CREW REVIEWS

It’s been over a year since I’ve returned from shooting a short documentary with three other peers through Actuality Media. Words can’t describe what a truly amazing experience it was, and if you’re thinking about it, there’s only a few things to consider before you make the jump and commit to shooting a doco abroad. The key thing you must be able to do is to have an open mind to the culture you are travelling to experience. Read up on the history of the country and its people. Be sure to check your western biases at the airport before you leave, because you’re going to experience a lifestyle that pushes you out of your comfort zone (especially if it’s your first time abroad). It was my first time travelling to a developing country, and in hindsight, I am so pleased to say that going through Actuality Media was the best possible (and safest and funnest) way I could have experienced Kenya. Sure, you’ll get to experience the touristy aspects of the city you go to, but you also get to experience the day-to-day life of the community you are serving and studying for your documentary. The other aspect of your decision to travel with Actuality is that you must be willing to work hard and learn quickly. Audrey and Robin were excellent teachers and teach you everything you need to know, but you have to be willing to put in just as much work. You’re not embarking on a typical vacation; you’re creating a documentary to help serve your topic changemaker. Researching and creating my documentary was truly the biggest takeaway from my experience because my peers and I built such incredible relationships with the people involved. We experienced Nairobi through an authentic lens by listening to community members and spending many of our days with them. My summer abroad with Actuality Media is a treasured experience in my heart, and I highly encourage you to travel with them if you are willing to keep an open heart/mind, work hard, and push yourself beyond your comfort. If you do these things, Actuality Media will meet you halfway and provide one of the greatest experiences of your life.

Our entire group decided to take one of our weekends off to travel to San Pedro, a neighboring town that catered a bit more to tourists. We all enjoyed spending time together, and getting to know everyone in the group a bit better, and learn where they were from. We also got to know the locals and a different atmosphere of Guatemala a bit better. I chose my program because of the opportunity to work as an editor on a film while getting to travel somewhere I had never been. It was my first time traveling abroad, which was exciting, and as a journalism student, it gave me the opportunity to learn something completely different. It gave me new ideas on how to deliver stories, and how to capture my visions for said story. We stayed in hostels, and breakfast/dinner were provided for us. We were also given translators, since English was very rarely spoken by anyone in the area.

My most memorable experience was working with the change maker organization. They were very friendly and I felt what they were doing for the community was inspirational. Hearing the stories of their success and what it translated to made me want to work for them. Overall, there were many memorable moments, I think just living in Kenya for a month was really the best part. I chose this program because I wanted to make a documentary about a culture I was unfamiliar with. I was also recommended to Actuality Media by a student at my school who took part in the program and had nothing but glowing reviews to say. It appealed to me very much and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Our living situation was fantastic. We were provided breakfast and dinner every day by smiling faces. The actual place we stayed at was a sports academy that had very loving and friendly people. I think we were very spoiled by the people who put us up!

My most memorable experience was the daily routine of living in the hostel, working on the film, and becoming familiar in a city that was once foreign to me. This program fit everything I was looking for — a study abroad program that I could use for college credit and toward my filmmaking career as a documentary filmmaker. I lived in a hostel in a room with four bunk beds, so I was sharing a room with 7 other people from Actuality. The hostel was very accommodating and I made friends with the hostel staff and other travelers who were staying in the hostel.

I have been back in my home country for 2 months now and not a single day has gone by where I haven’t thought about my time with Actuality Media in Kenya. It is a memory and experience which I will hold close for ever. I learnt the equivalent of a years worth of University in a matter of weeks but also learnt about myself and what matters in life in a way that you can’t appreciate until you are put out of your comfort zone. The people who I met and collaborated with, I will cherish for life. The friends I made I feel I will always have as we share a unique and life changing experience. The outreach program is an amazing thing to do, one of which I will recommend to everyone. The people are great, the content is great and the memories are unforgettable. Internship Placement: I learnt basically a full years worth of study in 4 weeks. Amazing. Cultural Immersion: I felt that I experienced Kenya in a way not many tourists would. I felt I became part of the community and was given the opportunities to fully immerse myself in the culture. This trip has been one of the best of my life. Program Administration: Emails and queries were always promptly responded too. I always knew what was going on and wasn’t scared to ask questions about the program. Health and Safety: Like with all travel you have to have your witts about you and when getting used to a knew culture, it can be a bit scary because it is different, but once I was accustomed to the culture I rarely felt threatened and overall I always felt safe. Social Life: We were given the freedom to party and explore as much as we wanted. It was excellent!

My experience in Guatemala was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had thus far. Living and working behind the Guatemalan people was an eye opening and humbling experience. The chance to have real world experience and free reign with your creative control makes the whole process extremely rewarding and educational. It was an awesome trip and a great project to be apart of, I am so happy I had the opportunity to work in the field I love working. Internship Placement: I thought the briefings we participated in each morning were extremely helpful and educational, I kept my journal from the meetings and still have it with me now for notation. Outside of the briefings the hands on experience and free reign to control our project was extremely beneficial. I feel that I learned techniques I could not learn in the classroom during the Guatemala program. Cultural Immersion: Living in Guatemala is thus far the most cultural immersion I’ve ever experienced and I know that it changed my perspective for the better. In a short month my eyes were opened more than I thought they could be. The learning experience was not only to do with media production, but it was also a personal learning and growing experience. Program Administration: I think the program administration was appropriate, I felt the set up of dailys and discussion with the group wrapped around the free time we had to work on our own as a team was very effective. Health and Safety: I never felt unsafe while I was down in Guatemala, all of the people there were extremely friendly and welcoming people. Also the instructors were sure to make us aware of any safety issues that need be. Social Life: We would socialize as a grow, the 15 of us (interns and translators) became close friends and hung out together constantly. We also became friends with some of the locals, and would speak spanglish with them or have spanish translated conversations.

My time in Nairobi with Actuality Media is one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I don’t think that there’s a better way to have experienced the city and country’s culture than by creating a documentary short film with other creative, aspiring filmmakers. I felt welcomed into the program despite that I had little prior experience to creating films, and the academic content of Aubrie’s daily briefings taught me all that I needed to know to be successful in shooting our documentary. You’ll meet friends from all over the world, work hard and play hard. Joining this program was one of the greatest travel experiences I’ve EVER had. Internship Placement: Aubrie’s daily briefings were always well-planned and executed. Each morning’s class held so much useful information that was consistently pertinent to the work we were doing and practicing each day. As a current teacher, I admire the academic content that the program provided to me as an aspiring filmmaker. Cultural Immersion: I MISS being in Nairobi, Kenya with Actuality Media. The program immersed us in all imaginable ways possible. We experienced the slums of Nairobi with local changemakers, traveled out of the city to national parks and safaris, lived in a middle-class setting, and experienced the upper-end touristy destinations and restaurants. While we were there, we truly experienced EVERYTHING, from learning the basics of a new language, to eating the local cuisine each day for breakfast and dinner. I wouldn’t trade my participation with AM for the world. Program Administration: Aubrie and Robin both work very diligently to make this program run as smoothly as possible, while also making sure to provide the highest services possible to creating a documentary short film in a developing country. From overseeing shooting days to editing side-by-side with us in the board room, these two made sure that the overall program was a successful and pleasant experience for us all. Health and Safety: Everyone experienced a pickpocket of some sort, which is expected in urban areas (even in the U.S. or other developed nations), so it wasn’t a surprise to experience them in Nairobi, whether they were successful pick-pockets or attempted ones. Exercise caution. Guys, don’t put phones in your back pockets or even shirt pockets (don’t even take them out with you, you likely won’t need them), and girls, pack thin and small purses you can carry across your shoulder. Social Life: From the night life to the day light, everything and every moment in Kenya was an ADVENTURE. Don’t be afraid to explore the city; we always felt safe during the day, and through exercising caution travelling at night, we were always able to have a blast.

The whole project provided a double learning experience for me. I learned about myself and my particular way of learning and also gained really good hands-on techniques in documentary filmmaking. It was something I don’t think can be replicated. Internship Placement: For me, taking myself out of a classroom, a place where I can learn, was very refreshing. The stimulation and on the ground learning was to me one of the most important parts. Cultural Immersion: Excellent. Program Administration: Did a great job. However, I wish there was a little more one on one time with camera equipment. Meaning, a task or assignment to achieve something and also become more familiar with it. Health and Safety: No problem at all. Social Life: All the people accompanying the entire trip I wish I lived near and around them. They were inspired and inspiring people.

This is the best experience I have had abroad. I was with a great group of people in an amazing place and learned so much. Though a month is such a short time to make a film and you think you will be so busy, but the program is designed so you are able to travel and see the city you are in as well as develop relationships with the people around you and the locals. As long as you put in the work you need to do, with the help of the program managers, you will have an awesome time. Internship Placement: Learned so much is such a short amount of time Cultural Immersion: We got to do so much is such a short amount of time, and although we were super busy, we were given so many opportunities to travel on days off. Program Administration: Gave us a lot of room to do what we wanted, while helping us make really awesome films. Overall one of the best experiences I’ve had. Health and Safety: I always felt safe, but you had to watch out for your electronics (phones, camera, etc.). Besides that, I felt safe enough to go places by myself during the day and out with a group at night. Social Life: We were able to go out to the local clubs, bars, etc. or stay in and hang out. You had a lot of choices which was great.

Amazing way to learn about documentary filming, meet incredible friends from around the world and have a holiday all at once!