I just completed filming in Beirut and Istanbul with fine hard work from my dedicated crew: Joan Churchill (camera), Alan Barker (sound) and Walker (co-producer). Filming real life, as it were, is always an art. Trying to do that in places that are unfamiliar, with jet lag, and complicated access issues made it a challenging shoot. There were happy accidents along with missed opportunities. The way it rolls with this kind of film.
Without going into a lot of detail (never scoop yourself!) I can say that the film has found a new focus. Compelling characters deal with threats from malware, cyber-surveillance and other forms of Internet badness — particularly on social networks — that have life-and-death consequences. Especially in Syria where the regime is waging cyberwar to match the civil war on the ground. And where Facebook is both a critically important tool for communications and information, and also a platform which the regime regularly uses to compromise activists and members of the opposition.
We are now spending much of our time filming within a global community of passionately committed activists, organizers, analysts, exiles and investigators who work to keep the Internet safe to help achieve human rights and social change. It’s a privilege to get to know them. And an honor that they trust us with doing this film.
Big thanks to all our backers for making this possible. As well to all our followers!
Below is a photo of the crew at work in Beirut. And below that a shot from down the street where we had dinner one night in Beirut.
