As I looked at the kids learning how to become a DJ in the Spin Rohinha DJ School produced by my friend and documentary subject DJ Zezinho, I saw young adults present and in the now, focused 100% plus on learning the fundamentals of DJ'ing. From my time spent in their neighborhood, eating, walking and talking with Zezinho, I realize that these people have very real challenges to just making it to the class each day.
I had the pleasure of touring both Rocinha, and Vidigal with two cariocas, and then reaching a comfort level that allowed me to visit first Rocinha and attend a baille funk, (funk party) and then Vidigal to shop for a new watch and clothing. I have personally ridden on a moto taxi (motorcycle taxis, that are sometimes ridden by multiple people), to go up the hills of a favela, and walked down in the rain trying to avoid getting run over by a van zooming down what I now know are former race courses.
I have visited favelados who were in the process of building their new kitchens, and finding ways to improve their homes. Below is the entrance to an artist's studio and home. The artist was just as enthusiastic about showing the new kitchen that he's building as he was about showing his new work.
I remembered myself at the age of the DJ school students (14-30), when I was singing backup for different groups, believing that anything was possible. Now I am actually seeing myself as I was, and being brought back to believing in my ability to make dreams come true. As I return to the states to find that in many cases I have to wait until the new grant-writing cycle for many documentary film grants, I am slightly disheartened to be honest, but at the same time, I feel challenged to find a new way to create a portrait of the spirit of the people in Brazil that have inspired me to create my documentary WHY BRAZIL? This is an opportunity to rework my current work sample/rough cut of the beginning of the film, because I believe more than ever that these people are special, and to get accepted for a grant I will need to create an accurate portrait, while maintaining the privacy and trust of my subjects.
I am reminded of the news report I sat and watched while having dinner in Vidigal, understanding every fifth word, about the progress being made to finish the soccer stadiums in time for the World Cup in 2014. President Dilma Rousseff is still adamant that it is possible to meet the goal of having the majority finished by early 2013, despite naysayers. One persons belief can make the impossible, possible. President Rousseff is forced to deal with a population which has more faith in the belief that corruption is the only constant in Brazilian government. She has answered this by the changeover of at last count 9 members of her cabinet that left because of corruption, or fear of investigation into corruption.
My challenge is Why Brazil...why would an audience be interested in following the challenges and hardships experienced by these characters. Who is that audience? I have to face naysayers who don't believe they are special. How will I do that, personalizing the story and bringing in how this process is changing me... or including the side comments ('Gringo) that Zezinho faces from jealous people, or the stress of being a student, with a child that Patricia faces, or the challenge of trusting people with his livelihood in Rio that Rotimi faces while going to other cities with bands that he is producing.
The people are either interesting or they're not. That's real. I believe they are interesting. Can I show what I find interesting and universal about these people and define the audience that would also find them interesting?
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