Winning Film Released in Michael Kiwanuka & FilmAid Music Video Competition

The winning film in Michael Kiwanuka and FilmAid's music video contest has been released on Vevo, it was announced today. You can view the video here. Below, NeeNee Productions' Gayle Nosal discusses the creation of the video, winning the competition, and what's next for their project.

The footage seen in our music video came from a two-week field production in Uganda in the summer of 2013. The filmmaking team at Inflatable Film—Leah Warshawski, Todd Soliday and Chris Towey—traveled from Rwanda and Seattle to meet NeeNee Productions and collaborate on the initial phase of a longer-term production to follow a group of refugee and displaced teenage girls who live together in Uganda, hoping to stay in school and pursue their dreams for the future. The longer-term goal of the project is to capture over time the important dynamics of the girls’ lives—their shared pasts, their common household, their larger community, and their future pathways. 

NeeNee Productions is returning to Uganda in February 2014 to continue gathering footage of the girls as well as their families and friends in the surrounding communities. We are also excited to share that during our February trip, NeeNee is collaborating with Ugandan professionals to bring various skills and expertise to the project and provide creative and personal mentoring to the girls. For example, in February, NeeNee Productions is hiring four professional, university-educated Ugandan women as camera/video instructor (using video cameras donated to the girls by NeeNee), cultural and community liaison story-telling teacher, interviewer, and refugee consultant. NeeNee has also hired a Ugandan-based videographer for this trip.

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We at NeeNee Productions are overjoyed that FilmAid and Michael Kiwanuka chose our music video to be the grand prizewinner of their contest. We extend our deepest gratitude to the young women featured in the music video, to their families and friends, and to the people of Think Humanity, who are dedicated to educating these girls. The ongoing project will culminate in a documentary film as well as a unique video content online. You can follow the progress of these girls and our project at www.neeneeproductions.com and on twitter at @intheneenee. 

On behalf of everyone involved at NeeNee Productions, we would like to thank FilmAid, Michael Kiwanuka, Talenthouse as well as Inflatable Film and Think Humanity for the opportunity to enter this contest and share our deep connection to the girls with others.

Music, Movies, and Magic

There's something magical about the combination of film and music.  Some of the most popular FilmAid screenings in the camps consist solely of silent footage -- of a cartoon cat and mouse, or a little black-and-white tramp with a cane; pure, escapist slapstick.

But the music that accompanies it elevates it, and the minds of those who watch it, just as the words of a particularly poignant song can add resonance to the images on the screen before you.  To that end, we'd like to point you once more in the direction of Soundcheque, the wonderful original music for film service which has been providing gems like our recent 'Love Online' with music. 

That combination can work even more magically in the form of a call to action or to raise awareness of real events and embed their significance in the mind of the watcher.  Right now we're impressed with Ellie Goulding's latest collaboration with Save the Children, an initiative which sees sales of her amazing song I Know You Care going to help the organization with its work with Syrian children.  Goulding had teamed up with Universal Records and Save the Children through digital marketing agency STEAK to ensure that downloads of the song, originally made for the filmNow Is Good starring Dakota Fanning, go to the appeal.  

All of which comes as a 'by the way' to remind you of our fabulous contest to produce a music video for us. In collaboration with creative crowdsourcers Talenthouse, we are looking for a music video that tells the stories of refugees, set to the haunting track 'Home Again' by Michael Kiwanuka.  Fantastic prizes are on offer to the winner and the winner of the popular vote.  This is your way of helping us tell the story of the individuals we work with.  Please get involved and spread the word!