A year ago this time the Double 7 Film Team headed down to Port Elizabeth, South Africa to shoot the BioCast for Ubuntu Education Fund. Check out more photos on our FLICKR PAGE and learn more about Ubuntu at the link above!

Posted by Pete Chatmon

Ubuntu Education Fund EPK from Double 7 Film on Vimeo.

December 1st is World AIDS Day and I ask all of you to take a moment to consider the realities of this epidemic.

For 2 weeks in June and July of 2008, I was in Port Elizabeth, South Africa directing the electronic press kit for Ubuntu Education Fund. They do OUTSTANDING work in the Ibhayi Townships which suffer from 80% unemployment and a 40% HIV infection rate.

I hope you will visit their site HERE to learn how you can donate to the cause. Like I said, they are doing BEAUTIFUL work and anything that you can contribute is monumental.

Watch the project above to learn more about what Ubuntu is doing and CLICK HERE for a few photos from our trip.

THANK YOU.

Posted by Pete Chatmon

Unless you haven’t been visiting Double 7 World daily like you should, you know that we just returned from Port Elizabeth, South Africa where I was directing a project for Ubuntu Education Fund.

This is that raw video: straight, no chaser, no effects. And overcompressed since YouTube wouldn’t accept the QuickTime file so I had to convert it to mpeg-4.

Nevertheless, it’s the best way for you to feel like you were there with us. This footage was captured at the conclusion of our 2nd day of shooting. Sound Mixer, Tahir Jetter, and I, periodically addressed the camera to provide some comic relief to all of the burdensome things that we saw. Despite the weight of many peoples lives, their hope remained, and that is why the inspiration remains as well. In the meantime, pardon the language and no offense to anyone…it’s just “Bad Comedy”…

Posted by Pete Chatmon

We want you to get a real feel for how we experienced the trip on all levels.

In this horribly compressed clip (thanks YouTube for not accepting the beautiful QuickTime version!), Pete Chatmon, Tshaka Brookes, and Tahir Jetter visit Robben Island Road in Port Elizabeth on the first full day with Ubuntu Education Fund. This was my favorite picture from the trip…

Posted by Double 7 World

In America we say, “it’s all good”. In South Africa, they say, “sharp” and give you a thumbs up. When we weren’t working, we were getting our “sharp on” and doing what you would’ve been doing too: compiling new profile pics .

Tahir Jetter, our sound mixer and one to watch coming out of NYU film school very soon, captured this picture of Pete Chatmon taking a picture of himself. It ain’t vanity … it’s an online world. Say what you want, then add him as a m*&%$effin friend and join the damn groups on the scroll to the right! YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter! Join the Movement and Inquire about Production Consulting too! We are here to help…

Posted by Pete Chatmon

It’s 9:15am and we are packing up our stuff at the Tamapa Lodge in Bluewater Bay. On this final post I wanted to get a few images synonymous with our trip. The South African Sunrise (above) is amazing, as are the many kids we met along the way…

…this note on the wall of an elementary school couldn’t be more accurate…

…and this sunset from Grahamstown seems a fitting way to close out our 2 week visit. We shall return…

…and so should you

Posted by Pete Chatmon

I’m still experiencing video upload woes but no worries. We hope to overcome, but if not, you will see what I have seen sooner rather than later. The Ubuntu project has been going exceptionally well and we found a little time over the weekend to explore a bit of the Eastern Cape Province. On Saturday we went to the Grahamstown Arts and Theater Festival, where I picked up some souvenirs from my homie Mike…

On Sunday we visited the Addo Elephant Park. I was a little bummed about not seeing the proverbial king of the jungle (the lions were nowhere to be seen), but I did get to kick it with the other big homie pictured below…

Talking to the various people we meet has been great, providing great perspective to the realities of the South African dynamic. With Apartheid abolished in 1994, many remnants remain — architecturally, psychologically, and emotionally. The one thing I know for sure, everyone needs to spend more time talking to people, particularly those unlike themselves, to get a truer sense of this world we live in.

Soapbox done — for now

Ubuntu Education Fund was started in 1999 on the success of a raffle that raised $400. Today, Ubuntu has grown to service the health and educational needs of over 40,000 children and families in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Double 7 Film will be traveling to Port Elizabeth this month to shoot a short film about all that Ubuntu provides.

Click here to see founder Jacob Lief on Charlie Rose.

Click here to donate to this great organization.