Kampot 'Grey' and Rabbit Island

So, we finished our filming on Friday just before the heavens opened and tipped with rain. Good timing hey?! Ive now got the task of editing the 2 films for the showing on the 4th. I have quite a bit of footage to go through especially because Mark so kindly helped out too so a busy few days coming up.

We all made a decision on Friday to take a trip to Rabbit Island for the day/night which is a little island just of the coast of Kep. We ventured there last time we were here but that time is was clear blue skies and calm waters. Not this time! The boat ride over was a good indication of what we should expect when we got there. We arrived around 12 mid day to the last bit of sun. Elaine was straight in for a swim to fulfil her water addition whilst the rest of us selected beach huts and decided on were to take lunch. Lunch for all of us was a bowl of fried rice in tomato sauce, not quite what I had in mind but it did the job of filling a hole. After lunch the winds really picked up and I honestly thought we was at the beginning of a hurricane! We collectively decided that the best thing to do was to have a few beers and get into the sea and have some fun in the ever increasing waves. We chatted and laughed and after a quick snooze, went to dinner. I chose not to have any prawns or curry after only just recovering from my second episode of a dodgy system! So noodles and boiled rice with a small mouthful of fish it was for me. We all went to bed at 10 and I have to say it was not the best night sleep Ive had. The mattress was damp and so were all my clothes from the barrage of wet wind making its way into the cabin. I made it through and the we left the island in the morning and made it back to Kampot for lunch. It was a good laugh hanging out with Katie, Renee, Irina, Becky, Mark, Somnang and Gavin. Thanks guys.

I'm now back at Mea Culpa on the Internet and doing some downloads as this is definitely the quickest Internet in town. We have a busy week with lots of dance, editing and the arrival of Liz. Ill keep you posted and until then, chow for now.

P.S
Happy Birthday to Jamie on Friday and Matt on Saturday. Hope you had great weekend, sorry I couldn't be there.

Filming Kampot 'Green'

So today, we set off to shoot our first Epic film. We met at the cafe and all made our way to the river and the rice paddies where we drove past yesterday. I think we got some good footage considering the heat! It was flippin hot! I reckon I sweat a stone into my t-shirt in the first half and hour. Thank goodness I brought a cap the day before otherwise I am almost certain I would have a burnt head and sunstroke. The sun however, did get through my suncream and burn the crap out of my arms and feet. My neck now looks like a cross between a lobster and an old leather belt. We did our final shots down by the river and got some nice ones of the students in the water.

These students are so professional its unreal. They stood in the scorching sun and dripped with sweat without making a single moan. When they finished their bit they stood under a tree for shade and when asked, got stuck back in. Working with these guys is truly inspirational. You never feel like you have to bend the way you work because they might be tired, or hot, or need food etc. They really are a fantastic group of young people who teach me more about myself and my teaching everyday I work with them. Also, Mark was so helpful filming Camera 2 today, between us we had it covered and it was a great feeling knowing he had other shots whilst I got in to the close up shots I really enjoy. So apart from my skin being on fire its been a good day. Tomorrow we will be back at it but in town. I hope to contrast the 'green' with the 'grey'. I want to focus on narrow streets and buildings giving the second film a completely different feel. Well, that's the plan anyhow. You know, once you get started with projects like this, it really does begin to open up a world of other possibilities, it really is a fantastic opportunity for personal and professional development and I thank Epic and the support of my other 4Motion half Elaine for getting us out here and making this happen.

Be back with more soon, just trying to polish off half a wart hog with rice.

See ya

Beautiful Bokor breakfast

So, we went for our swim this morning and I'm not sure we could have picked a more beautiful day to see the mountain and its reflection in the river. The rice paddies were glistening and looked like there had been a sheet of glass sandwiched between the reeds and the sky. Nice to get into the water (even though I think I swallowed a fair few mouth fulls!) and then sit and eat a Continental breakfast right on the water front. This morning made me think how lucky I am to be here and how amazing this place can look when the sun is out. The ride back out from the river side saw us get stuck in a great big dirty mud swamp and go ankle deep in sludge! Nearly even lost a flip flop is was so thick. I also done my toe in whilst getting out of the water which is a bit annoying and painful when you accidentally spray deet all over it! We spent the rest of the day talking about the shoot tomorrow and chatting about other 4Motion business. I am now writing this post sat by the water front in town and the sun is just starting to tuck itself behind the mountain and say goodbye for the night. We think we are joining our Epic friends tonight for pizza but are still waiting for a text (cos now we have a phone and it even has a back light with buttons!! So 1998!!) Hannah is back at the weekend and Liz joins us next week so many exciting things on the horizon for us to look forward to. So, till next time......

Back at the Riki

Well, we are back here at Riki already! Drinking a nice lemon burst and getting ready to order some food. Ive got to admit, we should probably be eating somewhere a little more cheaply but yes, this place has the internet and yes, we are using it with full force. So, we have had 2 great days in the studio. Today we worked through one of the dream sequences. We have a boat made from students and sticks that breaks apart leaving Roat swimming for his life. He then gets chased by a crazy looking jellyfish that gets eaten along with him by a huge Whale (made out of students). These guys are not just fantastic at moving, they are great actors and can really make a scene come to life with their facial expressions. Tomorrow we are not working with the students and will spend the day working on things we have planned in the uk. Watch this space!! We are thinking of getting up early and taking a swim in the river as both regualars to a morning dip down the lesuire pool have been missing it very much. We will also be buzzing around town looking for locations to shoot our films. We have been really lucky and got Mark Jones involved whom we met whilst filming a docu out here on our first visit.  He now lives in Kampot with his partner the brilliant Somnang who works with us and the students every day translating and signing. He is going to get stuck in with both shoots hopefully which will really help. So, Im gonna get stuck into to my food in a mo so toodles for now!

Homemade lemonade

The ever increasing race to find the best internet sevice here in Kampot has nearly now taken us to every venue here. Today we are in a nice place called Rikitavi. Elaine just had a spicey bean burrito and complained it was ever so slightly spicy and I had a fantastic bacon and chicken wrap accompanied by a homemade (very bitter but delicious) lemonade. We watched 2 episodes of Luther last night and was nearly tempted by a third! Its brilliant and is making the evenings at the house very exciting! We have kind of planned our week and will be shooting 2 films at the end of the week to add to our 'Postcards from...' collection. Keep posted for them and please check out the others here on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/user6691444/videos.  So, a little bit more tapping away at the keys and then off home to make a veggie pasta and watch episode 6 of Luther!

P.S Happy Birthday to my sister Lucy!

Rain, then baking hot, then rain but amazing students and a great project

So, here I am in a the fabulous Mea Culpa sipping on a little can of Anchor and writing my first ever official blog. Im am nearly half way through our 4Motion residency over here in Kampot, Cambodia and its going brilliantly. The students are stronger than when we came over a year and a half ago and their abilities are to be desired. We have done some great work already, teaching set phrases, choroegraphy challenges and working with elastic. We are hoping to get our videos on the way next week but Ill keep you posted with that. Is really difficult to do (home)work over here, there is this sticky temperature and there are these little dirty midges that love hanging out in front of your face whilst on the laptop. Anyway, I can't complain, there is great food, coconuts and my new found love for Luther all to look forward to. So, Ill leave it at that for today, otherwise I will not have anything to write about in the future. Noodles and Rice.