Embassy of the United States

Successful American Documentary Showcase with Tricia Regan and Bart Weiss

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Karachi, July 13, 2009 – Filmmaker and director Ms. Tricia Regan and film specialist Mr. Bart Weiss with local journalist after the showing of a documentary movie “Autism: The musical” at the Consul General’s Residence.

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Karachi, July 13, 2009 – Filmmaker and director Ms. Tricia Regan and film specialist Mr. Bart Weiss with local journalist after the showing of a documentary movie “Autism: The musical” at the Consul General’s Residence.

From July 11-15, 2009, U.S. Consulate General Karachi hosted U.S. speakers, filmmaker Tricia Regan and film specialist Bart Weiss as part of The American Documentary Showcase. They engaged in various programs and screenings over a three-day period. We began on July 12 with a showing of "Autism, The Musical" at the American Club, followed by discussion with 25 local media that included producers, reporters and documentary section heads of Pakistan's leading private television stations. Some freelance filmmakers also attended. It was scheduled to be a three hour program, but the audience was so enthralled that the program went long. The Daily Times newspaper reported the program on front page of the City section in the July 14 edition. On July 13, Bart and Tricia led an interactive session on "Latest Developments in Documentary Filmmaking" with 18 professional Pakistani filmmakers at the Consul General's Residence (CGR). In this 5-hour workshop, the filmmakers discussed the latest techniques in filmmaking in general, but particularly in documentaries. The workshop attendees were particularly interested in learning from experts what every documentary filmmaker and/or non-fiction television producer should know and how to get projects made and seen in today's ever-changing market place. They also discussed programming needs, strategies, how to get a green light when you pitch your movie, and budgets that make sense. A screening of "Autism the Musical", in collaboration with Natakwalay performing arts group, followed by a Q&A session with the media studies students and contacts of Natakwalay at the CGR later the same evening. 45 youth, contacts of Natakwalay and students of various institutes of Karachi, attended the event and were very impressed with the movie. Most were curious about how to decide on a topic for a documentary. On July 14, the filmmakers granted an interview with the live morning show of the country's number one private English language radio station. The young host, Junaid, discussed documentary film making in America and how the industry seems to be flourishing. Tricia shared her experiences of film making with the listeners and the reasons why she chose to make a documentary on autism. Again, there was such interested generated by the interview that the program host kept them for a full hour - 30 minutes longer than planned. Both station management and the host at FM 89 were thrilled to have these two American experts visit their station and speak to their listeners. Following the radio appearance, Bart and Tricia conducted a workshop with 30 students selected from the media science departments of the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), the Indus Valley School of Arts, and Karachi University on the latest techniques in filmmaking at SZABIST. In this workshop the filmmakers discussed in detail the importance of doing your research before filming in order to have clear goals and knowing what it is you are trying to achieve. Issues of representation, consideration of audience, consistent production values, demonstration of control of the medium, attention to the relationship between audio and picture, shooting and editing were all touched on. In the afternoon, the filmmakers met and exchanged ideas with Pakistani filmmakers/renowned artists Mr. Obaidullah Beg, Mr. Rahat Kazmi and Mr. Arshad Mehmood on "filmmaking in the US" at the Marriott hotel. A television interview was arranged with a leading English-language news channel, Express 24/7. Tricia and Bart enjoyed talking to the reporter, Fahd Desmukh, who was keen to meet and talk with the American film professionals. The filmmakers were interviewed separately for variety in airing. The interviews focused on the purpose of Bart and Tricia's visit to Pakistan, and how this interaction on documentary film making would benefit Pakistani filmmakers. Since Karachi is Pakistan's media hub, a final film screening was arranged for early evening, followed by discussion with reporters, producers and people working in the documentary sections of various TV stations. AajTV, VOA news, Sindh TV News, a female freelance producer, and reporters of The Nation and The News (English-language daily newspapers) participated in the program. A film screening was followed by an in-depth discussion on documentary filmmaking, including shooting and editing techniques. The Nation ran an article on the front page of their City section the next day, in which they quoted Tricia Regan as saying "Pakistan is at the center of global events and, thus, it is a golden opportunity" for Pakistani filmmakers to share their perspectives; the world is hungry for accurate information on Pakistan. Bart Weiss emphasized the great potential of the students and filmmakers they met in Karachi.

The need to encourage people-to-people contact led PAS to undertake this important cultural exchange. It provided a platform for filmmakers from the USA and Pakistan to get together to exchange views, share experiences, and promote international understanding. The showing of the particular documentary helped dispel common misconceptions that persist in the Pakistani society about the way the people in the U.S. take care of their children. It gave an insight to the bonds between parents and children in the United States. The visit provided the audiences with an increased depth of understanding about the American society, culture, traditions and values. It spread the message of love, care, peace, harmony, tolerance and succeeded in bridging cultural diversity through cultural exchange programs.