Things didn’t know about Iran Trotter 5

The Iran Trotter host Javad Qaraei has made so many interesting tips about the show and himself, in response to journalistic questions in interviews with local media outlets. Here’s part 5 of his comments.

Producing documentary series, there are two major things we need to beware of; time and budget. In drama and feature work, the director may get the acting he wants from the actors, whenever he wishes, and would utilize the location as he wishes. That’s not the case about documentaries.

Nature never waits for anyone and it is you who should adapt themselves to the circumstances. The people in nature do the same. For example, how long could a nomad family from Talesh in northern Iran, who wants to migrate from their summer residence in the jungle to the winter’s near the summit of the mountains of Darmarz, wait for us? Say a couple of days, but no more. They would have to arrive at their destination as soon as possible, and provide food for their cattle.

So, the film crew should quickly shoot all the scenes, i.e. conduct the interviews, film the area, the family members, their cattle, daily activities, the details of their everyday life, and ensure we have kept up with the tasks they do to sustain life for themselves and their animals, and so on and so forth, before time is up and they begin to pack things for the big migration.

In the meantime, nature would play its own music. There could be hot sunshine, or a severe storm. Rain or shine, we would have to get the job done, and either set the excursion out, or say goodbye to the nomads, see them off, turn around and continue shooting the nearby sites.

Stay with our tour of Iran Trotter’s comments in the future episodes of this report.

Click here to watch the past episodes aired on ifilm.

MF/MG