Uncle_Benon

There is no actor safety. They care very much, and they do try. But what can they really do? None of them have ever even seen a doctor. i took Isaac myself. He was 40 and was shaking his head the whole time in disbelief that he is actually at a clinic. That's one of the things that can change with the films. It sounds crazy, but by them selling a film online with heads exploding (see Tebaatusasula), even at $5, that would bring more than enough for them to get proper care and even an education for the kids (waka starz)

It's a slum and the conditions are dangerous. Glass, rocks, etc. I ripped my hand open on their replica of Rambo's M60. Because it's raw metal and weighs a ton. I wanted to keep shooting, but the children surrounded me and wanted to see it. They has to stop shooting because villagers wanted a look and kids even started poking at the wound. I wrapped up my hand and all was good, but Isaac explained to me that night what really happened.

They had never seen a white person bleed before, and they thought I would have blue blood.

I can tell you what they have been. Isaac make 6 or 7 films at a time, so it's a little hard to say with certainty, but when we break it down it comes to about $200 - $300 a film. And that money goes to computer parts and miniDV tape, most of all.

The cast and crew build their own weapons, props, and costumes, and get themselves to Wakaliwood. Isaac and his family feed them. But they are not quite volunteers. It's much more interesting. If you work on the film, you have the right to sell the DVD. No one else can sell it. There's good money in that if you put the time in, because the films are so popular and beloved in the ghettos. And you keep about 30% of gross, which is way more than ANY actor in the West would receive.

Oh, god, it was never ever intentional. You can see it in this clip. And if you pay attention you can hear Isaac laughing as he is filming when it happens.

It turned out to be a big deal, tho'. The mwala (that means a sewage trenches or woman, I get them confused, and it's baaaaaaad) play a big part in his films. he purposely put scenes where the Commandos or whomever have to crawl through them to get where they are going. The reason is that the sewage defines these films as ghetto. No one in the upper classes would come near it, but if you are from there, it is part of your life. As a child you play in it and catch frogs. And the actors love it because it defines THEM as ghetto.

I knew nothing of this, and on my first day we were doing a scene where I jump over the sewage while being chased. Nut I lost my footing and fell in. It's the real deal. It's thick and horrible. But I didn't care. I just got up and said what next. They had never seen anyone outside the slum do that, much less an American pretending to be Schwartenegger. Isaac describes it as my baptism into Wakaliwood and how they all knew we could make great things together...

This is the scene in question. I feel so bad because I pulled in one of the guys with me...

PS If anyone out there wants to help me

I just went. I saw the Who Killed Captain Alex trailer, and got the fastest plane ticket I could afford. I didn't even call or email. My only fear was that he wouldn't be there and out shooting, which is funny now because he films everything from his front yard.

My first day I was in Owino, which is this epic market that's acres long, selling spices, clothing, book bags, you name it. And out of the corner of my eye I saw someone standing in a crowd selling DVDs. The back of his shirt said Ramon Film Productions, but he was so far away I started running so as not to lose him. But then he started running because who's this white dude chasing him? He finally slowed down, and I introduced myself, and he was relieved I wasn't the Police, and he took me to meet Isaac and Wakaliwood.

It was about an hour's motorcycle ride. When I got there Isaac and his wife welcomed me into their home, and we sat and talked for 5 hours. about everything -distribution, the computers, favorite films, films he wants to make, etc, etc.

It was after midnight before I was back in my hotel, and my head was spinning. I called him up (he was still awake, of course, working), and said I want to work with you, but I also think I want to act. He goty real quiet and said, "Let me think about it." I thought that meant maybe yes, maybe no. What it really meant was, "Let me write a movie for you."

The next day he said to come by and meet everyone. And that's when I realized this was something special. There were dozens of people working in all different teams in unison - costumes, props, Kung Fu, actors. The day before I met a filmmaker, but when I saw this I realized it was a studio, run on hope, with children playing everywhere.

And that was it. Hooked for life.

We were doing a love scene, and between takes the girl leaned over to me and said, "I want a white baby." I thought that was a great line, and said we should use it. She looked into my eyes and said, "No. I want a white baby." I totally freaked out, Isaac yelled ACTION!, and I spent the next twenty minutes being schooled how to pick up women in Uganda by the male actors because, "I actually looked scared" in that scene.