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| Home > News | 10 May 2008 |
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I Am a Child of the Sea:
Lakshani, 9, has lived by the sea all her life. When she was six, the Asian Tsunami of December 2004 destroyed their beachfront house in Koralawella, Moratuwa, on Sri Lanka's western coast. More than three years later, her family is still struggling to raise their heads. Lakshani takes us through a typical day, and shares her wishes for a cleaner beach and better neighbourhood. No longer afraid of the waves, she is back being a child of the sea. This is the synopsis of a short, 3-minute film produced by TVE Asia Pacific as part of a regional television co-production project about, for and by Asian and African children. The film, chronicling a day in the life of young Lakshani Fernando, is titled 'I am a Child of the Sea'.
It forms part of a new Asian and African TV series called 'I am…', where children from different countries and cultures talk about their lives. It aims to capture and communicate cultural diversity through real life stories of children. It allows them to share views about themselves, families, schools, neighbours and their immediate environment. The series is the outcome of a regional project organised by the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign affairs, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA), Thomson Foundation, Prix Jeunesse, Children and Broadcasting Foundation for Africa and RTM-IPTAR of Malaysia. The project brought together 20 TV producers from 13 countries to participate in a co-production of a short programmes series (mini documentaries) about and for children. TVEAP's participation in this project was through production coordinator Buddhini Ekanayake.
The project started with a regional workshop held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 11 to 15 February 2008. It was conducted by Firdoze Bulbulia, a highly experienced producer of children's programming who heads the Children's Broadcasting Foundation for Africa, and Faith Isiakpere, a director-producer involved in producing programming for children and youth for over 35 years.
The workshop participants were then invited to write and produce their own “I am…” programme in close collaboration with a child of their choice. "During the workshop we discussed a lot about the skills and qualities we should develop while working with children," recalls Buddhini. "The series we produce is about, for and by children. Thus, it's different from the usual process we follow as a director. We have to involve a child from the beginning of the production and even the story has to come from him or her." She adds: "This is a good way to tell children's stories to other children. It comes from their own perspective and not from an adult's. So, I worked closely with our chosen child Lakshani from the beginning to end." Lakshani was chosen after interviewing 10 children from different localities and backgrounds. She had grown up within a few metres of the Indian Ocean, and even after the tsunami destroyed her family's home, they moved to another shelter within sight of the sea. Thus, her story had a close association with the sea which formed part of her lifestyle, environment and culture. Buddhini developed the script after several leisurely chats with Lakshani, based partly on the child's own writing about herself. Filming the story took place in early March 2008, with the full consent of her parents, extended family and neighbours. (See box for Buddhini's location filming experience.) "I felt that Lakshani was motivated a lot by being a part of this film - she realised that she is a unique and important person," says Buddhini. "I noticed this change during the limited time I spent with her during planning and filming this story." Lakshani's story will join 19 others featuring children from different parts of Asia and Africa. For participating in this co-production, TVE Asia Pacific will receive the entire series after it is launched at Asia Media Summit 2008 in Kuala Lumpur in late May 2008. Meanwhile, producer Buddhini plans to take the film I Am a Child of the Sea back to its location to screen it to Lakshani, family and friends. Photos by Amal Samaraweera, TVE Asia Pacific
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The film, chronicling a day in the life of young Lakshani Fernando, is titled 'I am a Child of the Sea'. It forms part of a new Asian and African TV series called 'I am…', where children from different countries and cultures talk about their lives.
