The Shot That Wasn't

[egproductions]

I've never been stopped from taking pictures in Israel, definitly got securites attention but never approached. One time I decided to bring my XL2 to the kotel to take some video...i don't think they believed me it was for personal use.

 

[grimrebes]

Fair. They are extremely media sensitive there, for whatever the reason. Israelis are also extremely forward as is their nature.

I was in the old city in Jerusalem once contracted by the Jewish Agency to get some establishing shots for one of their videos. A group of 12-18 year old Yeshiva kids ran down the way, nearly knocked me over, chasing some Arab boy. I just stood, filming the situation. Then, they realized they were on camera, started screaming and yelling at me, telling me they would break my camera. The mob... scary regardless of culture, religion, and nationality.

No one there wants to be the fool, and everyone seems to be taking advantage of everyone else. The good willed traveler and local hospitality seem to have gone out the window.

I was in Haifa researching last year. I am friends with some Bedouin and Jews in Beer Sheva and Rahat. At some point, I was on the border with Gaza during the war, worked as a field hand, and was in grad school In between, I filmed a bunch and walked away with some great images.

The irony about Israel as a place for still and motion photography - Its one of a handful of locations where the climate and geography completely changes in a 60 minute drive... they have no media savvy, so no one wants to film their. But go to Jordan or Cyprus, they get it. Thats why the hurt locker shot in Amman, thats why countless others have filmed near by.

 

[Jordan_S]

Today, I encountered a movie shoot at a cafe on the pedestrian mall in the old city of Be'er Sheva. I watched them work on a 15-second segment for about half an hour.

I once took my DVX inside the Me'arat HaMachpela (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hevron. They made me hold it up to a security camera so someone could verify it was under a certain size.

 

[egproductions]

Fair. They are extremely media sensitive there, for whatever the reason. Israelis are also extremely forward as is their nature.

I was in the old city in Jerusalem once contracted by the Jewish Agency to get some establishing shots for one of their videos. A group of 12-18 year old Yeshiva kids ran down the way, nearly knocked me over, chasing some Arab boy. I just stood, filming the situation. Then, they realized they were on camera, started screaming and yelling at me, telling me they would break my camera. The mob... scary regardless of culture, religion, and nationality.

No one there wants to be the fool, and everyone seems to be taking advantage of everyone else. The good willed traveler and local hospitality seem to have gone out the window.

I was in Haifa researching last year. I am friends with some Bedouin and Jews in Beer Sheva and Rahat. At some point, I was on the border with Gaza during the war, worked as a field hand, and was in grad school In between, I filmed a bunch and walked away with some great images.

The irony about Israel as a place for still and motion photography - Its one of a handful of locations where the climate and geography completely changes in a 60 minute drive... they have no media savvy, so no one wants to film their. But go to Jordan or Cyprus, they get it. Thats why the hurt locker shot in Amman, thats why countless others have filmed near by.

I'm not exactly sure what your trying to say about a couple of things. I'm not suprised Israeli's are jaded or reluctant to be filmed by the media though. The conflict has been fought on a media front in so many ways.

What do you mean that they don't have media savvy or that nobody wants to film there? The Israeli film industry has really grown in the last decade and has always been active since at least the mid 50's.

 

[Jordan_S]

Last week in Tel Aviv, I came across a three-card monty game. Not wanting a shill to break my camera, I tested the waters by taking out my cell phone and taking some video. Ten seconds later, about five guys converged on me, saying not to take pictures. I played the tourist.

Later, a woman took photos of another game with a dslr. No one seemed to notice. Just as I was about to take out my camera, one of the shills told her not to take pictures. A few minutes later, a dude on a scooter rode up and rifled through the dealer's pockets, searching for the money. He then located it hidden in a crevice under the table. Two lady cops joined him.

 

[Jordan_S]

What do you mean that they don't have media savvy or that nobody wants to film there? The Israeli film industry has really grown in the last decade and has always been active since at least the mid 50's.

He may be referring to the (at times, insurmountable) bureaucracy in saying fewer people want to film here. I don't know if that is true or not. Doesn't seem to be; you're correct about the Israeli film industry's growth.

The lack of media savvy, on the other hand, is well-known.

 

[grimrebes]

I'm not exactly sure what your trying to say about a couple of things. I'm not suprised Israeli's are jaded or reluctant to be filmed by the media though. The conflict has been fought on a media front in so many ways.

What do you mean that they don't have media savvy or that nobody wants to film there? The Israeli film industry has really grown in the last decade and has always been active since at least the mid 50's.

I am not saying the Israeli film industry doesn't exist. There has been a production of films in Israel since the time of the British Mandate. But that doesn't mean there is an industry there, it means people are making films. The difference between the livelihood of a critical number of individuals coming from one discipline vs people who work other jobs but ALSO make films is a pretty serious difference.

Though, to be clear, I meant that the industry in the country is constantly dealing with 2 insurmountable issues regarding the government -

1 - The painful and relentless corruption of government agencies designed to help promote the arts, specifically motion and still imagery, but instead dump millions into other parts of the government because of nepotism and indifference. That's what happens when your communication minister doesn't own a television... So whereas in France, Germany, Poland, the government gives out reasonable amounts as grants, Israel doesn't quite put the same money into where it should be. And its not because of a simple "oh, they need to dump money into the army," reason, its because the government allocates the money that is intended for film makers and media production and uses it to bribe political parties and their constituencies. Not quite illegal, but counter productive for sure.

2 - The ignorance of the government as to the impact of creating incentives for foreign productions to film in the region. It is about 100x easier to shoot in Cyprus or Jordan than Israel. Why? Because the governments there "get it," and realize film crews can go other places to shoot. And most of the time, they do. And why not? Its easier and less expensive to fly in, security isn't a concern, and insurance companies don't bat an eye compared to insuring productions, gear, and talent in the holy land.

Thoughts? For sure I could be wrong, but these are observations based on my experiences.

 

[egproductions]

1 - The painful and relentless corruption of government agencies designed to help promote the arts, specifically motion and still imagery, but instead dump millions into other parts of the government because of nepotism and indifference. That's what happens when your communication minister doesn't own a television... So whereas in France, Germany, Poland, the government gives out reasonable amounts as grants, Israel doesn't quite put the same money into where it should be. And its not because of a simple "oh, they need to dump money into the army," reason, its because the government allocates the money that is intended for film makers and media production and uses it to bribe political parties and their constituencies. Not quite illegal, but counter productive for sure.

Since when is television art? I'm not denying there could be bribery in the gov't...every gov't has bribery issues but something tells me you don't know about the bribery that occurs in the government from experience like you stating. Dumping money into the army is never simple but unfortunatly Israel has bigger issues they face than the arts and sometimes priorities require flexibility.

2 - The ignorance of the government as to the impact of creating incentives for foreign productions to film in the region. It is about 100x easier to shoot in Cyprus or Jordan than Israel. Why? Because the governments there "get it," and realize film crews can go other places to shoot. And most of the time, they do. And why not? Its easier and less expensive to fly in, security isn't a concern, and insurance companies don't bat an eye compared to insuring productions, gear, and talent in the holy land.

Thoughts? For sure I could be wrong, but these are observations based on my experiences.

Are you seriously talking from experience? Have you ever been in Jordan? I would agree security isn't a concern as far as foreignors go that is. Right at the border my cell phone battery was taken away and was scammed right and left. I would pull over on their main road and there were bullet shells all over the place. Not at one point did I feel safe there...my point is that there is a price you pay for not having security protocalls.

 

[grimrebes]

Most of the funding for feature films in Israel comes from private corporate funders, like Hot, Yes, and channel 2, not from the government, which is where Israel's concern for public art (yes, film production counts as art, even if it is intended for broadcast), deviates from other countries with similar forms of government. They don't even have a film lab in country anymore.

Their parliamentary system has put individuals into cabinet positions that are not only unqualified, but perhaps uninterested in the priorities of that sector of public service. Think of W's heck of a job Brownie from Katrina. If you have a haredi man who doesn't own a television, why would he allocate money to film production, or even television programming? Or lobby for tax incentives for foreign production? My point was that the money theoretically allocated to those ends don't end up being used for military purposes, they are squandered by people in charge who are, perhaps, the result of nepotism and politics rather than qualifications and the ability to best serve the public.

Yes, I've been to Jordan. Its a police state. And I haven't been scammed in the time I spent there... So I can only say that perhaps we travel differently. Which border did you cross at?

Listen, I am not saying it doesn't exist there. Amos Gitai, Eitan Fox, Ziv Koren, to name a few, have done a remarkable job telling stories through the visual medium, in their native country and abroad, but the fact exists (and this was my initial point) that those that run the country could do more (far more) to foster a greater quantity and better quality production in country. Amos Gitai, who I would credit as the country's most talented film maker, honed his craft in France, not in Israel, over a the span of a decade. Why? Because Israel wasn't a place friendly to his viewpoint and able to catalyze his skills.

I have some friends that work for the news agencies there, I know some rental house owners, I am close with a few diplomats, and I can tell you based on my experience, they can do more. I wont pretend that they are overwhelmed by resources; quite the contrary, they have few disposable resources for film making. But I still hold they can do better and do more, because their people, Jew, Muslim, Christian, etc... they all have something to say, and its a damn pity they don't have the chance because of some of the reasons I posted above, and some more that I imagine I missed or don't have exposure to.