Our crews know the ins and outs of storytelling, and have the ability to find and create stories that shine. Their skill enables our clients to showcase their impact but more importantly – they enable the people behind the camera to share their stories, putting a face to the work that we do each and every day. We asked some of our crews to talk to us about their work and lives, from personal to professional. Here’s what they said!
What do you think makes a good story?
Masrur Jamaluddin, Producer and Director of Water as Leverage Indonesia
“A good story is firstly about people. It’s about their hardest problems, and what they’re doing about them. These are often related to their environment, their life, their job, and their relationships. We’re looking to understand and show how they fighting to solve their problems.”
Paulo Igor Vera Salas, Director of Photography of Incofin Bolivia
People. The good characters will lead a good story. And without people, there’s no story.
Where does your passion/ambition for film/photography come from? How did this develop?
Timothy Mwaura, Director and Cinematographer of Care Partners for Resilience
I never imagined life as a filmmaker. In fact, I never saw myself in any life at all. I did however experience tiny pieces of frangible creativity which I would chase from time to time. Sometimes as a rapper or a poet. An actor or a dancer. Today, being a photographer or a filmmaker reminds me of the ambiguity of life. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to documentary filmmaking.
Wilson D. Rumisha, Video Creator for BRAC Tanzania
I met with a lot of people with different cultures, different ethnic backgrounds. Through film-making, I was able to immerse myself in whichever country I was in – the culture and the people – so I felt that I had a lot to tell. I couldn’t keep that to myself and thought, what better way than through the medium of film? Nothing works better than film when you’re trying to convey a message to people. That’s what I always believed.
What are your ambitions for the future in terms of your film/photography career? What drives you in these?
Abrian Maulana Azmi, Videographer, DOP, Cinematographer of Care Partners for Resilience Indonesia
That’s tough, but I’d set the ambition to get selected on film festivals, maybe even to get to a million views and be distributed across multiple platforms. I’m working to have real impact, on the ground. What I know for certain is that my motivation comes from the heart, feelings and thoughts that drive me to make documentaries, which I consider a big bonus to my line of work.
Where does your ambition/passion for impact storytelling/documentary storytelling, as opposed to more commercial work, come from?
Paulo Igor Vera Salas, Director of Photography of Incofin Bolivia
There are more personal stories that involve people with life courses that make an impact on themselves and their communities. These people deserve to be shown and their stories highlighted to share and how they affect our world.
Wilson D. Rumisha, Video Creator of BRAC Tanzania
Actually, I have you guys to thank at Makmende! Normally, I was involved in short films, commercials and infomercials, and I had little experience in the impact space. It was actually Makmende that got me involved in 2018, I’ve been working with you guys for a long time! Since then, I was able to see the impact of NGOs or such a system that has been put in place to aid people. And you guys are actually creating a difference. Most NGOs are actually here to help and not actually just exist. It showed me that the NGOs are actually here to do good and it inspired me to keep carrying out this sort of thing and venture out in terms of film production.
What’s the biggest advice you would give to any other (aspiring) filmmaker/photographer?
Wilson D. Rumisha, Video Creator of BRAC Tanzania
Every person that you will meet, can teach you something. Even the people that you think have nothing in common with your way of life, can teach you from their own experiences. You have to listen carefully. You’ll better understand your commonality, and in that way, you’ll make them shine.
