Translator’s Note: People across Africa are highly intelligent and are using their environments to generate new and exciting developments! This is how human labour transforms the material world! Isaac has had his life enriched psychologically and physically by Mainland China and he has transmitted this enrichment to the Ugandan people! A similar story is unfolding all over Africa! Although ‘Vice’ and ‘Al Jezeera’ have featured Isaac – both of these media outlets routinely run fabricated ‘anti-China’ stories (following the distorted US and Zionist agenda) and are obviously expressing their inherent ‘hypocrisy’ by covering this story! This does not matter as routine ‘lying’ does not alter the reality of Mainland China openly helping and assisting a developing Africa! The picture at the top of this article is from a Chinese language article about a Chinese tourist meeting local martial artists in Nigeria (非洲人觉得中国功夫厉害，不喜欢中国人给他们拍照) with many of these people also ‘learning’ gongfu from watching Chinese language films! Ugandan Isaac now offers African people their own martial arts films! ACW (4.10.2022)
An African man living in a slum learned Chinese gongfu – and then produced ultra-low budget movies which have become major regional hits – making him a small fortune! Although an orphan – this man learned to make cheap props and how to operate a camera whilst filming fighting and training scenes! Although he spends the equivalent of 1 Yuan a day on living expenses – he often spends 2000 Yuan on each gongfu movie – of which he has produced over forty in the last ten-years! How did this amazing story begin? Isaac was born in a slum in Uganda. Since childhood, he liked Chinese gongfu and admired Bruce Lee very much – imitating the various martial arts actions he saw in the movies! When he grew-up – he travelled on his own to the Shaolin Temple in Henan, China – where he was welcomed by the Buddhist monks! He was taken in as a disciple and trained under the harsh regime for a number of years – rising early and performing all the arduous and severe tasks asked of him! Eventually, when he reached a certain level of proficiency – he returned back to Uganda – and it was then that he started making martial arts films!
In 2005, Isaac founded Uganda’s first film company – Raymond – in a slum with his meager income from making bricks. People affectionately call it ‘Wakaliwood’. He gathers people who want to learn martial arts and have dreams starring in movies. He conducts free training every day, detailing the strength of good posture and strong punches and kicks. Under the scorching sun, both adults and children earnestly practice the martial arts movements. In order to encourage the children, he will often give out some drinks and snacks as rewards after training. In Isaac’s view, there are many benefits of learning Chinese martial arts. In addition to making the martial arts movements beautiful and seamless during shooting, with perseverance the training can also strengthen the body and develop the mind. In Uganda now – from young adults to young children – they are all learning Chinese gongfu and preparing for the filming of martial arts movies. Originally, Isaac shot with an old camera which had a blurry lens, because without experience everything had to be learned from scratch. He didn’t know how to shoot and edit, so he used his hard-earned money to sign up for an elementary editing training class. He learned and practiced, and quickly mastered basic editing techniques.
After borrowing a camera from a friend, he started writing scripts to shoot movies. He then pieced together a computer using old accessories found in dumps and old places. The second-hand computer worked but possessed insufficient memory, and when editing, it is often necessary to delete sections (after saving the data elsewhere) to cut new material. In this way, expenses are reduced. Isaac is a photographer, editor, director, and screenwriter. Filmmaking requires investment (which does not exist), and he has to support his family. Isaac insists on studying whilst working, and finally saved enough money to rent his own prop, editing, and rehearsal room in the slum. The actors participating in the show are all local residents. After finishing work every day, they get together to discuss the script and rehearse the shooting. There was no pay for the work – the only good thing is that Isaac gives them a place to stay whilst filming without them having to sleep outside.
Due limited resources, there is only one camera on site, and an action needs to be repeated many times during shooting. In an action movie, the actors are all using real punching and kicking – striking one another. After a scene, the actors will always be left with large and small scars, but no one cares about this during filming. Filming in Wakaliwood is all about passion. Of course, in addition to equipment and actors, service is also the key to a movie. It is said that the production of action films and sci-fi films is a waste of money – where the investment of large amounts in a poor country is often criticized as supporting ‘rubbish’ films – but the service of the Isaac team is unbelievably simple. In order to save money, the actors omit the step of makeup, and the special makeup effects (when necessary) are arranged by Isaac’s wife. She mixes water, dirt, and cheap paint on the face and body – and the special effect is achieved. In addition, the props in the hands of the actors are basically made of broken copper, iron or wood, and they are so simple that it takes imagination to imagine exactly what they are!
Bullets are replaced by small, sharpened wooden sticks, guns in hand are pieced together from scrap metal or wood, and rocket launchers are outrageously made of plastic tubes and pans. Even the helicopters, trolleys, and camera booms needed for the shooting were painstakingly welded from a pile of discarded parts. Flour is used to make explosions and ox blood splattered. The blood was collected by Isaac from the slaughterhouse. But over time, it was found that many actors fell ill because of this, so they later switched to edible colouring. When domestic film and television dramas were criticized by many people for using a lot of cut outs and shoddy production, they didn’t know that ‘50 cents special effects’ were the best technology that could be afforded. Flying people, helicopters, cars, many movie clips are done by putting up a simple green screen. But for Isaac, the filming process was not the hardest, the hardest was editing in post filming. A dilapidated editing room, a computer, and a hard drive were all of Isaac’s editing equipment. The second-hand computer he used not only had insufficient memory, but also could not upload complex editing programmes.
In addition, the power supply in the slums is unstable. There is only about 3 days of electricity a week. Whether it is shooting or editing, it needs to be carefully planned. The power of the dream, however, helps the actors to persevere. After finishing each film – it is engraved onto DVD discs, each priced at 45 cents (about 3 yuan), and then people go door-to-door in costumes used in the film. Usually, a movie will earn about 300 yuan. Even though the road seems difficult and endless, the actors never gave up and maintain a high degree of enthusiasm for filming. Over the past few years, through the efforts of Isaac and his companions, more than 40 films have been completed such as ‘Who Killed Captain Alex’ and ‘The Return of Uncle Benon’! These films, which combine Ugandan culture with Chinese culture, (as well as elements such as gunfights and gongfu), have received a lot of likes and attention on YouTube, and are referred to as ‘people who really love movies’. ‘Who Killed Captain Alex’ even attracted an American fan – Alan Hofmanis! He gathered his things together and travelled to Uganda to offer his expertise in the filming and editing process!
Hoffmanis said he saw intense anger and raw flair in the film – which is rarely seen in commercial films on the market. The story of ‘Wakaliwood‘ continues – which has gradually developed from a computer and a worn-out camera to a team of more than 130 people, and there is a clear division of labour for photography and editing, etc. According to relevant data, the film industry in Africa has developed rapidly in recent years and has huge potential. By 2021, the number of workers in this industry will reach about 5 million, and it will contribute 5 billion US dollars to Africa’s GDP. As long as the opportunity is seized, African films will definitely be able to make it to the big screen and be presented to the world. Isaac said in an interview that in the future every child here will surpass him, and that ‘Wakaliwood’ developed into a world-class action film studio. Hard work generates success! The Ugandan film industry has begun from scratch with their enthusiasm and love for the art constructed using the most primitive shooting and editing techniques! Aside from art, technology, and box office, this group of people are striving to pursue their shining dreams. Maybe dreams have nothing to do with being poor or rich. Anyone who has dreams is amazing!
Chinese Language Article:
https://www.163.com/dy/article/HFP6Q5R20550TA0M.html
太有才了，非洲小伙把中国武术带回国，拍5毛钱功夫片结果赚疯了
2022-08-27 10:34:52 来源: 法制播报 陕西
非洲一贫民窟孤儿学中国功夫，自制五毛道具，哪怕每天生活费只有1块钱，也要花2000元拍电影。
10年来制作40多部超低预算功夫电影，但部部票房都大卖。
他是怎么做到的？
艾萨克出生在乌干达贫民窟里，从小就十分喜欢中国功夫，崇拜李小龙，还会自己模仿武打片中的各种动作。
为了真正地接触到中国功夫，长大后他孤身一人来到河南少林寺学习中国武术。
那期间，他起早贪黑，每天都在刻苦训练。学有所成之后，为了将自己的功夫发挥作用，他决定回到乌干达效仿中国拍摄功夫电影。
2005年，艾萨克用制砖的微薄收入在贫民窟创立了乌干达第一家电影公司——雷蒙，人们亲切地称其为“瓦卡莱坞”。
他把想要学习武术、有电影梦的人聚集在这里，每天进行免费培训，细致到出拳的力度，踢脚的姿势。
炎炎烈日下，不论大人小孩都认真地练习着武术动作，为了鼓励过来学习的孩子们，本就入不敷出的他还会时常在训练后发一些饮料、零食作为奖励。
在艾萨克看来学习中国武术的好处很多，除了可以在拍摄中让武打动作更流畅美观外，坚持下来还能强身健体。
现在的乌干达，上到青壮年，下到稚嫩儿童，都在学习中国功夫，为拍摄功夫电影做准备。
最初艾萨克是用一台陈旧且镜头模糊的相机拍摄的，因为没有经验一切都只能从头学起。
不会拍摄剪辑，他就用辛苦攒下的钱去报了一个初级剪辑培训班，他边学边练习，很快就掌握了基本的剪辑技术。
从朋友那里借来一台相机后，他就开始写剧本进行拍摄。之后又用四处找来的旧配件拼凑出了一台电脑。
二手电脑内存不够，剪辑的时候经常要删除一段才能剪下一个素材。
就这样，为了减少开支，完成自己的“电影梦”。艾萨克一人身兼数职，摄影师、剪辑师、导演、编剧。
因为拍电影需要投入资金，再加上自己还要养家糊口，艾萨克坚持一边工作一边学习，终于攒钱在贫民窟租下了属于自己的道具室、剪辑室、排练室。
参演的演员都是当地居民，他们每天下班之后，就相聚一起讨论剧本，排练拍摄。
演出没有费用，唯一的好处是，艾萨克为他们提供了一个落脚的地方，不用在外面风餐露宿。
因为条件有限，拍摄现场又只有一台摄像机，为了拍摄效果一个动作要重复很多次，并且因为是动作片，演员们都是真实的拳打脚踢，棍棍到肉。
一场戏下来，演员们身上总会留下大大小小的伤痕，但大家对此都毫不在意。
在瓦卡莱坞拍摄电影，靠的就是热情。
当然，除了设备和演员，服化道也是一部电影拍摄的关键。
都说拍摄动作片、科幻片是在燃烧经费，动辄几个亿的投入还屡屡被人批为“垃圾”电影，但艾萨克团队的服化道却简陋到让人不可思议。
为了节省资金，演员直接省去了化妆这个步骤，必要时的特殊妆效是由艾萨克的老婆一手包办的。
把水、泥土以及廉价颜料混合后涂抹在脸和身体上，一个特效妆就简单完成了。
另外，演员手上的道具基本都是由破铜烂铁或木头加工拼凑而成，简陋到需要想象力才能辨别出来。
子弹由削尖的小木棒代替，手上拿的枪是由废弃的金属或木头拼凑而成的，火箭发射器更是离谱，是由塑料管和平底锅组成的。
就连拍摄需要的直升机、手推车、摄影吊臂也是用一堆废弃零件辛苦焊接而成的。
最早拍摄枪战场景时，为了枪枪见血。他们用面粉制造爆炸，用牛血代替血包。
这些牛血都是艾萨克起很早去屠宰场收集来的。但时间一长发现很多演员因此染上了病，所以后来改用成了可食用色素。
在国内影视剧被很多人吐槽大量使用抠图、粗制滥造时，却不知“五毛钱特效”已经是他们最好的技术。
飞起来的人、直升机、汽车，很多电影片段都是通过搭起一块简易绿幕完成的。
但对艾萨克来说，拍摄过程并不是最难的，最难的是后期剪辑。
一间破旧的剪辑室、一台电脑、一个硬盘就是艾萨克剪辑的全部装备，他使用的二手电脑不仅内存不够，还带不动复杂的剪辑程序。
再加上贫民窟的电力供应不稳定，一周只有3天左右有电，不管是拍摄剪辑都需要加急进行，有时突然断电甚至会让已经剪辑好的片段荡然无存。
但梦想的力量还是支撑他们坚持了下来。
制作完成的电影，他们会将其刻在DVD光盘上，每张标价45美分（约人民币3元），然后穿着电影中的服化挨家挨户上门推销。
通常一部电影下来会有300左右的收入。
即使这条路看起来艰难而漫漫无尽头，他们也从未放弃，依然对电影拍摄保持着高度的热情。
几年来，经过艾萨克和同伴们的努力，《谁杀死了阿列克斯机长》、《贝农叔叔归来》等40多部电影已经拍摄完成。
这些融合了乌干达文化和中国文化以及枪战、功夫等元素的电影在yotube上收获了大量的点赞和关注，并被大家称为“真正热爱电影的人”。
《谁杀死了阿列克斯机长》更是吸引了一个美国粉丝阿兰·霍夫马尼斯带着全部家当来投靠他。
霍夫马尼斯说，他在这部电影里看到了强烈的愤怒和原生的天赋，这是市面上的商业电影所少有的。
“瓦卡莱坞”的故事仍在继续，他们从一台电脑、一个破旧摄影机逐步发展成为一个130多人的团队，并且有了摄影、剪辑等的明确分工。
据相关数据显示，近些年非洲的电影行业发展迅速且拥有着巨大潜力，截至到2021年，从业者达到500万人左右，更是为非洲贡献了50亿美元的GDP。
只要抓住机遇，非洲电影一定可以走上大荧幕，呈现到世界的面前。
艾萨克在接受采访时说，未来这里每一个孩子都会超越他，他们会将
“瓦卡莱坞”发展成世界一流的动作片工坊。
天道酬勤，他们凭借着热情和一腔孤勇让乌干达的电影业从无到有，用着最原始的拍摄和剪辑技术向我们展示着自己的热爱。
抛开艺术、技术、票房不谈，这群努力追梦的人身上仿佛闪着光。
或许梦想无关贫穷或者富有，有梦想谁都了不起！
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 