amazon and itunes.

Guillaume
Guillaume is our production coordinator extraordinaire. He’ll may be billed as an associate producer, but in effect, he really made this film much more interesting with his savvy networking skills. Three of his five contacts are featured heavily in the film. The other two contacts will be in the feature length version. I told Guillaume I’d like to talk with an arms dealer. Within twenty four hours, Guillaume had set up a meeting with a local arms dealer. I was amazed. He’s easily the most passionate person on the team, and extremely selfless,we’re still trying to find out what motivates him as he’s always up for whatever task you throw in front of him, and he wants nothing in return for all his hard work. He just wants to help make a good film. He’s the quintessential Belgian to have if ever you want to make a film. Any film being made on this planet could stand to have Guillaume on the team, and he would be one of the most important assets. This Christmas maybe you should consider asking for a: Guillaume De Brier.
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