So… Some days have passed, and the celebration days for receiving the funds are over.
Reality starts to kick in, and the first workshop with the ministry of foreign affairs and Danish TV is only a few weeks away. – We need to start doing some serious research on this film project.
We are aware, that we’ve chosen a very ambitious, complex and some what risky project, a fact that stresses the amount of research that needs to be done.
Our film script is currently about the badjaos (sea gypsies) in the waters around Palawan island. The last couple of days we’ve been in contact with NGO’s and locals who are excited about the project – but who’ve also expressed that they hope we “dare” to go to the western part of Mindanao instead. The badjaos from Mindanao and the islands of the Sulu Sea are the real original tribe people, and they hope that it is their culture and life circumstances we will portrait.
For those who’ve traveled the Philippines, it’s no secret that Mindanao has a bad rumor in regards to terrorism and kidnappings, but in general Mindanao has been safe for the last five years or so. Unfortunately there are exceptions – and these are in particular the islands and waters of the Sulu Sea, which for periods are considered among the most dangerous areas worldwide, due to pirates.
We have absolutely no intention of taking any unnecessary risks, but we are also very aware that many of the safety warnings aren’t updated for years or they are issued by a government who needs to give strict warnings, to be sure to avoid problems in case tourists experience any danger.
The islands of the Sulu Sea are very interesting for us, but with the limited information we have, we’re still not convinced about the safety of this area. So, Zamboanga – a city at the western coast of Mindanao mainland might be the area we’ll shoot.
The following days will be all about filming permissions, extended visas, research on safety and workshops with the production leaders.
