Running on empty

Well guys, the past three weeks were quite a ride.

This is the result:

• The 5th episode of the Soccer for Life series about Marcus Solomon, a former Robben Island prisoner. Archive researches, boat trips, helicopter rides. Also includes secretly sneaking away from the guided tour on the Island to find this mysterious football pitch on which the Makana Football Associaton was founded by the political prisoners in the 1960′s. Another challenge: sending tons of HD video footage to Germany through the web.On show on the DFB-website some time this week.
• A film called “Reflections” that I shot in April with Anna Telford of Butterfly Films for the Big Issue. Editing hours on end to bring 8 hours of footage down to 5 minutes. Moreover hard negotiations about music and it’s usage plus killing some of the most beautiful scenes because they didn’t fit in. Anyway: Well done, Anna!
  On show soon on the Big Issue website
• A story about a Zimbabwean refugee camp in downtown Johannesburg. More than 1,500 people living in a church right next door to the high court. Most of the passers-by don’t appear to care about the sitaution: for instance 11 families living in one room, heavily pregnant women who have to spend the day on the street, toddlers who hardly ever see daylight… for five years already. This is especially impressive when just coming from a press conference with head of FIFA, Jerome Valcke, who again wants to “Celebrate Africa’s Unity”. Or something like that.
  To be published as a photo page some time this week in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
• Several portraits, including one of Andreas Henkel, head of adidas marketing in South Africa and Roger Smith, a South African writer. Not to forget Modman Mtolo the Football witchcraft expert who, according to his own words, could bring back Michael Ballack to the German national team if only he were willing to eat a snake skin or so. Also a story about Ramaphosaville, a township near Jo’burg, where two years ago two foreigners were burnt alive as an expression of frustration with poor service delivery from the government. Nothing has changed since then.
  Some already printed, the rest to come this week

Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Yebo, so am I. Especially as I am writing this at the airport while waiting for a plane to Johannesburg, where I will continue working on the refugee story.

One thing is for sure: I am looking forward to being back in Cape Town on Sunday (Yes, before 20.30). Kicking back, watching a few games, possibly catching some waves eventually. Sounds like heaven…

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