Shooting IDC

Our International Documentary Challenge experience was, I think, great. Thursday morning I woke up, and signed in at the IDC site to learn: we had to work with the theme of "chance" but could choose our genre between "art" and "experimental." Five of us met for breakfast in the Village, went over our options and decided on the film we would make.

There was nothing that could be shot that day, so Friday morning, our team -- now all six members from last year reunited -- met, got our equipment together, then split into two groups. My group went to Astoria and followed our subject as she took the subway into Manhattan. The other group was waiting for us when we arrived.

We stayed in the city until 3 p.m., then made our way back to the subject's house for an interview and a glance at her collection of ... well, that would give it away so I can't say yet.

Friday night, we split the capture duties: two of us digitized 4 hours of footage each. The next morning I had a few basic ideas together by the time the team arrived, and we edited late into the night. Sunday we spent all day and night again. At one point we followed a blind alley: we just about finished one possible ending, then realized it didn't work. Late at night, seemingly adrift, we tried something new and discovered another way we could go.

I stayed up late working on that, and the next day was spent refining that idea to what became our finished version. Late in the afternoon, we decided it was done, prepare a DVD and a tape, and mailed them off.

Above: Laura Van Schendel with camera.