Stephen (and his Tilley Hat) on the Nile River in Uganda

By Stephen L. Garrett – Chapel Hill, NC

I’ve lucked into a career as a freelance video producer, and occasionally I get to travel internationally for work. Since 2007, I’ve managed small field productions (usually a 2-person crew (myself included)) in 14 countries. My production work in these countries has largely centered on international development-related topics for non-profits and large development institutions. Some of my favorite trips have been to Africa.

I’ve lived in Madagascar (off the east coast of Africa) for 3 years, and led field production work in Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, and Uganda.

Due to this experience, I’ve amassed a certain cache of knowledge about how to go about not screwing up a video production while traveling in Africa. It’s time to pass on some of this knowledge to you, dear reader.

The information below has been tested in at least the African places I’ve been so far – as well as several Caribbean and Central American destinations. Despite the many different cultural and logistical nuances between countries, many of the tips below apply while preparing for work in foreign destinations worldwide. Individual results may vary, so proceed with caution.

1: Find out where you are headed (and make sure people like you)

This might seem obvious, but let’s start with where you’re going. Well, in case you were wondering, Africa is a continent. That’s a very large piece of land with lots of countries on it. So, the first step is realizing that all of Africa’s 54 “sovereign states” are different – each containing whole worlds’ worth of history, culture, arts, foods, and various ways to hurt yourself. If you leave the US for “Africa” and return from Kenya (for example) thinking that you understand Africa, I’m pretty certain that your friend from Senegal will laugh at you.

Pick up a travel guide and immerse yourself in the history and culture of your destination. Whoever has hired you to come make a video or shoot photos for them is expecting you to get your job done well so you have to bring your A Game. If you know nothing about the relationship between the economy and politics of the place for example, or how a certain culture within the country relates to another, you’re probably going to be in for a confusing time. You don’t have to become a scholar, just know enough to ask your taxi driver or project partner some insightful questions. An interest in local culture goes a long way toward making people like you. And that’s your first and most important goal (after personal safety) when you’re in a new place.

Googling recent news items will likely bring up a list of the most horrible things that have happened recently wherever you are going. This is what news (especially news from Africa) focuses on. You may learn of murders, rapes, shootings, robberies, outbreaks, break-ins, break-ups, etc. It’s fine to read this material, just put it in the context of your own town or city. How many of these things are happening all around you? Much of this stuff sounds a lot scarier because you are heading into a great unknown. But just because something nasty happened one night in a town 350 miles from where you will be staying, this doesn’t mean that you are any less safe than you would be at 10pm on the wrong side of your own town’s tracks. It’s good to know what’s going on, but don’t either blow it out of proportion, or minimize a real danger. Use your head.

On that note, you’ll want to check the State Department website to get a better idea of the current political situation or any important medical information pertinent to your destination. Many countries are quite safe most of the time. But even as I write (April 2012), the situation in Mali has deteriorated to the point where the State Department has issued a travel warning and the Peace Corps has been evacuated. Check out the State Department website here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

Lonely Planet has some useful information about African nations as well, here: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/africa/places

Other fun and useful bits of info to Google prior to your trip is the weather forecast, as well as the sunrise and sunset schedule. This information will be useful if you plan to bring back pretty outdoor footage. And please do!

I like to check out Weather Underground here:

http://www.wunderground.com/global/AF_ST_Index.html

A useful sunrise and sunset schedule can be found here:

http://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/002-continent.html

2: Try to get someone on the ground in Africa to schedule important things for you (if that’s not possible, prepare yourself as best you can in advance and cross your fingers)

After you’ve tracked down information about your travel destination and freaked out your mother with the history of its civil wars (most countries around the world have had at least one), it’s time to start scheduling things in-country. I attempt (sometimes successfully) to have a local representative of the organization I am working for assigned to my team for the duration of the project. This person should be someone that understands (or is themselves a member of) the predominant culture that you will be primarily working among. I put it this way because in my experience, many organizations are run by a mix of ex-pat development people working with well-educated and relatively affluent local people who are often from the dominant cultural group in a given capitol city. Sometimes, these people have a privileged status and have never had to mingle in a meaningful way with the people of the disenfranchised ethnic or cultural group that the project you are filming is trying to assist. Occasionally these individuals will not even speak the same language! On a recent trip to Uganda, I was surprised to learn that many of the project staff I was working with could not speak the language of the people a couple of districts to the East of their project office! But the country has 40 languages, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise! So again, it’s best to have someone with you at all times that can help you communicate with the people you will be working with. And often, these people and the people in the capitol city are entirely different types of people!

Many projects will be organized with a home office in a capitol city and several field offices in regional towns. The project person assigned to you can help you understand the organizational structure of your client organization, logistical information (like distances between towns), what regions are best to avoid, etc.

This person can also help protect you if you need to film in the capitol city or perhaps buy supplies there. If you’re like me, you’ll stand out because you’re white as a sheet and this can draw attention. Even if you are blessed with dark skin, you’ll likely be obviously foreign to locals and will benefit from having someone you trust with you as often as possible while in country.

Discuss how and when you should change money once you arrive. Try to understand the best current exchange rates so that you don’t lose too much in the exchange.

If at all possible, request a project car to be assigned to you for the duration of your project. If this isn’t possible, inquire about services offering a car and a driver. Your project organization likely has a relationship with a company that they trust. Reserve a car that is appropriate for your purposes (likely an SUV or a pickup truck), and ask for a driver that is reliable, polite, and has been working for the company for a long time. Some things to clear up in advance with this company are:

Do they take credit cards?

How many gallons of fuel do they expect you to buy for the duration of your trip?

Will the driver be provided with a per diem for food and hotels?

When you arrive and first see the vehicle, don’t be shy about fully inspecting it to make sure that it is in good condition and has seatbelts and all the things you expect in a good car. Make sure that it locks and that your gear will be safe. You will have to leave the gear in the car at some point. Could someone run away with your $15000 bag of gear in a second if it’s in the bed of a truck? You bet!

If the vehicle isn’t what you would consider safe, politely refuse it and demand a better car. If that doesn’t work, use a deeper voice and try again.

Finally, make sure that the organization’s representative understands your production needs. Many organizations (including American ones back home) don’t fully understand the amount of time needed to produce good video or take good photos. Make sure that you minimize overland travel and that you have allotted enough days to gather all the footage you need while in country. And don’t forget to schedule in a rest day or two. Perhaps your new friend can take you to an interesting destination like a park, or sometimes just traveling to his or her home can provide an awesome cultural experience.

3: Medical concerns and travelers insurance

Once you have ironed out your production schedule and local transportation, make sure that you are prepared for the onslaught of new microbes that your body will be exposed to. The State Department website I provided earlier is a great place to start. You will likely be required to get a Yellow Fever vaccination to enter the country. Further, it is vital to be immunized against the major diseases that are prevalent in the region you are headed to. Most immunizations will last for several years. You’ll want to strongly consider anti-malarial drugs as well.

Prior to most of my international trips, I schedule a visit at Passport Health (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/). They put together a handy booklet that explains the types of diseases you may encounter while traveling. The booklet also has contact information for major medical clinics. Passport Health clinicians will also provide you with the necessary immunizations. (I like to charge these expenses to my clients.)

I also like to acquire temporary travel insurance. It’s a great idea and provides you with peace of mind. Look into Frontiermedex (www.medexassist.com) or STA travel insurance at http://www.statravel.com/international-travel-insurance.htm.

You may also consider acquiring insurance for your gear.

4: Packing and preparing for traveling

Since you’ve already checked out the State Department information about your destination, you should be aware of whether or not the country you are traveling to requires a visa for entry. Many countries allow you to purchase a visa when you get to the airport. Make sure you look into this early enough in your planning to allow for processing. Several weeks to a month in advance is usually necessary.

Make sure your passport is up-to-date. Make copies of your passport, and consider using a travel wallet.

I won’t go into a detailed packing list in this article, but it’s a good idea to not bring too much stuff, which I am prone to do. I usually over-prepare. I have a sturdy REI rolling suitcase that I can put some production gear in. I usually disassemble a tripod and check it in with my clothing. I’ll add other things that will be relatively safe in checked baggage. The camera and computer gear ALWAYS travels in overhead bins with me.

Consider pre-filling out a customs declaration form for your camera and computing gear. This will help you if you get grilled when you arrive at your destination. But also, US Customs might just grill you when coming back with your own gear – especially if you carry anything fancier than a typical tourist. They will assume you bought the gear abroad and are trying to avoid paying duties on the gear. I’ve been delayed and questioned (in Miami returning from Haiti). I got through okay, but it slowed me down and was uncomfortable. Help out the nice Customs people by filling out a declaration form before you travel and make sure you have it with you when passing through customs.

Make sure that you prepare for the cost of checking baggage internationally – and try to stay within weight limits or they’ll gouge you.

My rule of thumb is to have a fresh pair of undies and a white t-shirt for every day up to 8 days. I usually recycle shirts and pants for several days. I’ll just get laundry done if I’m staying longer than a week. I always bring a rain jacket and usually have a thermal shirt with me even if I’m going to what seems like a warm place – just in case. I pack a plastic bag to keep my sweaty dirty clothes separate from my clean ones.

Other essentials are sun block, bug repellant, a multi-tool, and a good sun/rain hat. My favorite travel hat is my trusty Tilley Hat (check them out here: www.tilley.com). Many Tilley hats are fashionable only if you are a 60 year-old dude on Safari (I have about 30 years to go until I’m that guy), but I don’t care – you’re going to Africa. Will you stand out more trying to wear “local clothing” or a Tilley Hat? Answer: you’ll stand out anyway, so you may as well do it in an awesome hat. Rock it proudly.

Light long-sleeve shirts that can be rolled up are a great way to keep from burning or being bitten by nasties.

Google information about being as comfortable as you can on your long international flight. It’s important that you kick jetlag as soon as possible once you arrive. Basically, stay hydrated, try to get some good sleep and don’t drink too much free alcohol. Arriving with a sleepless hangover is a really bad idea. Trust me.

5: What to expect when you arrive at the airport

After you’ve traveled overseas and sat for a really really long time and can’t wait to stretch your legs… be prepared to wait in a very long line. You’ll be funneled through immigration. This is where you’ll buy your visa if you haven’t already. Then, you’ll have to retrieve your bags (count them all to make sure they’ve all arrived), which are then often inspected by more customs agents. After this indignity, you’ll be released.

This is when it’s really nice to have a person from the organization you are working for waiting for you. Because usually what you will face is a crowd of taxi drivers and their assistants waiting to grab your bags and try to force you into their taxis. It can be a melee and since you’re at an airport, the prices will be inflated and unfair. You might be touched and aggressively solicited, even if you have a driver waiting for you, so don’t be shy. Be polite but firm, and make sure you keep an eye on all of your things at all times. Once you’re safely in your car, take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery!

6: Working and communicating with locals

Remember all that preparation you did before you arrived? You may have a sense that you explained everything really well and that everything is going to run as smooth as clockwork. Well, the first step in working easily with locals is to understand that things probably won’t work the way you think they should from day one. If you prepare yourself to reshuffle your schedule on the fly, then you won’t instantly start working under a cloud of frustration. You have to be flexible and understand that even if it seemed like people understood your needs during your emails and Skype calls, you might arrive to find that the project person you thought would be your guide is now on vacation and that he only discussed your schedule with the guy that is at home sick with malaria today. So it’s a good idea to have a meeting your first day in country to review your production schedule with everyone.

Beyond project staff, try to learn the local greetings, smile as often as you can and make friends with guards, drivers, cleaning staff, etc.  It’s good to have as many allies as possible.

7: Consciously supporting the local economy

You have the opportunity to have a positive economic impact on the communities where you are traveling. When possible (and when it’s safe), choose to eat in local restaurants. If you can hire local people to help you out, find out what a fair rate is, and then pay a little more.

If you’re planning to buy souvenirs, try to buy from artist cooperatives that pay a fair wage for the work. In many tourist shops, you’ll find masks and other items that are from many countries and you can’t tell who made them. Sometimes these items will be made from precious woods that could have been illegally harvested. Be conscious of this as you look for souvenirs to bring home. Just because you bought a mask in Uganda, it doesn’t mean the mask represents the culture of the local people there. Ask questions and make it a learning experience.

Negotiate with the seller to reduce the price, but don’t be a jerk!

8: Eating well – avoiding the Double Dragon

Early in my career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar, we heard of the legend of the Double Dragon. This tale of woe unfortunately and eventually struck all or most of us. Usually what happens is you start to get more adventurous with your sampling of street food. A fried cake here, some fruit juice there. Eventually you decide that those raw oysters served on scrap notebook paper by the guy with dirty hands hauling them around in a 20 year-old Thermos look delicious! So you slurp a couple down and go out for a few beers. Hours later you can’t decide which direction to point yourself on a toilet in some dingy hotel room lit by a single light bulb.  This is the Double Dragon.

Don’t be that guy. Eat intelligently. You can’t afford to get sick, because you have a job to do!

Most restaurants in hotels you are likely to be staying in will serve healthy and safe food – especially if foreigners frequent them. Avoid street stands, and drink only bottled or distilled water.

Here’s a nice web resource about eating while traveling: http://www.medicinenet.com/travel_medicine/page7.htm

Just in case, definitely bring something like Immodium, and consider getting a prescription of Cipro. It is also a good idea to carry oral rehydration salts. Your travel clinic can provide you with more information.

9: Mor(on) Transportation (don’t Be an Idiot)

My last bit of advice is about local travel options while in country. You may have times when you don’t have access to a project car. Be extremely cautious about local travel options. In general, choose safe vehicles and stay far away from mo-ped taxies. On a recent trip to Uganda, I spent several days in the capitol city of Kampala. There, the streets are flooded with mo-ped taxies known as “boda-boda.” I saw scores of Western travelers riding on the extremely congested streets on the backs of these death machines without helmets!

On our final weekend in Uganda, we learned of the terrible news about a European tourist who was on the back of a boda-boda when it crashed into a truck. The photograph of his body was displayed in the local newspaper. Don’t be that guy. Be safe.

Conclusion:

You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t shared much information about actually going about the work of field producing. That’s because, as much as I like you, you’re competition and I can’t share all my secret recipes. But I do feel that getting to your destination safely and being comfortable while you’re there is a huge and important part of getting the job done well – so hopefully you’ve learned something useful. Please feel free to share your own ideas for how to travel and work internationally. Safe travels and happy filming!

I shot it by myself on my Canon 5d Mark II and was able to ride along in a fire truck and film a fire drill. As a camera operator, I tried to put myself in the heart of the action so that the viewer could share in the intensity of fighting a fire.

I collaborated with Ross Nelson on the music and sound mix. I really love how his custom compositions add an extra layer of quality to my work.

Enjoy the video, and please leave feedback so I can continue to improve my work!

This video is the first episode of the Real Nurses series, produced in collaboration with Nathan Clendenin. Special thanks to Ellen Ciompi for letting us film her!

We’re excited to see where this series takes us. Next month, look for a colorful new episode that’s sure to lift your spirits.

This video was shot in collaboration with Nathan Clendenin for the Real Doctors Real People Series, which is sponsored by UNC Hospitals. Edited by Stephen L. Garrett. Special thanks to Brown Hound Music and Sound for the audio mix.