More musings about PattyBoy – The Documentary
I have been thinking about this film today and considering the multiple themes of this piece. PattyBoy was severely bullied at school. It is an insistent problem that rises up and creates havoc and constant anguish for so many. For some, bullying leads to extreme measure – for those on the receiving end. I too have experienced it during my school years and of course kept it secret. My wonderful mother noticed the changes in my behavior overtime and managed to get me talking about it. She, bless the woman took it in hand. She was supportive, continually spoke to the school and it was slowly dealt with. I was still aware of those girls whilst at school but her support gave me strength. I just wanted to be different from everybody else, I could not help myself. I dressed differently and immersed myself in creativity – that seemed to effect the bullies and they wanted to grind me into the ground. It was small town New Zealand – standing out was not always the best place to stand! So in describing this experience of over 30 years ago I feel great empathy for Patrick. We have been discussing this issue in our interviews and want to explore it further. He was also really supported by him Mum – what would be do without tor Mothers ?
Patrick felt isolated and his method of finding a community was to embrace the internet. He created an online community. He began vlogging in 2008 and slowly but surely built up a following. from here he made numerous friends – many of which moved from the online environment to the offline environment. Kiwi YouTubers and Twitter users would meet up at various venues and in other cities to meet There he found support and understanding and great friendship. For some it has been a lifeline – a way to find acceptance amongst peers and I want to look at this in the film. But the cruelty still exists. Online bullying and cruel criticism and threats of violence has been posted. This is frighteningly common. Another issue we want to look at. Patrick remains so positive and continues to create music, create accompanying videos and post vlogs. He responds to his critics in such a cheerful way. I am amazed and inspired by this!
We will be setting up a crowd fund over the next months and continuing to document our progress and post words, images and video. I am starting to review the footage we have shot thus far and begin transcribing the first interviews this week. There is a great deal to do – we are at the beginning . With more shooting, looking at hours of archive material, After Effects work and animation to get started – well it will take me a while. Ah so happy to do it….
Spread the word.
Aroha nui
This is my land – Taranaki – driving towards Waitomo….
Not so long ago, I drove in the early morning, well not that early from Taranaki to Auckland. It took around 5 hours. The morning was misty, cinematic. I stopped and took some pictures. There are times, when I stop, look and cannot believe the landscape before my eyes. The camera allows me to record what I see.
Looking at people looking at…..I wish I had seen everything.
I have the feeling that I’ve seen everything, but failed to notice the elephants. Anton Chekhov
I went to the gallery and there were objects, painting, sculptures and people – where was I to look. I was drowning,in the work it drenched me, i wanted to keep it in my brain and I wanted to keep the people there too. My camera served me well.
I was here: http://www.smb.museum/smb/sammlungen/details.php?lang=de&objID=20&n=1&r=13&s=6
One eye
looks within, the other eye looks without. Henri Cartier-Bresson
I have been looking at buildings
Friday am – grayish day – parked on roof top of a parking building – parking building objects of ugly-beauty – here is the quick view before running to get to work. Late.
getting older
although these are not my feet, perhaps one day they will be. when you are young, very young, the summer is an eternity and though you do not feel like returning to school, each summer day seems like endless canvas. (do you remember this – have you forgotten in all your busy occupation)
and at its completion – exhausting.
and strangely enough i wished that i would be older – impatient to experience what was to come. little did i know – it is never what you expect. discovering photography in my early twenties was a revelation, of magic, chemistry and the ability to record a moment in time. able to record what you see over a life time – this began with film and eventually led to a digital slr – i kicked and screamed all the way.
aging cannot be helped – an inevitability – emphasise ability
This was the day that was…
this evening, a little rain and me in the backyard with the phone – click
the pixels are huge but i don’t mind its murky-nature – its graininess
that’s all now.
tomorrow on my lunch break i am going to take photographs of as many people as i can sneak up on
that will be tomorrow
June 29, 2010 | Categories: more bullshit | Tags: comment, images, photography, portraits, rain, think, words, writing | Leave A Comment »