Friends of Morocco Moroccan-American Friendship tour Nov 3-10, 2001
Dan Cahill video proposal

As promised, here is my proposal for the video production. Since we spoke, I've become even more enthusiastic about the idea, especially now that my daughter has signed on.

Let me know your reactions to this piece, and please forward it to everyone you mentioned. Because I want to write to them personally, I'll attach it to my own note to the McCrearys, but it couldn't hurt if you did the same. I'm pasting it in directly below, so let me know if it's readable, etc.

PROPOSAL:
To make a video record of the upcoming Friends of Morocco/Moroccan-American Friendship Tour. The footage could be edited into different finished programs, depending on the audience:
a) The Moroccan Tourist Industry could use it to demonstrate how safe Morocco continues to be.
b) As a display of the ongoing interests of RPCV's in their host countries, Peace Corps or the National Peace Corps Association could use it as a recruiting or informational tool.
c) It could have current feature news value either in the U.S. or Morocco.
d) Depending on the content, it could eventually make its way to PBS as a documentary on the value of the Peace Corps experience for RPCV's.

WHO IS DAN CAHILL?
I was a TEFL Volunteer in Kenitra, 1968-70.
I am a filmmaker, experienced in directing, writing, cinematography/videography, and editing. I have an M.F.A. from New York University in Film and TV production, and 25 years experience in dramatic, educational, and industrial films/videos. I have experience writing for a major Hollywood studio, and I am a member of the Writers Guild of America. My work has won awards, most recently a 2000 Communicator Crystal Award for a dramatic legal education video I directed. My base of operations is the New York University Law School, where I am Manager of Video Services.

HOW IT WOULD BE DONE:
Shooting would follow the entire course of the week-long itinerary. I would cover the sights of interest, but also the reactions of the RPCV's. Their commentary would contribute to programs b) and d) above. Interviews with English-speaking Moroccans would be very helpful for all of the programs. The overall goal would be to depict Morocco as the scenic, hospitable, multi-cultural country that it continues to be.

I would use a Sony DCR-VX2000 Mini-DV camcorder with many professional features, including professional audio inputs. I would hope to shoot in a 16:9 aspect ratio ("Letterbox") to create a more cinematic look. I have a complete digital video editing setup in my office, with a powerful G-4 Mac and Final Cut Pro. I can easily make copies of the finished programs in several formats: Mini-DV, DVCam, Beta SP, 3/4" U-Matic, and VHS.

I would serve as director, videographer and editor. I hope to be accompanied by my 22 year old daughter Melissa, who is experienced at assisting me in video production. If some entity saw fit to make money available, I could conceivably bring along another crew person to act as videographer. This would improve the quality of the program in making us a faster-working team, and freeing me to plan my directing and interviewing more efficiently. If there is no extra money, then we could make do with the equipment I've mentioned above, with one important exception: lighting equipment. Assuming that there will be some interior shooting, very likely at night, basic lighting equipment would be essential in creating a professional look.

FURTHER THOUGHTS:
I returned to Morocco for the first time in May-June 1999. I visited my old school in Kenitra, and located former students and teaching colleagues. Some of these contacts might prove very useful on this project:
a) Because I was writing a dramatic screenplay situated in Morocco, I visited the Centre Cinematographique Marocain in Rabat, and met with Souhail Ben Barka, its director. We had a very pleasant visit, and he was most generous in his desire to help me. It occurs to me that either he or his successor, mindful of the recent drop-off in foreign film production, might be willing to donate some lighting equipment, and possibly the services of a technician or two.
I will definitely need some help in getting my equipment through customs in Casablanca. I may also require support in obtaining permission to shoot in locations that might be a bit challenging, such as medina streets, souks, mosques, etc. Perhaps M. Ben Barka could help with this, or maybe our guide can assist on the spot.
b) A former student, Dr. Abdelhay Moudden, teaches Political Science at Mohamed V University, and also owns and operates the Center for Cross-Cultural Learning in Rabat (www.cccl-ma.com). He is an important bridge between Morocco and the U.S., and might be very helpful in gathering Moroccan academics and intellectuals to appear in the program. Dr. Moudden's English is flawless (I'm proud to say I taught him his first words), and he himself could also provide important cross-cultural insights.
c) I also met a former teaching colleague, Seddik Zniber, who is now the History-Geography Inspector at the Ministry of Education. He lives in Sale, and although I've not had any contact with him since 1999, I believe he would enjoy an opportunity to contribute to this project. His English is weak, but if he were to speak in either French or Arabic, he could always be subtitled or overdubbed into English.

These are my initial thoughts after thinking through the idea for roughly 36 hours. I'm sure more details will emerge as the project advances. Clearly, we need to begin ASAP to make contacts in Morocco and elsewhere, in search of logistical support and possible funding. Anyone wishing to respond should feel free to encourage, discourage, elaborate on, or challenge any of my ideas. Here's how to find me:

Dan Cahill
542 West 110 Street, #1
New York, NY 10025

Home: 212-932-7781
Office: 212-998-6317

daniel.cahill@nyu.edu

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