About James:
James Duff is an award-winning NYC based filmmaker, photographer, and world traveler. His independent feature film, HANK AND ASHA, won the Audience Award at the Slamdance Film Festival, and went on to screen at more than 50 international film festivals, winning more than 20 awards. His short film, LIFE IS A SWEET, screened at over 40 festivals worldwide, and his documentary, THE CYCLE ALSO RISES, was broadcast nationally on PBS as part of the POV series. James spent two years in Senegal working as a videographer for an NGO funded by USAID, documenting the implementation of sustainable living practices in the Casamance River region, and worked on a project for World Vision in the Turkana region of Kenya, documenting nomadic people learning to farm for survival purposes. He has also worked as a documentary instructor for an NGO in the Tindouf refugee camp in the Sahara Desert region of Algeria, and for UNESCO in Nairobi, Kenya. He recently returned from Rwanda, where he documented a group of volunteer doctors performing fistula surgery on rural woman, and he plans to travel to Uganda next spring to document a local NGO working to educate women living on the streets of Kampala. Besides being passionate about sustainable living practices, James is also an advocate of quality education. He has taught film production in Kenya, India, Senegal, Algeria, New York City and for the last ten years in Prague. He earned his MFA in film production from USC's School of Cinematic Arts, where he won a fellowship for excellence in directing actors. At home, James is passionate about table tennis (not ping pong!), hiking, forest bathing and roaming the streets of NYC. He tries to speak French and has become obsessed with cooking dishes from remote corners of the world.
1. How do you believe your photography can make a difference for them?
My assignment is unusual for Photographers Without Borders, in that it is video rather than still photos, which actually is more of my specialty. I have years of experience filming people from all over the world, and have learned that the most effective films are those that inspire deep empathy within the viewer. In order to achieve this, my method is to spend time with people before turning the camera on, to create the safest environment for them to truly express themselves. The subjects of my assignment, both new recycling initiatives and education, can be very emotionally fraught and controversial. In filming the interviews, I will use a very small camera, so it’s as unobtrusive as possible. I will maintain eye contact, so the interviewee will hopefully forget the camera is there. When I film the people in their environments, I will use a camera that is identical to a still camera, in order to attract the least amount of attention as possible. The goal is to capture the people in as natural a setting as possible. This method of filming the story will hopefully create empathy in the audience and inspire them to take action.
2. How will your storytelling make a difference in this context?
I believe that the best way to tell a story is through the subject’s eyes, from the inside/out rather than the outside/in. I listen intently to what people have to say, without interruption or injecting my biases, and shape the story from their words, values and beliefs rather than any preconceived ideas. In the context of my assignment, new recycling initiatives and education, it is important that the story be told from an insider’s perspective. I will spend time getting to know the people before turning on the camera, so they will feel more comfortable expressing themselves. My objective is to let the local people tell their story in a way that best represents themselves.
3. What message would you like to send to your supporters?
First of all, thank you so much! I’m so grateful to you for believing in this project and supporting me. I can’t express how much this means to me! The environment and education both seem to be such insurmountable challenges. The first step to making change is taking action. So kudos to you for making this contribution. Hopefully others will be inspired to take action and together we can make the world a better place!