Days 6 and 7: Filming subjects in San Antonio and El Progresso Villages

The class has been really busy with their subjects in the Maya village of San Antonio. (Robert and Nicholas' subject Julio is in El Progresso village.) Really REALLY great footage from everyone from their daily presentations.  The students are having an incredible time and working hard on their projects.

Aaron Bevis - giving a logistics briefing

Getting ready to roll...at MET

A zillion hummingbirds at MET

Basilisk

Julio and his son - picking up Robert and Nicholas for the day

2 screen capture photos from Robert

Mr. Canto's house

Daniel Velazquez - roving between locations

Savannah and Jessie on location

Julian and Mariah on location at Maria Garcia's place

Favorite shots, in the van headed back to MET

Day 5: Welcome to the Jungle!

We've arrived at the BEAUTIFUL jungle location of Mountain Equestrian Trails ("MET").

Photo from metbelize.com

The students went to El Progresso and San Antonio villages to spend time meeting their subjects this afternoon. They returned to MET to rest, storyboard their documentaries and pitch their concepts to the instructors - NMSU Professor Ilana Lapid and Belize Filmmakers Carol and Richard Foster and Daniel Velazquez.

Thanks to Aaron Bevis and family at MET for the incredible support these next 6 days/nights - driving, cooking, hosting, guiding - we're so lucky to be staying at this lovely place in the jungle!

Photo from mountainpineridgebelize.com

Here is an interview with the CMI students while sitting at the breakfast table this morning: 

KRISTI:  What's the favorite thing you've done so far in Belize? (Or pick you top 2 or 3 things).

BRYAN:  There were all sorts of interesting animals...even walking outside around here. I saw this big iguana the other day about as big as my arm.    It’s a lot different from home.

MARIAH: I like it.  Not being connected to everything- to a phone- and actually interacting with people is a lot of fun.   Oh, and we high-fived the jaguar. And filming the bats...

SAVANNAH:  I loved the big cats.  Those were the highlights of my trip so far.

RICK: It’s just a great atmosphere. I love feeling connected to nature. It’s very peaceful and relaxing.

NICK: I think filming the bats was the coolest. The whole howler monkeys tour was cool too.  Going out the jungle in the middle of the night, seeing massive amounts of creepy crawlies…  no basilisks though…still need to find one of those.  

JESSE:  The night time zoo tour…  walking in pitch dark… it felt adventurous. It was bond-building.  We got to touch a lot of animals;  the guide (Josh) was very personal.    Also, the howler monkey jungle walk…  it felt very communal the way the guides were explaining it to us  I understood how the ecosystems are connected. It was cool seeing how this whole systems exist…I haven’t seen that before.

I also really liked meeting the Fosters.  They are very interesting people to talk to.   They know what they are doing…and they are humble. They are very good teachers. It almost feels like they are my long lost aunt or uncle that I've always had.  Richard has a sense of humor…he’s always making jokes…you never see it coming. Carol is a free flowing ethereal spirit…

MARIAH: I love how Richard talks to the animals [in his sets, if they're not cooperating for the shot].  I also loved the little kayak I got to use on the river.  

SAVANNAH:  I love filing the bats and possums…the bats are so cute. I found them way easier to film than the butterflies and tarantula.    

NICK: Richard showed us some old stock footage…that’s what I want to be like when I get older.

JULIAN: The Belize Zoo was a lot of of fun.  I like jaguars - it was nice to see one up close and personal. Lucky boy – the high five.  The shooting in general: I liked the hummingbird -- just because it’s the hardest…the animals control you rather that you control animals….nice to explore the dynamic in their environment…

MARIANA, NICK, JULIAN: reflected on the tribe they formed yesterday at the river.

KRISTI:  Yeay - this is awesome to hear.  So...now...what are you looking forward to the most on this next part of the class? 

MARIAH: The Mayan temple and waterfall. 

[Food served, abrupt end to interview ;)]

More stories and photos coming soon! :)))

Day 4: Bring on the Rain

A beautiful 5 a.m. hard rain this morning. There's nothing quite like a tropical rain shower...   :)

Today the groups will switch and do the same activities as yesterday (Howler Reserve, Zoo, and Fosters Studios). The reason we split the groups these two days is so each pair can spend quality time with the Fosters shooting in the small sets to try to get epic shots of wildlife. THIS is how your get these National Geographic-quality close up shots of hummingbirds or blue morpho butterflies or tarantulas feeding in slow motion. It's wicked cool but takes a lot of patience to get the 'money' shots...but totally worth it if you can get them!

Here are some photos of today from the legendary BelizeanAmerican artist and filmmaker (and asst. instructor for this course), Daniel Velazquez:

An 'installation piece' at the Sibun riverside - by Daniel Velazquez

Day 3: Community Baboon Sanctuary, Foster Studios, and The Belize Zoo

Hello everyone! Today, half of the group toured the Community Baboon Sanctuary - a community organized Black Howler monkey reserve. The monkeys - including a couple of babies - came in close proximity of us. :)  Here are some of the highlights:

The Community "Baboon" (local name for black howler monkey) sanctuary

Bullhorn acacia - a symbiotic relationship demonstration by CBS guide, Geraldine

CBS guide (Robert) luring the howlers so we can take a closer look

The other half of the group spent the day shooting footage on the Foster's wildlife sets. After a swim break in the afternoon at the beautiful Sibun river and then dinner back at the TEC, the groups went to The Belize Zoo on a night tour and to the Fosters to spend an hour or so at the opossum and bat sets. A warm, but active and rewarding day...!

Our swim hole, Tiger Sands beach at Sibun River

Mariah, Julian, and Savannah (with boa) during the night tour of the Zoo