A thirty five hour journey on the deck of a Fishing boat. . .

The fishing boat, rocked gently. Slowly, very slowly creeping across the gulf of Sirte from benghazi to Misrata. I stood at the bow and enjoyed the last moments of a dizzyingly beautiful sunset. “The Captain thinks there might be some Gaddafi ships approaching” said Kev casually. He was our Security advisor and had spent years in the SAS. He isn’t perturbed at the thought of a shoot-out. I, on the other hand, am a natural born coward and I felt my stomach turn with fear.

We watched the boats gradually move closer until, reassuringly, it became clear that they were actually NATO warships. “Allah o Akbar” shouted the crew and our handful of fellow passengers. Bakr patted me on the back and gestured for me to join in. “Allah o Akbar” I said waving at the Helicopter that now passed above us fast and low.

There was little to do during the thirty five hour journey but sleep and talk. I became friendly with Bakr and his fellow fighters who were returning to Misrata to continue the fight with Gaddafi’s forces. One of them had been in Turkey receiving treatment for war wounds. Despite the language barrier I felt a strong bond with these guys and enjoyed our conversations that usually amounted to little more than them telling me “Gaddafi bad, NATO good” and “God is great.”

Enjoying the sunshine onboard ship with the Captain

Eventually we reached our destination. The City of Misrata had been besieged for over two months. Hammered relentlessly by Artillery and rocket fire, Boats were the only way in. The docks were surprisingly quiet, I had expected chaos but they were almost ghostly in their silence. We hitched a lift into town and found accommodation at a bizarre Spa and physiotherapy centre – setting up our beds on massage tables in an abandoned first floor room.

Click here to view the first of our films from Misrata

Quickly we went to Tripoli Street, the heart of the City and scene of some of the bitterest fighting. The destruction was immense, whole office buildings blackened from fire and scarred by multiple shell strikes. Bullet and shrapnel marks crisscrossing the brickwork. In the market were the shattered and smoking wrecks of three T-72 Tanks which I was told were knocked out by guys with Molotov cocktails. I imagined this was how cities looked after the fighting in World War Two.

The people of Misrata are keen to welcome foreigner journalists, they want their story to be heard. As soon as we appeared anywhere people would approach and ask if there is anything they can do to help us.

We find a group of fighters BBQ’ing in the court-yard of a near-by building. They look battle hardened, heads wrapped in Shemagh’s, AK-47′s piled against the wall. But immediately they smile and welcome us offering a slice of Camel liver which I gladly take and enjoy. It’s hard to believe that just weeks ago most of them had never even touched a weapon. They are happy, Gaddafi’s forces have been pushed out of the city and with NATO air-strikes to back them up the fighters are confident that they won’t return.

Taking a break in the ruins of Tripoli Street, Misrata. . .

At the new front lines we meet Ibrahim Al Halbous, a scrap-merchant turned Rebel Commander. He runs a tight outfit and we are told by our local Fixer that his men were some of the biggest heroes of the battle. He looks the part, stocky and handsome with a commanding voice. I’m impressed to see that he has look-outs posted all around and “Madmax” style armoured Pick-up trucks protecting his flanks – clearly a lesson learned the hard way.

Here is our film from the Frontline

Misrata is slowly now recovering, shops are opening and the electricity is now on for a few hours a day. It’s been an intense and fascinating assignment and I hope that our films have helped to show the world the strength and pride of an amazing city.

The team and I with the Rebels in Misrata

He comes at me again, the stick in his right hand making a loud swoosh as it passes by my ear. Vuyisile Dyolotana is an experienced Stick-fighter, the welts and bruises on his face proof of his love for the sport. I am scared, I really don’t want him to hit me. We are both armed with two, one metre long, wooden sticks. One is for blocking and is securely fastened to my left hand with a piece of cloth, the other is for striking and is held in the right hand at head height, ready to attack.

This is the traditional sport of Stick-fighting or Intonga as it is known in the local Xhoza language. It has been practiced for centuries by herd boys in the rural areas of South Africa and is often used to settle disputes and prove manhood. Vuyisile, is keen for the art not to be forgotten in the urban Townships.

I am at one of his regular classes on a playground in the Township of Crossroads, close to Cape Town. It’s a tough neighbourhood, corrugated metal shacks jostle for position on the dusty streets and the sound of planes coming into land at the nearby Airport forces people to shout if they want to be heard.

Stick fighting in Cape Town

Looking around him Vuyisile explains: “I grew up Stick fighting it is our roots and culture, it was the first sport in Africa. I want to remind our fellow Africans that knives and guns shouldn’t be used to settle a conflict – pick up sticks and settle it like men.”
And his message seems to be working. All around there are young people practicing, sparring with eachother as more experienced adults watch and give advice. Intonga has strict rules that protect the fighters and a points system which gives six points for a head, arm or leg shot, five for a hit to the neck and four if you land a blow to the chest or stomach. “It’s about strength and technique” Vuyisile tells me, “and being able to use the blocking stick, if you can block then you will be good.”

Next to us a young girl, Nine year old Nandi hugs her opponent after a tough fight. “Stick fighting has made me strong” she says “If somebody hits me or bullies me I will pick up a stick and hit them back.”

Vuyisile is confident that through his classes, and the tournaments that he is organizing, Intonga and the traditions that go with it can continue to thrive. As we circle one another, sticks poised, ready for another round, he smiles: “It can be painful, you must be able to withstand pain – the blood is flowing sometimes. When I’m Stick-fighting I feel strong, it gives me the confidence to rely on myself and overcome enemies.”

To watch the film that I made for the BBC News then please follow this link.

If you would like to use this article on your blog/Website then feel free. If you do so then please print my name, copyright notice and a link to my site at the end. Cheers.

So after five weeks away from the world of TV and journalism I finally returned to action with a frantic but excellent start to 2011. My first port of call was a steamy Abidjan in Ivory Coast. The city was on edge after Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down as President despite losing the election. The president elect, Alassane Outtara, was holed up in a five star hotel on the edge of town and we set off by road to interview him. As you will see from the finished film we made it, but had a had a scare at an Army roadblock. . .

Ivory Coast Roadblock from Christian Parkinson on Vimeo.

With the story in Ivory Coast on hold while International delegations tried to help, the team and I flew across Africa to Juba in South Sudan. It was a landmark moment as the people voted in a referendum which will decide wether South Sudan secedes from the mainly Muslim north. I love South Sudan and the people and I hope that this film we made captures the spirit and excitement. . .

Sudan Referendum 2011 from Christian Parkinson on Vimeo.

PS. . . I also got to meet George Clooney – he seemed a friendly, witty and well informed guy.

The team and I with George Clooney

I’m often asked how I became a TV Cameraman and what advice I have for those trying to break into the profession. Well I started, bizarrely, as a salesman for a local Cable channel before presenting for them and then moving to ITN in London as a Runner. From there I took my chances and worked my way through the system and across London to the BBC.

BBC Cameraman Matt Davies filming in Iraq

The problem is that few Newsrooms have runners anymore and no one seems interested in training young talent – at least not in genuine craft skills. Now they seem to prefer to produce Jack of all trades and masters of none.
For what its worth this is what I would do if I was starting out all over again:

- Buy a small Camera, something cheap and cheerful like a Canon HV 30

- Start shooting any event of interest in your local area and putting it on www.youtube.com

- At every event be sure to chat to the local TV crews, let them know who you are and what you are trying to do

- Bug them and ask if you can come visit the station and show them your footage

- Offer to be a free assistant for them on weekends, carry the tripod and make coffee

- Take any opportunity to get through the doors and into the Newsroom. If they offer you work as a cleaner then take it. Don’t be too proud. Newsrooms are full of people who got promoted because they were around and people liked them.

- Whatever happens never stop shooting for fun. Always keep practicing and then when your chance finally arrives take a deep breath and dont screw up.

I hope this helps. If you have any advice from your own experience then please comment below. As always questions gratefully received.

This is a guest post from BBC Cameraman and Editor Luke Winsbury. He details his 2009 embed with French Troops in kapisa Province, Afghanistan. It’s an interesting and entertaining look at operating as an embedded journalist with a Foreign Army. To watch the film he made click on this link.

It’s 4am when I’m woken up in a large hangar-come-tent. I’ve barely slept because it’s freezing and there was heavy machine gun fire all night. That makes it 3 nights in a row with barely any sleep. We’re in Tagab, a French forward operating base (FOB) in Kapisa Province, North of Kabul. I have no idea what it looks like because we arrived in darkness and, because the base gets rocketed regularly, it is entirely unlit. You’re not even allowed head torches, except dim red light ones which I’m smugly pleased I have.

Nijrab Base, Northern Afghanistan.

We’re bundled into a VAB (armored vehicle). It’s so totally disorientating when you’re this tired and you have no idea where you are or really what you’re about to face. Not even the red light head torches are allowed at this point. I had taken the decision, much against the advice of the French, to take my full size DSR500 camera on patrol. They wanted to take something smaller but I explained that, like them with their guns, I use a DSR reflexively and quickly.

We travel for about an hour in the dark – and it really is pitch black in the back of the VAB. I use my small A1 camera to get some night vision shots of the soldiers in the back. Their eyes glow green and stare blankly into nowhere. They have no idea I’m pointing a camera at them. Ironically I am the only the one in the back of that thing that gets glimpses of anything.

We’re in a Pashtun area where the French had a three hour contact (Army terminology for a Gun-Fight) the previous week, on a joint patrol with the ANA (Afghan National Army) delivering clothes and medical supplies to the main village of Tagab.

French Troops on patrol near Tagab villiage, Northern Afghanistan.

Emma Jane Kirby, the BBC’s Paris Correspondent, and myself are here to see what the French are up to now in Afghanistan. They’ve had a lot of stick in the past for not doing their fair share in Afghanistan but in the recent years they’ve increased their troop numbers and taken control of the strategically important Kapisa Province, the Northern Gateway to Kabul. We’re with the Chasseurs Alpins (Mountain Hunters), the elite mountain infantry troops of the French Army.

The VAB stops, the back door swings open revealing the half-light of dawn. In my haste to get out and actually see something I make the mistake of not grabbing my spares bag. We know we’re going off on foot but don’t know for how long – could be hours. I start filming but immediately get told to start moving through the village. It has suddenly become very tense – something had changed – I don’t understand what or why. I don’t even have time to grab my spares bag from our VAB. I only have the battery on the camera and the tape inside it then. Idiot. Luckily Emma Jane is already wearing her Radio Microphone.

We’re at the back of the patrol, which is the worst place to be, both for filming and for our safety. The Taliban favour ambush tactics where they divide a patrol into smaller groups and pick them off. Moving through the village you can see how easy this is – all the houses with there walls and ditches could hide anyone.

I start running forward to get shots looking back at the soldiers. We stop a lot behind walls, in ditches, while the route forward is checked. We have to cross open ground quickly and with a low profile. We see few villagers – it’s too early. Dogs are barking.

We end up in a deep ditch running through some fields on the edge of the village, facing the mountains on the edge of the valley. This is where the Taliban hide and this is exactly where the French had a 3 hour gun battle with them last week. There’s a white house about 300m away where the Taliban were hiding so French and ANA troops move cautiously up to it. I suddenly notice the guy in front of me is a US Marine – where did he come from?

Gradually the tension eases. Maybe it’s too early for the Taliban. With this perimeter secured, we make our way back into the village to film the ANA handing out blankets and medical supplies. It’s a chaotic scene, but friendly and full of humour. I roam around freely and feel no threat at all, albeit knowing there are many French keeping an eye on things. I have tea with some of the ANA soldiers, one of those moments of serenity you have to take and it gives me a chance to catch my breath.

Later that evening we return to our main home for the week, the French base at Nijrab, home to about 700 troops. Nijrab is a Tajik area and as such is relatively peaceful. The base is set up on a plateau surrounded by huge snow capped mountains – it is incredibly beautiful. When this country finds peace it will be a haven for climbing, walking and skiing.

French JTAC – Forward Air Controller – in Afghanistan

Our accommodation in Nijrab was a large overflow tent – very basic and very cold – and we had to share it with soldiers passing through. At night the temperatures dropped well below freezing. My Icebreaker thermals were magic – I wore them day and night for days and they still didn’t smell (or perhaps I got used to the smell?)

Over the next few days we go on more patrols with the Chasseurs Alpins but mostly in the safer Tajik areas. One day we go with the JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller – in other words the man who calls in Air-Strikes), climbing high up the side of the valley the French are operating in to secure the high ground and provide cover. Their guns face both ways, into the valley below and high up into the rocky peaks. The French have been discovering increasing numbers of large arms caches recently. The Taliban are relatively inactive during the winter (it is said they go for winter training across the border in Pakistan) – but everyone is predicting a counter-surge from them following the large increase in US troops numbers. The arms caches being found by the French seem to indicate a spring offensive.

Although the French do not see as much ‘action’ as the Americans and British in Afghanistan, it is worth keeping in mind the enormous public opposition in France (about 80% of the population) to their presence there – which must constrain their activities there. It is a democracy after all.

Luke has just returned from another trip to Afghanistan, this time with BBC Newsnight’s Mark Urban, click here to watch the film from kandahar.

Shooting a PTC in Moscow - 2006

I love to film – to capture the moment as it develops. There is though one element of News films that I usually dread shooting – The Piece to Camera or PTC. They often seem contrived and can disrupt the flow of a piece. But we do work in a business where Reporter involvement is seen as crucial to adding gravitas and establishing their authority and credibility. For me the only pieces to camera that really work are those where you are “in the thick of it” – dodging bullets in Afghanistan, at the front of a demonstration or in the middle of a riot. The reality is that these action PTC’s are quite rare and so time and again we are forced to make something from nothing – Bring to life a dull background while still appreciating that Reporters always want to look good – no matter what the circumstances.

There are no golden rules to shooting a good PTC and every situation is different. I’ve put together a short clip reel of PTC’s I’ve shot over the last couple of years and I hope they will give some idea as to how I often try and lift the story with an engaging PTC. I don’t claim that they are all great, but I hope they might give a few ideas to anyone just starting out or looking for some inspiration.

Shooting Pieces to Camera: Some examples of my work from caparkinson on Vimeo.

If I ever see a PTC in front of a sign or against a wall then I want to throw a shoe at the TV. My advice to anyone starting out in News is always to avoid the cliché. Add some movement and make it feel that the Reporter is really in the middle of the action. I love to use foreground, to move past objects and then reveal who is speaking. I don’t buy the argument that claims you should only move for a reason – that it should be motivated? Isn’t a good shot motivation enough ? We are trying to appeal to and grab the interest of viewers bombarded by Hollywood movies and the flashy music videos. Are we going to stick to the old and boring “news style” or we going to grab our viewers and turn them away from the internet by offering new and interesting ways of shooting and editing news.

As always I welcome your feedback and would love it if you post links to some of your own work.

If you would like to use this article on your blog/Website then feel free. If you do so then please print my name, copyright notice and a link to my site at the end. Cheers.

This is genius! Keep watching. . .

Dangerous old lady:

I wander how many of us would have the strength of character to put the camera down in sympathy with striking colleagues?

Bad positioning!

Come on seriously, you saying you’ve never done this?

How many times have you disagreed with the words in a Piece to Camera?

Short but amusing – this is why you shouldn’t run backwards:

This one makes me proud. . . A cameraman shows Ronaldo some of his football skills

Strictly speaking this is a photographer not a Cameraman but it is still awesome. Great to see a celebrity bully get what he deserves. . .

A classic, I’m not sure if it’s for real or not but who cares?

If you would like to use this article on your blog/Website then feel free. If you do so then please print my name, copyright notice and a link to my site at the end. Cheers.

With the World Cup looming, I decided to publish an old blog post here on caparkinson.com that I wrote during the Beijing Olympics. My life was very different then but I hope it will give you a sense of what it’s like to cover a major International sporting event.

I figured if I was lucky I’d get to go to a club once during the Olympics. I was wrong, over the three weeks I was in beijing I managed to make some shapes on various dancefloors and really experience what I have come to regard as the best nightlife in the world. We were working hard but also making the most of a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The time difference between China and the UK was a killer, but on a long organized assignment like the Olympics your mindset is different. There’s not the adrenalin and fear that comes from an Embed with the military or following tribal violence in Africa. Instead you have this overwhelming urge to get out into town and experience the place.

My team was great and  we had the perfect Chinese translator. J. was a local who’d lived in the States and knew the sort of good times we wanted to find. Her and her friends were great fun and took us to lots of Beijings most happening Clubs, Bars and Restaurants. There was “8-Block” which was so cool I would never have been allowed in if it had been in London, “The crazy world of Suzy Wongs” a fantastically cheesy meat market which could rival anything in Newcastle or Manchester and “Coco Bananas” with its impromptu firework displays at the bar.

A video I put together after the Games as a way to remember some of the emotions I felt

When you wanted to wind down there was the massage places which are on every corner. . I went twice to one just behind the media village where we were staying. After hard days of filming they were a great way to wind down and let the stress eb away. I can promise though there were no happy endings, I think the girls were on their best behavior!

The highlight of the games for me was the way the Chinese treat anyone tall and blonde like a movie star. I lost count of the number of people asking to have their picture taken with me. The funniest occasion was when I was having dinner with another cameraman who is neither tall nor blonde, while I became the centre of attention in the restaurant swapping email addresses with all at the next table and having my picture taken the whole time he was ignored and sat chewing his noodles in disgust.

I’ll miss China, the friendly people, the amazing food and clubs, the shopping and of course the huge array of beautiful, elegant women. Perhaps being at the Olympics gave a false impression of the place, but it has made a mark on my soul, a mark that I know will not leave in a hurry.

]]> http://www.caparkinson.com/2010/05/a-look-back-the-beijing-olympics-2008/feed/ 0 http://www.caparkinson.com/2010/05/ten-important-videos-every-tv-cameraman-must-watch/ http://www.caparkinson.com/2010/05/ten-important-videos-every-tv-cameraman-must-watch/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 09:28:32 +0000 Christian http://www.caparkinson.com/?p=547 . . . Read more. . . ]]>

I’m always on the look out for important videos that will help to inform and educate myself and other Cameramen. I felt it was time that I gathered some of the most relevant and interesting in one place for readers of my blog to check out. If you have any others you think should be here then let me know and I’ll post a follow up.

Firstly I wanted to draw attention to the history of our craft. I always imagine that being a frontline Cameraman in World War two must have been even more intense than it is for us today. The battles that much bigger, the chances of being killed that much more. Below is the first clip from a Documentary about the the cameramen of WW2, there exploits and what they saw.

But as we all know, today although the fighting might not be on such a grand scale it can still be intense, nerve wracking and incredibly dangerous. Here is an excellent film by my colleague Robbie Wright that he shot while embedded with the US Marines in Falluja:

The growing problem for all Journalists in todays environment is that we often become a target ourselves, either accidentally or because we are seen as “the enemy”. Below are a number of films that show how quickly we can become targets and how serious this can be. Some of the films are graphic and quite disturbing:

Not all predicaments a cameraman finds him or her self in are life or death. Even in our own countries the Police can turn nasty and arrest you for no reason. The Cameraman below was detained though later the charges were dropped and I understand that the Police Officer was later fired:

And then there are the self inflicted, pointless problems that we sometimes have to face. I still do not understand why the Cameraman in the film below kept following these guys once he had gotten his shots. He was later fired when the footage from a rival network was aired.

And finally the trailer for a film about stills photographer James Nachtwey. An excellent insight into the life and thought process of one of the worlds best known Photojournalists. Enjoy.

I hope these films have given you something to think about. If you have any films that you think I should include in a follow up piece then please comment below.

If you would like to use this article on your blog/Website then feel free. If you do so then please print my name, copyright notice and a link to my site at the end. Cheers.

It’s been a difficult time for race relations in South Africa. The murder of AWB leader Eugene Terreblanche set in motion a bizarre chain of events. We saw swastika waving racists take to the streets of Ventersdorp. A sinister outburst on local network ETV by AWB Spokesman Andre Visagie who threatened his fellow panelist and then, hours later in front of a bank of TV cameras, ANC Youth League President Julius Malema abused BBC Reporter Jonah Fisher calling him a bastard.

All of these incidents immediately made an impact on social networking sites, the video clips quickly went viral and were soon being spoofed to hilarious effect.

Last night I was filming people queuing to buy world cup tickets. After telling people I was filming for the BBC every single person quoted Julius Malema at me jokingly calling me a “bastard” and “a bloody agent”. I think it says a lot about South Africans how quickly they have been able to laugh about all of these incidents and turn them into something funny. In this blog I’m bringing together all of the related video and audio clips, starting with the original incidents themselves and then the spoofs.

The Original ETV studio row:

Jonah Fisher being abused by Julius Malema:

A remix of the Andre Visagie showdown set to MC Hammer:

A video message for Andre Visagie:

Click here for a house remix of the Malema outburst – very funny

My favourite: Hitler discovers that the AWB have cancelled their “machete race war”