Living in Albania rapidly goes from having absolutely nothing to do to being so busy that you don't have time to do it all. Last week was one of those weeks where I didn't have enough time to do everything. One of the most important things I've learned during my experience as a Volunteer is that you have to make yourself available. Just being in your community and spending some time doing nothing in your town opens you up to having a lot of opportunities you would have missed out on otherwise. Being involved with the shooting of this movie is a perfect example. Garrett was at the one copy store we have in town getting some copies and runs into the director and producer of this independent film. They have coffee together, come to find out, he's Bajram Curri raised, studied film in London and is going to be shooting a film about a Jewish woman traveling to Albania to escape Nazi persecution. This opened up the opportunity for Eric, who has a background in acting and playwriting, to have a speaking role in the film. It also opened up the opportunity for me to be the lead photographer on set and web designer for the film. Come to find out, both boys had a small acting part. It was such a learning experience being on set for a few days of a film. Watching the directions from the camera man, listening to feedback from the director and seeing how many people are really standing around on the other side of the camera. I think it was defiantly a feit to shoot a movie in Albania, with limited provisions, dead batteries and hungry crew members were bigger problems than in America. But I can't wait to see the finished product and will absolutely post it on here.
