Ashley Terry Talks About Challenges with Production 

Transcript.

John
Overall, did you accomplish what you wanted to do? Did you get the shots?

Ash
Yes, I did accomplish what we set out to do for this what we’re calling phase one of production. However, it opened my eyes to all the things that we couldn’t do as properly as we would like. I knew it would be, even though I’m only there for two weeks. Can we do this other part of the process that’s maybe not the right time of year for it and say, Well, we can demonstrate it.

Ash
But then I get back home with the footage and it’s kind of cringeworthy from the perspective of folks who really know. Again, hopefully the crowdfunding goes really well and we can get another trip to Malawi. We can get as much of this B-roll. I can pay the Malawi production crew what they need to get all these pickup shots throughout the year.

John
So do they need more gear? Is that part of the problem? Because I know that we don’t. The Chophouse donated a camera. Was that to Tiyeni or was that to the government or what was the donation?

Ash
So the Chophouse donated a GH5 and one lens as well as a couple of filters, batteries, media cards. And a cage with a top handle shoots 4K 60 frames per second for slo mo. Again, with the filters and the lens that I gave them, they can they can get some of those cinematic shots. However, I’m going to have to be very limiting on what and how often I can send them out, you know, depending upon how much additional funds we can raise to really raise this to the next level and really show people what because because Africa’s beautiful year round in different ways.

Ash
And so I’d like to see all that in the documentary that the various flowers that are blooming share, as well as the different processes that take place up and down the country. We managed to go to two sites, Lilongwe in the central part and Mzuzu in the northern districts. So we got some variety of trees and foliage, crops when when it’s ready in April.

Ash
Phase two would be me going back again, preferably with someone like Matt, who’s good with the camera world traveler. And and we’ll work for a nice low price point for me.

John
So the original budget really didn’t account for a second trip for you guys to go back, right?

Ash
If it did, it didn’t account for editing.

John
One or the other has to happen, I’m guessing is going to be editing. I mean, Tiyeni is a nonprofit and the goal of this is to raise money so that they can expand operations. And this is more than just feeding, you know, folks in Malawi or teaching folks in Malawi how to farm, because this technique really is beneficial to many places in Africa.

John
I’m pretty sure hard pan is common, right?

Ash
Yes…They’ve spoken to folks in Tanzania, which is their neighbor just to the north, Ethiopia, which is near the Horn of Africa. Many people are interested in spreading this technology and whether it is going to be Tiyeni working with another organization within that government, because the hoops you have to jump through to be involved with the government and that that give and take that they have with their organization is uniquely is unique to Malawi.

Ash
The more funds that they can get, the more things they can start like that and grow their infrastructure for spreading the word about Deep Bed Farming.

Help us distribute this film so Tiyeni can reach more farmers in malawi and beyond. 

Help us reach our goal

We’re asking for help to distrubute this film. Our goal is $20,000. This will help us finish the documentary, submit the film to festivals, and engage in paid marketing to drive awareness. Tiyeni’s goal is to eliminate food poverty in Malawi and then elsewhere. This documentary is their investment in promotion to raise funds for expansion. Help us end food poverty in Malawi with Deep Bed Farming.