Saturday, September 29, 2007

Wescam watch



Mother's Day at Wescam documents a peace protest at a suburban Burlington, Ontario (Canada) company owned by L3, a large war manufacturer - the company: Wescam.

We filmed this on 15 May, 2006. There were several arrests at the site, but the mood remained peaceful throughout, even when head of security and the property manager drag one protester across the parking lot...

I've had to split the video in two to post it on the web. This web version has some minor editing quirks that kick in about half way in (starting near the end of part one) - I don't know how they got there, extra cross-fades, but it is still watchable.

I think it is a very instructive piece on the kind of relentless persistence needed to start a dialogue on war/economy, while doing so in a spirit of nonviolence.

To read more about the group behind the (ongoing) demonstrations, visit www.homesnotbombs.ca

Homes Not Bombs has screened the film at several events to raise awareness of what Wescam is doing, and to illustrate what a peaceful but civilly disobedient action looks like (something you won't see a lot of in the media)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

unschooling

We've been trying to do a film about un-schooling for a few years now, and this is our first product, a series of vignettes with the un-schooling family at radiofreeschool.blogspot.com - we've completed four shorts and we hope to make an announcement soon about wider circulation on a nifty project sponsored by one of our favourite national film boards...watch this site for the news about the happy day, and cigars all around.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

You Tube One

DIVA kicks one out to YouTube, our virgin entry on the web streaming side of light and darkness...

Spirited fiddle and guitar power us through a Parking Meter Party in good ol Hamilton, Ontario, Sept. 22, 2007.

Lay down the sod and drag over an old couch: party! The people shall dance...

In the classic DIVA tradition, this party was widely circulated to local media via "media releases" by organizers in Transportation for Liveable Communities; and (in the same tradition) none of the local media showed. Except DIVA and gp from CFMU

Our raison d'etre, eh?

couched in car free language


Car Free Day in Hamilton featured a colourful PARKING METER PARTY on King Street East on September 22, 2007

This may be my first activist music video but a two minute record of the event featuring a live performance by Brian and Natalia on Guitar and Violin respectively is complete, almost - just waiting for some credit checks (i.e. proper spelling of names for the credits).

I'll be posting the video to the web in the next week or so (barring any blips) but in the meantime, check out the organizing group's web at tlchamilton.blogspot.com for photos, etc.