Check out our Documentary Trailer about refugees in USA

A subject truly close to my heart. As one-time refugee, I have gone through that 'third life' phase, and it wasn't easy, even though compared to most of your subjects, mine was a walk through a rose garden.

I am glad that some of the 'natives', as you call people who were born in America, take interest in the subject. Integration into a new home is psychologically very demanding, and who didn't live will never understand. It doesn't mean it's not worth trying. But rather than feel pity for the poor folks, I found through my own experience that it is much more helpful to show them the opportunities this society offers. It doesn't happen very often... My family was very fortunate to meet people who were willing to help, not with money or food, but with advice and guidance. It's like that old adage about giving someone fish vs. teaching them fishing...

Good luck with your project!:thumbup:
 
Unfortunately I'm getting a blank page too. :(

Let us know when this trailer is up, I'm VERY interested in seeing this!
 
ah, I see now. IE only. Not cool, not cool! (just kidding)

Use Flash, Quicktime or anything other than embedded WMV, or only IE can see it.

For us on macs, using Firefox, or other os/browser, they're gonna see a blank screen, that is 75% of filmmakers if not more.
 
use Sorenson 3 to compress it if you can -- lots of wacky codecs out there and Sorenson is the way to go.
 
Hey poya!

VERY NICE!!!!

At first I was taken back by the voice over, but the personal nature from the POV of the filmmaker made it less intrusive & made it more video diary like, if that makes sense.

I think the Americana is a goldmine of material, now that you've got your foot in the door, I think you can get a feature out of this, if that's what you desire! In my opinion if you do focus on 1-3 people for a 80 minute plus movie, I'd loose the voice over, & have the story unfold by interview or action.

This is a nice short & a good story! Nice job!

I'm currently doing a doco on the day in the life of a Thai buddhist monk, once I'm done I'll post it up on here, I'd like your feedback too!
 
More openion ???

More openion ???

Thanks to XCheck and bastak I wish I could get more openion,

THX poya
 
Hey, Poyo - some nice stuff.

I wonder, though, will your documentary be about the process of shooting your documentary? That is what we're getting with your trailer. What isn't evident in your trailer is how the stories of your subjects play out on their own. It seems like you have access to the people, so I'd like to see them tell their own stories. Right now what I'm seeing is the people in this community being used as cover footage for your own story.

What I want to see is who these people are, how they interact with each other, how they live their daily lives, what is important to them and what they have learned from their experiences. In a sense, you have to create these scenes from behind the camera, on paper and on your computer. It's not true that documentaries just show (or tell) things as they really happened. Documentaries, while drawn from real events and experiences, are stories that have to be artfully assembled, and they have to be told visually and with direct action. Otherwise you might as well have ditched the video camera and made a segment of "This American Life" for NPR (and, hey - nice work if you can get it).

I realize this is an early trailer. I think you have much of the material you need to start putting this story together, and you clearly have great access. But telling your audience about the access you have and how you got it isn't enough, you have to use the gift of that access to get in there and craft a story that stands on its own.

I'm looking forward to seeing future versions of your work.

Best,

Robert
 
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