On The Trail - Working as a Videographer for the EU
It was an action packed few days on the road working as a video following the press tour to promote the Cashew Value Chain in Cambodia for the European Union.
The press tour kicked off with a launch event at the Phnom Penh, before moving on to Kampong Thom, Kratie and Stung Treng.
The aim of the tour was to look at the available processing facilities, promote the value chain and to ultimately improve exports direct to Europe.
Our job was to get out front of the media scrum to film interviews and b-roll of the processing plants and cashew farms and then to film the press tour when all the journalists rolled in.
Journalists from over 30 media agencies attended the tour.
Supported by the EU and GIZ, the tour was led by H.E. Im Rachna, spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
H.E. Im Rachana explained the reason for the press tour. ‘Our goal is to provide news coverage to Cambodians to promote the cashew nut value chain in Cambodia,’ she said.
Bryan Fornari, Head of Cooperaton at the European Delegation to Cambodia, spoke about the need potential benefits of promoting the cashew value chain.
‘The connection opportunities are there between one of the countries that produces most cashew nuts in the world and the largest market for cashew nuts,’ he said.
Bryan also spoke about the potential of expanding the cashew value chain in Cambodia.
‘The processing parts of the value chain is not here in Cambodia, and there’s a lot of potential to bring it to Cambodia,’ he said.
Over 95% of Cambodian cashews are exported raw and unprocessed.
Gunther Wessel, a GIZ programme manager and a cashew expert, also joined the tour.
‘There is more and more interest in Cambodia, but Cambodians, to start processing,’ he said.
If the cashew producers can adhere to EU standards it will give them access to the biggest market in the world.
Hopefully we see more investment in the cashew sector in Cambodia and growth in the number of direct sales to the EU.
You can see more my work with the EU here and read more of my blog posts here.
On Location as a Lighting Camera Operator and Sound Recordist for the European Union
With very short notice, I was called upon to work for the EU as a lighting camera operator and sound recordist on The Third Global Conference on Assistance to the Victims of Anti-Personnel Mines and Other Explosive Ordnance in a Disability Rights Context.
This was second job of part of a very productive relationship working as the lead videographer with Landel Mills to provide a range of video content for the EU delegation in Cambodia.
I lit the interviews with 2 x Aputure Storm 300D mkii LEDs and ran a Sony a7iv and a7siii to give us 2 angles. I was also using 3 x Sennheiser radio mics with a combination of the Sony XLR-K3M Dual-Channel Digital XLR Audio Adapter Kit and a Zoom h4n Pro sound recorder to give me 3 channels when interviewing 2 people.
Below are some of the behind-the-scenes images, kindly provided by Nick Sells who was covering the event as a photographer. Nick Ray was also interviewing people. It was great to work with Nick again, who as ever, came fully-prepared with engaging questions.
The event was presided over by H.E. Ly Thuch, First Vice President of the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, H.E igor Driesmans, the EU Ambassador to Cambodia and H.R.H Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al Hussein of Jordan.
Funded by the EU and hosted by the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) the conference promoted the end of suffering and new casualties caused by anti-personnel mines.
The video was well received and the EU commissioned a shorter version to be distributed on their social media channels.
In Novermber 2024, Cambodia will host the world host the Convention's Fifth Review Conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia from 25 to 29 November 2024.
You can see more examples of my work as a lighting camera operator here and here.