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About this project

In the summer of 2008, I spent 16 days traveling around Madagascar shooting a sort of essayist documentary. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience and I went there hoping I could find a way to make it beneficial to the people I met, all of whom were generous, welcoming, and extremely warm to me.

I spent months editing the footage and have competed a final version, detailing my experience in a way perhaps best described as a mixture of Chris Marker, Werner Herzog and Phil Collins (the artist, not the dude who was in Genesis). And I am certainly not claiming to be on par with any of those guys, but they have all influenced my work and the project specifically.

The title, Vazaha means foreigner in Malagassy. You hear it a lot traveling through Madagascar. People would call it out to each other as you walked by, smiling and waving.

What I would like to do now is self release a DVD and have some screenings around town (perhaps in other cities as well), and sell prints from stills taken from the video as well as the DVD to raise money to send to various groups in Madagascar that provide education and health services. Perhaps some micro-lending. I would like the contributors to help me decide to whom we should send the money.

50% of the proceeds will go to Madagascar. The other 50% will help me recuperate some of my investment into the project.

100 packaged/shrink wrapped DVDs will cost me $675. To have 3 screenings at various venues will cost me $300. Misc expenses (festival submissions, promotion, printing stills, shipping, etc.) are estimated at $500.

Please look me up on Facebook. You can see some of the stills there as well.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php...


Project location: Pittsburgh, PA

4
Backers
$105
pledged of $1,475 goal
0
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Funding Unsuccessful

This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on August 15.

Pledge $1 or more

Each person who pitches in any amount whatsoever will have their name listed in the DVD insert as a Friend of Madagascar, and will be able to buy the DVD at a discounted price.

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Backers giving $25 will receive a digital print of their choosing.

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Backers giving $50 will receive a copy of the DVD.

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Backers giving $100 will receive a copy of the DVD and a digital print of their choosing, and will be thanked in the end credits.

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Pledge $500 or more

Backers giving $500 will receive one of a limited run, signed, framed prints, 5 copies of the DVD, and be credited as an Executive Producer.

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Project By

Ben_her1

Benjamin Hernstrom

Straightpin Pittsburgh, PA

I am a filmmaker (videographer mostly) based in Pittsburgh PA USA. I make videos for all kinds of applications and purposes and consider myself extraordinarily lucky to support myself (however meagerly) through my work. Most of my experience is in documentary, though I've produced narratives, music videos, video installation and experimental works.

You can see most of my work here http://www.youtube.com/user/ambulantic
My website here: http://www.ambulantic.com
And two of my longer films on IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3306581/

  1. ambulantic.com
  2. youtube.com