izaca.com » Dominican Republic http://www.izaca.com/blog Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:35:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Rough Cut Work-in-progress screening TONIGHT at George Washington University! http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/11/03/rough-cut-work-in-progress-screening-tonight-at-george-washington-university/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/11/03/rough-cut-work-in-progress-screening-tonight-at-george-washington-university/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:17:28 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/11/03/rough-cut-work-in-progress-screening-tonight-at-george-washington-university/

In the fury of getting this rough cut semi-ready for this work-in-progress screening, I forgot to send out a heads-up about this event.

We’re having a work-in-progress screening at George Washington University under the umbrella of Docs In Progress, a very cool organization based right here in Washington DC. It’ll be the very first time I show the whole documentary to an audience.

The past few months have seen me and an editor named Richard Dean working on crafting this cut, along with some encouragement from my story editor Fernanda Rossi.

Check this link for more information: http://docsinprogress.org/events/16/work-in-progress-screening-nov-3-2011/

It’s at 7pm-930pm at if you’d like to come,

George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs Building
805 21st Street, NW
Auditorium B-07
Washington DC 20052

There definitely will be one more work-in-progress screening in about two months at another location so I will announce that one earlier!

Much love

Isabelle (& the team)

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/11/03/rough-cut-work-in-progress-screening-tonight-at-george-washington-university/feed/ 0 New Somos Buzos Website Design! http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/07/14/new-somos-buzos-website-design/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/07/14/new-somos-buzos-website-design/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:51:37 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/07/14/new-somos-buzos-website-design/ Hello Everyone!

I wanted to do a quick shoutout to my fantastic web designer Ariela Steif, who between the two of us finally nailed down an awesome design and layout of the new Somos Buzos website. It’s really spiffy while still remaining accessible to most of the world’s browsers (i.e. not flash-based).

www.somosbuzos.com

Kickstarter money went to creating this! Thank you again!

As for the rough cut we are slogging through it – slow, but steady. I’m due for another session with Fernanda Rossi, the story consultant in NYC as soon as I have a visual cut ready! Stay tuned.

Abrazos

Isabelle

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]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/07/14/new-somos-buzos-website-design/feed/ 0 Successful Campaign! Thank You! http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/02/09/successful-campaign-thank-you/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/02/09/successful-campaign-thank-you/#comments Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:55:24 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=219

Thanks to each and everyone for your support. I feel totally invincible to finish this film!

This immediate infusion is going to cover a lot of what I need done Right Now to be able to get to the Next Steps.

Because of your support, tomorrow I’m going to New York for a professional story consultancy session as one of my first very important steps to finish the rough cut!

Meanwhile, an important note: I need each and every backer’s address so I can send a little something-something to you. Even if you selected “no reward” please email me your address at
Isabelle@izaca.com.

A second important note: if you are inspired by this campaign and would like to start your own, PLEASE EMAIL ME OR CALL ME FIRST so I can walk you through the pros and cons of doing a Kickstarter or other Crowdfunding campaign. It is not as easy as it seems on several levels! Let me help you get to know some of the ropes. I have some issues with Kickstarter and although I’m very grateful to have achieved this position, it’s something to be aware of.

Much love to everyone, and I’ll keep updating you on the progress that you helped create! I attached some pictures: The first is of Chivito, one of the child characters of the film, taking a picture of me taking a picture of him with a disposable camera he found in the dump. The second picture features some of the most adorable neighborhood kids that routinely all work in the dump with their parents…

More to come soon!
Abrazos
Isabelle

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]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/02/09/successful-campaign-thank-you/feed/ 0 SOMOS BUZOS TWO HOURS LEFT ONLY PLEASE HELP http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/15/somos-buzos-two-hours-left-only-please-help/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/15/somos-buzos-two-hours-left-only-please-help/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:19:41 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=215 Dear Friends,

We have raised, fantastically, up to $10,136 for my film “Somos Buzos.” See description below. We need $15,000 total, so we’re missing $4864. Kickstarter will not take a cent out of your account, nor give me one cent, if I do not reach my goal. Seriously. Help me make some magic in the next two hours.

Please, lets do one FINAL push in the next two hours. Please send, email, share, this link to anyone who might be sympathetic, want a cool reward, would like to learn filmmaking, free DVDs, a trip to the Dominican Republic and more. Thank you SO MUCH.

http://kck.st/hVso07

Thank you to EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU to donated, shared, posted, linked, talked, you are absolutely amazing.

PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK TO DONATE  http://kck.st/hVso07

and then click on the green button on the right called  “BACK THIS PROJECT” and enter your information.

SOMOS BUZOS is a documentary about a community of people who live, breathe, eat, and die out of the trash in Cienfuegos, Santiago, Dominican Republic. It follows one buzo (their term for trash diver) who taught himself how to read and write at the age of 20 and considers the education for his kids as their way out. The last stages of production are very expensive and I just don’t have the funds or resources to cover what it takes. This started grass-roots and will end grass-roots. I’m determined to get the story of the buzos out there effectively and loudly. They deserve it the world over.

ABRAZOS
GRACIAS THANK YOU MERCI DANKE SHUKRAN DANIEVAD

Love
Isabelle

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/15/somos-buzos-two-hours-left-only-please-help/feed/ 0 $10,000 and TWO MORE DAYS ONLY TO GO ON KICKSTARTER! http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/12/10000-and-two-more-days-only-to-go-on-kickstarter/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/12/10000-and-two-more-days-only-to-go-on-kickstarter/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:57:09 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=213 The best part is that along with your donation, you get to pick a cool reward: Film DVD, film poster, vintage screenprinted T-shirt, original song, framed art, filmmaking lessons, industry credit, or even a trip to the Dominican Republic. Back me up. Chip in. Become part of my team. Spread the word! The best part is that along with your donation, you get to pick a cool reward: Film DVD, film poster, vintage screenprinted T-shirt, original song, framed art, filmmaking lessons, industry credit, or even a trip to the Dominican Republic. Back me up. Chip in. Become part of my team. Spread the word!

http://kck.st/hVso07

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/12/10000-and-two-more-days-only-to-go-on-kickstarter/feed/ 0 Photo of the Day – I WANT YOU! to throw your life away… http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/11/photo-of-the-day-i-want-you-to-throw-your-life-away/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/11/photo-of-the-day-i-want-you-to-throw-your-life-away/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:43:57 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=204

I’m four days out until the kickstarter campagn ends to finish post production funding for the film. We’ve still got a ways to go, but yesterday was really encouraging with 12 (!) more backers for the project! I can’t thank everyone who has taken the time to contribute enough. Let’s continue to spread the word!

So on to today’s photo of the day.

Sometimes life creeps up with the strangest, creepiest kind of humor, and (as the last photo of the day will attest to) I definitely saw my fair share of weird humor and hope while filming Sumos Buzos. Today’s photo is yet another example of this. The child buzo depicted here found an Uncle Sam mask (sometimes I wonder where this stuff comes from. Scooby Doo costumes? Uncle Sam masks? Really?!) and put it on while continuing to collect garbage.

The determination on Uncle Sam’s face is such a false promise–no one is determined to help these buzos, lease of all Uncle Sam. Instead–he wants YOU! to throw your life away with all this trash.

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/11/photo-of-the-day-i-want-you-to-throw-your-life-away/feed/ 0 Photo of the Day: Scooby Doo in the Dump http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/08/photo-of-the-day-scooby-doo-in-the-dump/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/08/photo-of-the-day-scooby-doo-in-the-dump/#comments Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:40:18 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=197

One of the Buzos I worked with, Diego, had an adorable son. And here’s the thing I learned about kids. They all love scooby doo. It’s like a cartoon constant in the lives of all children, everywhere, not matter what their circumstance–even if they live literally on top of piles of trash.
Diego’s son found this scooby doo suit in the piles of trash and was so excited he put it on–right then and there. You can see the flies that have landed on his face because we stopped to take this photo right from the dump.
]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/08/photo-of-the-day-scooby-doo-in-the-dump/feed/ 0 Photo of the Day: Chest Deep in “Semi-Sorted” Garbage http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/07/photo-of-the-day-chest-deep-in-semi-sorted-garbage/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/07/photo-of-the-day-chest-deep-in-semi-sorted-garbage/#comments Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:05:48 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=184

As part of my kickstarter campaign for Sumos Buzos I wanted to share with you some crazy photos from my time filming in Santiago. Starting today.

Right now.

Today’s photo is from a part of the dump that is semi-sorted–I jumped in to try to get a good shot but was covered up to my chest in plastic bottles. It’s an ironic name for the pile of garbage because “semi-sorted” makes it sound like there’s some level of sanity going on here–nope. Just chaos and grime. Nothing about it is “sorted” in terms of the bigger picture of the environmental and human impact. Not sorted at all.

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2011/01/07/photo-of-the-day-chest-deep-in-semi-sorted-garbage/feed/ 0 18 Days To Go: $1650 out of … $15,000 http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/28/18-days-to-go-1650-out-of-15000/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/28/18-days-to-go-1650-out-of-15000/#comments Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:21:13 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/?p=180 Wow. Who knew that fundraising was so hard? I mean, I knew. I did. Now I know more.

I just got one mantra: for the buzos. For the buzos. For the buzos.

Here’s some more behind the scenes!!!!

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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/izaca/100-fires-living-from-a-landfill

]]> http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/28/18-days-to-go-1650-out-of-15000/feed/ 0 UP TO $1560, official 10% of the project is funded!!! EXCITING! http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/23/up-to-1560-official-10-of-the-project-is-funded-exciting/ http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/23/up-to-1560-official-10-of-the-project-is-funded-exciting/#comments Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:33:51 +0000 Isabelle http://www.izaca.com/blog/2010/12/23/up-to-1560-official-10-of-the-project-is-funded-exciting/ I’m getting my panties all up in a twist. Seriously. Every backer that gets on board makes me smile uncontrollably. Support, even in the smallest doses, can me so much in the big lonely underfunded world of documentary filmmaking. THANK YOU!

Now, MORE!

I will be posting another behind the scenes tonight about me in the trash, filmming, looking v. dirty

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