iPhone XS Guinea Percussion Doc Makes An Impact
Made by first-time filmmaker Catherine Veilleux, Badera is about a group of percussionists from Guinea (West Africa). The film is a brilliant documentary shot with minimal resources, shot entirely on an iPhone XS. As one of MoMo 2020’s officially selected filmmakers, we asked Catherine to tell us more about how the film was made…
What is the story behind your film?
l love the question.
I have been studying Guinean percussion for 15 years in Guinea and I witnessed the evolution of the group Badera. Every year I see the progress and motivation and in 2018 (when they won the national contest) I said to myself: “someone has to do their story”. But I had never made a film.
What were the steps which led you to make it?
So I made some calls, found a professional who was willing to teach me the basics, and who believed in smartphone films. I got a grant and started the quest to filmmaking!
Why did you choose a smartphone to film with?
I wanted to be close to my subjects and since I also drum with them all day long, I always had my phone close to me, on my gimbal, ready to shoot because a lot of spontaneous stuff happens in Guinea. Also, I noticed over the years that the quality was getting better and better. Even better than the camcorder I was using. So I switched to iPhone only to record whenever I was in Guinea.
What equipment did you use?
I use an iPhone XS and I didn’t use apps unless I was making a time-lapse. I was shooting most of the time with the gimbal since the floor was moving (in the stilt house).
I used DaVinci Resolve to edit and since it was my first film, my setup was challenging. I used a Mac Mini and DaVinci was crashing all the time… I had to render the film in order to see the results. Man, it was painful but I got to the end of it. I already have a much better set up.
How much did you know about filmmaking before you made this film?
Nothing! Ha! Ha! Ha! People tell me I am a natural, but I got the training that made the difference.
What did you like/not like about filming with a phone?
I love being spontaneous with the phone and often my subjects didn’t even notice me filming, so they were very natural. Asking a Guinean artist to do the same action he just did, in front of the camera is nearly impossible. They are artists, they will act.
When you are always using your phone, you have to make sure you have a battery pack with you all the time. It was my only issue.
Has making the film changed your life in any way?
Not really, but it did make it more interesting.
How successful was the film, personally and in gaining an audience for your work?
This was my very first film, so just finishing it was a success!! Being selected in festivals is also huge! But winning prizes proved me it was as good for others as it was good for me. The buzz this brings really helps grow an audience.
Looking back on the movie, is there anything you’d have done differently?
I gave it my best shot, thinking about it day and night, completely possessed by the project, loving the images and the music I was capturing. I spent tons of wonderful time editing, being transported to Guinea every time I sat down to edit, during the cold winter of Canada. The only thing is getting a better mic for the interviews.
How important are film festivals that give these kind of films a platform for you?
They are essential for strangers like me who needs help getting noticed. The social medias are very helpful too but you end up reaching the same people all the time. Also, festivals make you connect with other filmmakers. It’s inspiring.
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