Reading Pascal Menoret’s “Joyriding In Riyadh”, (here’s a great review on the book), could not have been more timely or more important for me personally, as I’ve been delving into the politics of space and right to the many cities in the Saudi kingdom. It brought me back and forth in time and place that continues to sprawl into an unknown, and yet more urgently situates me in the present. I read the book during finals week and it had major consequences on my film. I decided that this is a much more compelling and urgent story to tell, especially using the urban theoretical framework of the city of Riyadh.
Riyadh is an endless city, with its vast fragmented spaces..it is the source of my identity crisis as well as my inspiration. She’s worlds within and beneath a city. As a Riyadh native hoping to drive in this city one day, nothing is more important than connecting my plight with my marginalized yet visible male counterparts that drive endlessly in my (our) city.
I also decided it would be healthy for me to make a film that is not about graffiti. That is not to say that I will not be equally passionate and dedicated to make a film about something else. But I really thought that a film on graffiti is not as communicable as a film on an urban youth subculture that has been around for more than 3 decades and yet has never been given a fair chance or narrative. Riyadh, too, is more important right now. Because the city sprawl over the past 60 years is insane, and it has major socio-cultural impact on the people. The development of the city is by default linked to the oil curse.
In the beginning I had a couple of weeks of talking to my production assistant and a cameraman that will help shoot the interviews with the subject. The production assistant was to help me get access to potential subjects. Then a week after I started production (of the city), I started getting major hindrances to my documentation from getting stopped by cops to having gone through tireless bureaucracy trying to do things right via the right channels (which I had eventually given up on – after being given empty promises by many ‘resourceful’ people). Of course there is a cultural aspect to this, and it was expected. The fact that it will be summer and Ramadan also, there will be delays for sure. And this is the reason I insisted on arriving as early as possible, so that I spend enough time (with enough patience and determination) going through all the communications and logistics to get to what I need. I am certain now that the first few weeks, which I thought were not as productive, were in fact essential. Merely making calls back and forth and writing documents about my project, making official requests, and searching for subjects - while also being frustrated - was actually one of the hardest steps in my summer fieldwork.
Making a film in this country, as a woman, has proven to be quite a challenge and almost covert operation. Ever the more reason why I need to make this film. But really, this society is still not ready for a woman with a camera and tripod. Haifa Al-Mansour had it different, of course. She had the government backing and production team that made anyone from a cop to a curious passerby trivial. That by itself makes a huge impact on production and the work energy and ethic. I had gotten so used to taking out the tripod from the car trunk and placing it smoothly on a street sidewalk in Santa Cruz. That simple task in Riyadh is a calculated negotiation. Often times I get to a location, and after looking through the window at who/what is around, I decide to leave and try another location, simply because I didn’t feel right. After getting stopped by the cop, who after 30-40 long minutes managed to “let me go this time”, I lost some confidence and ease in filming. The last thing I wanted was to jeopardize my potential in making a film. I also did not want my father to get a call from the police station. I have already a difficult task to keep my family rest assured that I am careful in what I do. The fact that the cop incident happened in the beginning was probably a good thing. It made me much more careful and paranoid. I would even leave my phone at home, or use a new SD card each shoot.
I’m accustomed to documentary photography in Riyadh and elsewhere in the kingdom. Of course it is not an ordinary activity for a woman to take-up, and it often has sparked curiosity amongst people. But it’s a whole different operation to shoot video, which requires more time and setting up. “Setting up” the camera became a luxury. Before 2011, I had more ease at documenting in the streets of Riyadh. After the so-called “Arab Spring”, I felt more surveillance in the city. Now, 3 years after, it is safe to say that this surveillance is pretty extreme. Before I was only worried about religious police. Now, I was worried about anyone and everyone from the cops to the secret police to the passersby on the road (on a couple of occasions I got followed by people). And in a country like Saudi Arabia, one would also fear a passerby because you never know what he/she is capable of. Because also in this country, there is no law that can protect me really.
Without a doubt, I felt that my camera was a weapon. And regardless of how innocent I looked shooting buildings, streets, alleyways, and just “everyday life” in Riyadh, I was bound to be asked each and every single time. “What are you doing?”, “What is this for?”, etc. And I would have quite the audience. That, by itself, would influence my shoots, and decisions to shoot. I may see something worthy of documenting, before I decide to document, I examine the surrounding environment and start predicting and thinking about what may happen. And very often, after few minutes of observation, I made a judgment and decided not to document. This, honestly, was the hardest part of my fieldwork: wanting to document something so bad, but deciding not to.
On a few occasions, I heard passersby say “no photography allowed” as they walk past me. I ignored them. It took me a while to regain my confidence. If I were to use the EA50, I would make sure that the whole shot would take less than 2-3 minutes, from setting up the tripod to getting back into the car. If I were to use the DSLR or iPhone, without tripod, I would take my time. With time, I was pretty much abandoning the EA50 because it was way too difficult to use. The DSLR was attracting enough attention and scrutiny. (I have also been thinking about the next amazing camouflaged camera invention that I will be able to attach to my sunglasses).
I’ve been filming the city as much as I can (from the car and on the streets). Shooting from the car is also pretty symbolic, considering that it is our main means of transportation.
As for my subject: this was the most unexpected aspect of production. I thought finding a subject ready to talk was the most difficult task. It turned out to be the smoothest. Well, my production assistant reached out and gave me a bunch of potential joyriders and their phone numbers. I spoke to a bunch on the phone. We were meant to meet a few before we decide on the best one. But the cop incident happened before the first scheduled meeting with a potential subject, which we ended up canceling in order to strategize. I decided I have to reach out and get documents/licenses to protect me in case I get stopped again. After a couple of frustrating weeks of phone calls and documents being passed around, I decided to stop relying on that possibility and just start shooting. I asked my production assistant to meet a particular subject on my behalf, (Note: there is the system of gender apartheid. I cannot meet male fellow-citizens in public places easily). So I asked my production assistant to meet with one particular subject I talked to on the phone, because I had a feeling that he was so upset about how we had framed our request to meet potential subjects for the film. We had grouped different categories of ‘joyriders’ when we announced it. This subject, Rakan is his name, began the conversation with his critique of why we grouped them all into one category and how “wrong” the media is to just simply put them all together. Someone unhappy with the media and how joyriding (and other motorsport activities) is being framed seemed perfect. Because ultimately, what we do as social documentarians is to tell these stories about social injustice, which are not told or addressed in the same or fair framework in mainstream and official media. Not necessarily, but it was hard enough for me to find people ready to talk, most of them agreed as long as they cover their faces and that we do something to the sound of their voice so that they are not recognized in the film.
Rakan was upset with the mainstream judgmental narrative and stereotypes. And isn’t every social documentarian? We had something important in common: a conscious desire to correct the information and break the stereotypes. My production assistant met him on my behalf, and two hours later he sent me an SMS: “Rana, Rakan is amazing.”
To get my production assistant to meet Rakan was also a dilemma. He felt that it was ethically risky. That he had already made the announcement about the project on Twitter. I had also sent a document to the ministry of interior with a description of the project along with the names and ID numbers of crew members. Let alone, me being stopped by a cop. So at this point, my production assistant was very paranoid about us being watched, and that if we meet with Rakan, he (Rakan) could get arrested on the spot. He felt something wrong with it ethically, that we would be responsible for his arrest. I, however, disagreed that we were ethically responsible, as well as with the fact that this was a risk. A casual meeting for coffee without camera equipment and without any drifting activity is harmless, was my humble opinion. Eventually he agreed, after a long debate. I had to write to Rakan and inform him that this whole project is mine and it’s under my responsibility. My production assistant wanted to be cleared of that.
(Important to also note that my production assistant is a Saudi filmmaker that assisted me pro bono. He is simply passionate about film, and is keen to collaborate and help others in the field. I realized how many selfless favors people do in this field. Even if he were to get paid a fee for his assistance, I would still deem it is selfless, helpful and collaborative. The idea that someone is willing to work on my film that it’s not theirs, nor will the film get an Oscar, was symbolic to me. That many fellow citizens of mine appreciate this powerful form (film). And it seemed that this type of collaboration is very special.
I have been communicating with Rakan via BlackBerry chat! There’s been a few shoots and interviews without my presence!!! Because of legal issues. I meet with my cameraman and we discuss what I want out of the next shoot, including questions he needs to address, etc. He comes back to me with the footage and we watch it together, and then I give him feedback. We then discuss the next shoot. Meanwhile, Rakan sends me questions on BB chat asking me if I’ve seen the footage, and to which I usually answer “yes, :) twice!” followed by a long chat afterwards. I also gave him the go-pro, to film himself in whatever way/place he can.
Then there are the experts. I finally had an interview with the previous deputy mayor of Riyadh, who’s work (and critique) on urban planning and development in the kingdom has helped me a lot in my research. He wrote about the suburbanization of Riyadh and he got sacked when he had a ministerial position because of his honest critique. He is now the provost of Al Faisal University. The interview went well. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to talk to an academic with such position. We only talked about Riyadh (for 2 hours!). It was impossible to address joyriding, which will be addressed in the interview with Pascal in Abu Dhabi at some point during the Fall. But I definitely want the previous deputy mayor’s voice in the film. I plan on including map animations to really visualize how the city sprawled over the past 50 years or so, so I am thinking of using the previous deputy mayor’s voice in a map animation. I also want to include his critical voice, whether about central governance in urban planning, or about our culture, in other parts of the film (with b-roll). Because although our conversation was mainly about the city, there were so many cultural and political aspects addressed that help in creating a framework for understanding the street culture in Riyadh.
Now - with respect to Pascal’s interview. Even though I was planning to meet him during the Fall to conduct the interview, I had an absolutely bizarre circumstance: delaying my flight had me lay-over in Dubai for a night before my return to the U.S. Pascal happened to be back in Abu Dhabi at the time. So I did end up meeting Pascal, even though I was not entirely prepared or even equipped! But because I have already established communication with him, and I am involving him in this project (through his expertise and advice), I decided that I will meet him anyway to have a conversation.
NYU-Abu Dhabi was going through a move of campus, and the situation was quite a mess. Pascal was in a super tiny office filled with boxes and books. I still insisted on bringing whatever equipment I can to our ‘casual meeting’. I ended up having an amazing and very important conversation with Pascal, but not a great shoot. Apart from issues I had with the space, and figuring out the lighting and how to position the camera in that space, I had sound issues. Who would’ve thought that on my very last shoot, I would get the most important thing wrong. But it wasn’t officially a scheduled shoot (I am trying to console myself), so it is expected that it wasn’t cut out to be a smooth shoot. But the boom mic was good enough to at least record this amazing conversation, which I plan on having again when I schedule a proper interview soon. And this conversation is so important in how I think about this film. Pascal had amazing things to say and very interesting ways to describe joyriding. He is so impressively knowledgeable about my history and culture, and is so great at his articulation. He is also excellent and fluent in Arabic, even in his pronounciation. This is important, because I don’t want some orientalist foreign academic to seem as a solution to our local problem. Pascal, in the way he talked, demonstrates that he is far from that immediate stereotype about anthropological and ethnographic work by foreigners that often gets dismissed and deemed ‘inauthentic’ by locals.
Though I will meet Pascal for another interview again, I will be using the footage I have. He will more or less repeat the specific points that I want to use for the film. If he doesn’t repeat on his own, I will ask him (based on the transcript).
I am also planning on using found footage of drifting and of how the mainstream media talks about joyriding. Rakan has been resourceful in this part. He directed me to a couple of TV programs that addressed the “problem” of joyriding. Typically, these programs bring in a traffic specialist, and a psychologist or sociologist, and they address joyriding from a ‘judgmental’ lens. That the problem is that these boys are not raised well, or are let loose by their parents, or that they have psychological (or psycho-social) problems. The mainstream media has always addressed the topic of joyriding as a Saudi young man’s vice, and a problem to be solved. And all solutions presented in these programs are focused on punishment and other criminalization efforts. Rarely are the ideas of neoliberalism, rapid urban development, economics, cheap oil, transportation, gender segregation, and many other socio-political and economic factors and forces are addressed. The best part about this film, is that the subject, the expert, and the filmmaker are all on the same page when it comes to how partial the mainstream media is about joyriding. And so the film attempts to have a real conversation about joyriding, one that wasn’t had in mainstream media.
This has proven to me, that there is always someone willing to tell their story. Rakan defied all my assumptions, and he even changed my perspective on joyriders. I will be honest, I was interested in joyriders because I saw them as a type of street resistance or protest, in search for meaning and struggling to claim their place in the public space. I studied about the various different sociological phenomena that would explain this activity from Durkheim’s ‘anomie’ to mere boredom. Rakan broke all the stereotypes. He is just a young man that has a passion for joyriding. He is merely a product of the environment. And he is taking on this big risk in being in the film, because he is so passionate about his hobby that he wants to change the mainstream view on it. So in fact, the thing I am most excited about in this film, is being able to use Rakan’s own footage! He gave me a hard disk with his own footage. I think I want to also make sure this is communicable in the film. The fact that these guys are documenting their urban culture, despite the fact that they are doing something illegal and punishable. The fact that they are still keen to document and have a visual account of their activity is something worthy of highlighting. Rakan mentions in the interview more than once that he became interested in joyriding after seeing a video. He also tells us that he began to document, even before he became a pro or regular joyrider. I think this is very telling and important.
Another nice thing to learn and confirm, is that there is always someone even if very minority, that will be welcoming and accepting of the camera. This gives me hope. I regain confidence and hope in those little instances when people would ask me what I’m doing, and then they’d suggest that I shoot this or that. I met random ppl in the old souks that now recognize me and are comfortable with my presence with a camera. (After few visits).
Something I learned about the human condition: there is always someone ready to tell their story…even in a city like Riyadh! I should keep searching for those people.
Worth sharing a quote I took from Jennifer: “Chance favors the prepared mind” -Louis Pasteur.
I think I have been extremely lucky. I think because my mind was constantly preparing me for all possibilities.
The main issues I think I will be facing in the editing room: subtitling! Knowing that, I know I need to finish transcribing as soon as possible. I am sure I will be facing many other problems. As of now, this is one issue I need to address immediately and in a timely manner. I need to consult language experts that my subtitling is reasonably accurate. So the issue really is about time and my own time-management because this is an extra task.
I am also mentally prepared and very excited about the map animations I want to make during the winter. So I know that for this quarter, I will start thinking about that and start choosing maps to work with and imitate/replicate them on photoshop.
All my footage is backed up twice, and on many cases even 3 times (SD card).
I have gone through all my footage at least once.
I have seen my subject interview/shoots at least 4 times.
I have seen my expert interviews twice each.
I started the log-and-transfer-ing, but I still have more to go because my computer is very slow. I will hopefully manage to complete this over the next week.
I started transcribing the interview with Rakan, and will start transcribing the remaining interviews over the next week.
Pick-up shots planned for the winter break will depend on what I think of the story by the end of December. Most likely they will be b-roll of certain aspects of daily life and Riyadh. But really, my most important “pick-up shot” is the interview with Pascal.
Here are the few minutes of footage to share with the class on the first day
Riyadh is an endless city, with its vast fragmented spaces..it is the source of my identity crisis as well as my inspiration. She’s worlds within and beneath a city. As a Riyadh native hoping to drive in this city one day, nothing is more important than connecting my plight with my marginalized yet visible male counterparts that drive endlessly in my (our) city.
I also decided it would be healthy for me to make a film that is not about graffiti. That is not to say that I will not be equally passionate and dedicated to make a film about something else. But I really thought that a film on graffiti is not as communicable as a film on an urban youth subculture that has been around for more than 3 decades and yet has never been given a fair chance or narrative. Riyadh, too, is more important right now. Because the city sprawl over the past 60 years is insane, and it has major socio-cultural impact on the people. The development of the city is by default linked to the oil curse.
In the beginning I had a couple of weeks of talking to my production assistant and a cameraman that will help shoot the interviews with the subject. The production assistant was to help me get access to potential subjects. Then a week after I started production (of the city), I started getting major hindrances to my documentation from getting stopped by cops to having gone through tireless bureaucracy trying to do things right via the right channels (which I had eventually given up on – after being given empty promises by many ‘resourceful’ people). Of course there is a cultural aspect to this, and it was expected. The fact that it will be summer and Ramadan also, there will be delays for sure. And this is the reason I insisted on arriving as early as possible, so that I spend enough time (with enough patience and determination) going through all the communications and logistics to get to what I need. I am certain now that the first few weeks, which I thought were not as productive, were in fact essential. Merely making calls back and forth and writing documents about my project, making official requests, and searching for subjects - while also being frustrated - was actually one of the hardest steps in my summer fieldwork.
Making a film in this country, as a woman, has proven to be quite a challenge and almost covert operation. Ever the more reason why I need to make this film. But really, this society is still not ready for a woman with a camera and tripod. Haifa Al-Mansour had it different, of course. She had the government backing and production team that made anyone from a cop to a curious passerby trivial. That by itself makes a huge impact on production and the work energy and ethic. I had gotten so used to taking out the tripod from the car trunk and placing it smoothly on a street sidewalk in Santa Cruz. That simple task in Riyadh is a calculated negotiation. Often times I get to a location, and after looking through the window at who/what is around, I decide to leave and try another location, simply because I didn’t feel right. After getting stopped by the cop, who after 30-40 long minutes managed to “let me go this time”, I lost some confidence and ease in filming. The last thing I wanted was to jeopardize my potential in making a film. I also did not want my father to get a call from the police station. I have already a difficult task to keep my family rest assured that I am careful in what I do. The fact that the cop incident happened in the beginning was probably a good thing. It made me much more careful and paranoid. I would even leave my phone at home, or use a new SD card each shoot.
I’m accustomed to documentary photography in Riyadh and elsewhere in the kingdom. Of course it is not an ordinary activity for a woman to take-up, and it often has sparked curiosity amongst people. But it’s a whole different operation to shoot video, which requires more time and setting up. “Setting up” the camera became a luxury. Before 2011, I had more ease at documenting in the streets of Riyadh. After the so-called “Arab Spring”, I felt more surveillance in the city. Now, 3 years after, it is safe to say that this surveillance is pretty extreme. Before I was only worried about religious police. Now, I was worried about anyone and everyone from the cops to the secret police to the passersby on the road (on a couple of occasions I got followed by people). And in a country like Saudi Arabia, one would also fear a passerby because you never know what he/she is capable of. Because also in this country, there is no law that can protect me really.
Without a doubt, I felt that my camera was a weapon. And regardless of how innocent I looked shooting buildings, streets, alleyways, and just “everyday life” in Riyadh, I was bound to be asked each and every single time. “What are you doing?”, “What is this for?”, etc. And I would have quite the audience. That, by itself, would influence my shoots, and decisions to shoot. I may see something worthy of documenting, before I decide to document, I examine the surrounding environment and start predicting and thinking about what may happen. And very often, after few minutes of observation, I made a judgment and decided not to document. This, honestly, was the hardest part of my fieldwork: wanting to document something so bad, but deciding not to.
On a few occasions, I heard passersby say “no photography allowed” as they walk past me. I ignored them. It took me a while to regain my confidence. If I were to use the EA50, I would make sure that the whole shot would take less than 2-3 minutes, from setting up the tripod to getting back into the car. If I were to use the DSLR or iPhone, without tripod, I would take my time. With time, I was pretty much abandoning the EA50 because it was way too difficult to use. The DSLR was attracting enough attention and scrutiny. (I have also been thinking about the next amazing camouflaged camera invention that I will be able to attach to my sunglasses).
I’ve been filming the city as much as I can (from the car and on the streets). Shooting from the car is also pretty symbolic, considering that it is our main means of transportation.
As for my subject: this was the most unexpected aspect of production. I thought finding a subject ready to talk was the most difficult task. It turned out to be the smoothest. Well, my production assistant reached out and gave me a bunch of potential joyriders and their phone numbers. I spoke to a bunch on the phone. We were meant to meet a few before we decide on the best one. But the cop incident happened before the first scheduled meeting with a potential subject, which we ended up canceling in order to strategize. I decided I have to reach out and get documents/licenses to protect me in case I get stopped again. After a couple of frustrating weeks of phone calls and documents being passed around, I decided to stop relying on that possibility and just start shooting. I asked my production assistant to meet a particular subject on my behalf, (Note: there is the system of gender apartheid. I cannot meet male fellow-citizens in public places easily). So I asked my production assistant to meet with one particular subject I talked to on the phone, because I had a feeling that he was so upset about how we had framed our request to meet potential subjects for the film. We had grouped different categories of ‘joyriders’ when we announced it. This subject, Rakan is his name, began the conversation with his critique of why we grouped them all into one category and how “wrong” the media is to just simply put them all together. Someone unhappy with the media and how joyriding (and other motorsport activities) is being framed seemed perfect. Because ultimately, what we do as social documentarians is to tell these stories about social injustice, which are not told or addressed in the same or fair framework in mainstream and official media. Not necessarily, but it was hard enough for me to find people ready to talk, most of them agreed as long as they cover their faces and that we do something to the sound of their voice so that they are not recognized in the film.
Rakan was upset with the mainstream judgmental narrative and stereotypes. And isn’t every social documentarian? We had something important in common: a conscious desire to correct the information and break the stereotypes. My production assistant met him on my behalf, and two hours later he sent me an SMS: “Rana, Rakan is amazing.”
To get my production assistant to meet Rakan was also a dilemma. He felt that it was ethically risky. That he had already made the announcement about the project on Twitter. I had also sent a document to the ministry of interior with a description of the project along with the names and ID numbers of crew members. Let alone, me being stopped by a cop. So at this point, my production assistant was very paranoid about us being watched, and that if we meet with Rakan, he (Rakan) could get arrested on the spot. He felt something wrong with it ethically, that we would be responsible for his arrest. I, however, disagreed that we were ethically responsible, as well as with the fact that this was a risk. A casual meeting for coffee without camera equipment and without any drifting activity is harmless, was my humble opinion. Eventually he agreed, after a long debate. I had to write to Rakan and inform him that this whole project is mine and it’s under my responsibility. My production assistant wanted to be cleared of that.
(Important to also note that my production assistant is a Saudi filmmaker that assisted me pro bono. He is simply passionate about film, and is keen to collaborate and help others in the field. I realized how many selfless favors people do in this field. Even if he were to get paid a fee for his assistance, I would still deem it is selfless, helpful and collaborative. The idea that someone is willing to work on my film that it’s not theirs, nor will the film get an Oscar, was symbolic to me. That many fellow citizens of mine appreciate this powerful form (film). And it seemed that this type of collaboration is very special.
I have been communicating with Rakan via BlackBerry chat! There’s been a few shoots and interviews without my presence!!! Because of legal issues. I meet with my cameraman and we discuss what I want out of the next shoot, including questions he needs to address, etc. He comes back to me with the footage and we watch it together, and then I give him feedback. We then discuss the next shoot. Meanwhile, Rakan sends me questions on BB chat asking me if I’ve seen the footage, and to which I usually answer “yes, :) twice!” followed by a long chat afterwards. I also gave him the go-pro, to film himself in whatever way/place he can.
Then there are the experts. I finally had an interview with the previous deputy mayor of Riyadh, who’s work (and critique) on urban planning and development in the kingdom has helped me a lot in my research. He wrote about the suburbanization of Riyadh and he got sacked when he had a ministerial position because of his honest critique. He is now the provost of Al Faisal University. The interview went well. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to talk to an academic with such position. We only talked about Riyadh (for 2 hours!). It was impossible to address joyriding, which will be addressed in the interview with Pascal in Abu Dhabi at some point during the Fall. But I definitely want the previous deputy mayor’s voice in the film. I plan on including map animations to really visualize how the city sprawled over the past 50 years or so, so I am thinking of using the previous deputy mayor’s voice in a map animation. I also want to include his critical voice, whether about central governance in urban planning, or about our culture, in other parts of the film (with b-roll). Because although our conversation was mainly about the city, there were so many cultural and political aspects addressed that help in creating a framework for understanding the street culture in Riyadh.
Now - with respect to Pascal’s interview. Even though I was planning to meet him during the Fall to conduct the interview, I had an absolutely bizarre circumstance: delaying my flight had me lay-over in Dubai for a night before my return to the U.S. Pascal happened to be back in Abu Dhabi at the time. So I did end up meeting Pascal, even though I was not entirely prepared or even equipped! But because I have already established communication with him, and I am involving him in this project (through his expertise and advice), I decided that I will meet him anyway to have a conversation.
NYU-Abu Dhabi was going through a move of campus, and the situation was quite a mess. Pascal was in a super tiny office filled with boxes and books. I still insisted on bringing whatever equipment I can to our ‘casual meeting’. I ended up having an amazing and very important conversation with Pascal, but not a great shoot. Apart from issues I had with the space, and figuring out the lighting and how to position the camera in that space, I had sound issues. Who would’ve thought that on my very last shoot, I would get the most important thing wrong. But it wasn’t officially a scheduled shoot (I am trying to console myself), so it is expected that it wasn’t cut out to be a smooth shoot. But the boom mic was good enough to at least record this amazing conversation, which I plan on having again when I schedule a proper interview soon. And this conversation is so important in how I think about this film. Pascal had amazing things to say and very interesting ways to describe joyriding. He is so impressively knowledgeable about my history and culture, and is so great at his articulation. He is also excellent and fluent in Arabic, even in his pronounciation. This is important, because I don’t want some orientalist foreign academic to seem as a solution to our local problem. Pascal, in the way he talked, demonstrates that he is far from that immediate stereotype about anthropological and ethnographic work by foreigners that often gets dismissed and deemed ‘inauthentic’ by locals.
Though I will meet Pascal for another interview again, I will be using the footage I have. He will more or less repeat the specific points that I want to use for the film. If he doesn’t repeat on his own, I will ask him (based on the transcript).
I am also planning on using found footage of drifting and of how the mainstream media talks about joyriding. Rakan has been resourceful in this part. He directed me to a couple of TV programs that addressed the “problem” of joyriding. Typically, these programs bring in a traffic specialist, and a psychologist or sociologist, and they address joyriding from a ‘judgmental’ lens. That the problem is that these boys are not raised well, or are let loose by their parents, or that they have psychological (or psycho-social) problems. The mainstream media has always addressed the topic of joyriding as a Saudi young man’s vice, and a problem to be solved. And all solutions presented in these programs are focused on punishment and other criminalization efforts. Rarely are the ideas of neoliberalism, rapid urban development, economics, cheap oil, transportation, gender segregation, and many other socio-political and economic factors and forces are addressed. The best part about this film, is that the subject, the expert, and the filmmaker are all on the same page when it comes to how partial the mainstream media is about joyriding. And so the film attempts to have a real conversation about joyriding, one that wasn’t had in mainstream media.
This has proven to me, that there is always someone willing to tell their story. Rakan defied all my assumptions, and he even changed my perspective on joyriders. I will be honest, I was interested in joyriders because I saw them as a type of street resistance or protest, in search for meaning and struggling to claim their place in the public space. I studied about the various different sociological phenomena that would explain this activity from Durkheim’s ‘anomie’ to mere boredom. Rakan broke all the stereotypes. He is just a young man that has a passion for joyriding. He is merely a product of the environment. And he is taking on this big risk in being in the film, because he is so passionate about his hobby that he wants to change the mainstream view on it. So in fact, the thing I am most excited about in this film, is being able to use Rakan’s own footage! He gave me a hard disk with his own footage. I think I want to also make sure this is communicable in the film. The fact that these guys are documenting their urban culture, despite the fact that they are doing something illegal and punishable. The fact that they are still keen to document and have a visual account of their activity is something worthy of highlighting. Rakan mentions in the interview more than once that he became interested in joyriding after seeing a video. He also tells us that he began to document, even before he became a pro or regular joyrider. I think this is very telling and important.
Another nice thing to learn and confirm, is that there is always someone even if very minority, that will be welcoming and accepting of the camera. This gives me hope. I regain confidence and hope in those little instances when people would ask me what I’m doing, and then they’d suggest that I shoot this or that. I met random ppl in the old souks that now recognize me and are comfortable with my presence with a camera. (After few visits).
Something I learned about the human condition: there is always someone ready to tell their story…even in a city like Riyadh! I should keep searching for those people.
Worth sharing a quote I took from Jennifer: “Chance favors the prepared mind” -Louis Pasteur.
I think I have been extremely lucky. I think because my mind was constantly preparing me for all possibilities.
The main issues I think I will be facing in the editing room: subtitling! Knowing that, I know I need to finish transcribing as soon as possible. I am sure I will be facing many other problems. As of now, this is one issue I need to address immediately and in a timely manner. I need to consult language experts that my subtitling is reasonably accurate. So the issue really is about time and my own time-management because this is an extra task.
I am also mentally prepared and very excited about the map animations I want to make during the winter. So I know that for this quarter, I will start thinking about that and start choosing maps to work with and imitate/replicate them on photoshop.
All my footage is backed up twice, and on many cases even 3 times (SD card).
I have gone through all my footage at least once.
I have seen my subject interview/shoots at least 4 times.
I have seen my expert interviews twice each.
I started the log-and-transfer-ing, but I still have more to go because my computer is very slow. I will hopefully manage to complete this over the next week.
I started transcribing the interview with Rakan, and will start transcribing the remaining interviews over the next week.
Pick-up shots planned for the winter break will depend on what I think of the story by the end of December. Most likely they will be b-roll of certain aspects of daily life and Riyadh. But really, my most important “pick-up shot” is the interview with Pascal.
Here are the few minutes of footage to share with the class on the first day
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