8 comments on “In The Dark: Senegal As A Case Study In Energy Poverty”
A good and very important topic, but way too long and not focused. Cut it down to less than 30 minutes and focus a whole lot more. I know you spent a lot of money on travel and filming and feel you need to get your moneies worth, but the goal is to educate and this is not doing that if no one will watch a 90 minute video that goes all over the place! You can point out all the important areas of no reliable power without all the interviews. It looks like not enough time editing the final product with your main goals in mind as you do that. I really like your work and this can be better.
I watched the whole film, which impressed me with its breadth, covering not only Western net zero pressures but the corruption seemingly endemic in Africa and the whole potential economic journey from grinding poverty to wealth. The few people trying to improve children's lives are struggling against a great tide. I have also seen elsewhere the trash and litter that can despoil the Third World.
Louis is right to suggest the film is too long to act as propaganda but it should still be required viewing for the "great and the good" that run our foreign aid institutions.
Louis is EXACTLY right. John, I would guess you're in love with your baby (the film as it stands now), but if you want it to be effective in educating and perhaps changing people's minds, listen to what Louis says about shortening it enormously.
That was the single best documentary I have ever seen, on Africa or any other continent. Thank you John! As to the critics above, did they send a donation?
I really enjoyed every minute of your film John.
It truly was my first introduction to Senegal and it’s extreme poverty,related of course to its enrgy problems , which ,shamefully for the West’s skewed priority ,should be gone by now.
I thank God I live in a country,Australia, where our corruption is not endemic and is not acceptable behaviour up to now= that is,if we don’t accept the hoax of the climate catastrophists as corruption of course.
Thanks again for such an informative glimpse into the humanity of some in the poorer areas=that’s so inspiring.
I just sat through the documentary. It was not easy, nor are my comments. First, I have been a videographer, photographer and editor for over 40 years. I have produced several short films and documentaries, a few of which have earned minor awards. I eagerly watch your weekly CDN programs and always find them informative, concise and entertaining. "In The Dark....." was not in the same category. Much too long, disjointed, wordy and "all over the map". I lost interest within the first 12 minutes but soldiered on so as to make a legitimate critique of the film. You lost direction, which is easy to do in a long format project. I could suggest you re-edit the film, leave forty minutes of B-roll and unnecessary on screen interviews on the cutting room floor, cut to the chase and tell the story of films title. Half the length and twice the impact. This is a critical subject at a critical time. Much of the footage was very powerful indeed. Thanks for the effort but I suspect this film will not gain the traction it commands. From the heart and God Bless....
A good and very important topic, but way too long and not focused. Cut it down to less than 30 minutes and focus a whole lot more. I know you spent a lot of money on travel and filming and feel you need to get your moneies worth, but the goal is to educate and this is not doing that if no one will watch a 90 minute video that goes all over the place! You can point out all the important areas of no reliable power without all the interviews. It looks like not enough time editing the final product with your main goals in mind as you do that. I really like your work and this can be better.
I watched the whole film, which impressed me with its breadth, covering not only Western net zero pressures but the corruption seemingly endemic in Africa and the whole potential economic journey from grinding poverty to wealth. The few people trying to improve children's lives are struggling against a great tide. I have also seen elsewhere the trash and litter that can despoil the Third World.
Louis is right to suggest the film is too long to act as propaganda but it should still be required viewing for the "great and the good" that run our foreign aid institutions.
Awesome work
Louis is EXACTLY right. John, I would guess you're in love with your baby (the film as it stands now), but if you want it to be effective in educating and perhaps changing people's minds, listen to what Louis says about shortening it enormously.
That was the single best documentary I have ever seen, on Africa or any other continent. Thank you John! As to the critics above, did they send a donation?
I really enjoyed every minute of your film John.
It truly was my first introduction to Senegal and it’s extreme poverty,related of course to its enrgy problems , which ,shamefully for the West’s skewed priority ,should be gone by now.
I thank God I live in a country,Australia, where our corruption is not endemic and is not acceptable behaviour up to now= that is,if we don’t accept the hoax of the climate catastrophists as corruption of course.
Thanks again for such an informative glimpse into the humanity of some in the poorer areas=that’s so inspiring.
It is what it is - share it!
I just sat through the documentary. It was not easy, nor are my comments. First, I have been a videographer, photographer and editor for over 40 years. I have produced several short films and documentaries, a few of which have earned minor awards. I eagerly watch your weekly CDN programs and always find them informative, concise and entertaining. "In The Dark....." was not in the same category. Much too long, disjointed, wordy and "all over the map". I lost interest within the first 12 minutes but soldiered on so as to make a legitimate critique of the film. You lost direction, which is easy to do in a long format project. I could suggest you re-edit the film, leave forty minutes of B-roll and unnecessary on screen interviews on the cutting room floor, cut to the chase and tell the story of films title. Half the length and twice the impact. This is a critical subject at a critical time. Much of the footage was very powerful indeed. Thanks for the effort but I suspect this film will not gain the traction it commands. From the heart and God Bless....