Observational Footage

We had little idea of what to expect besides our preconceived assumptions of the monestary before our visit. I myself had expected a lavish pleace of serenity, lit by candles and filled with monks. I had thought that we might have to be quiet most of the time and wouldn’t be able to take pictures of things considered “sacred” or “holy”. Not only were my assumptions completely wrong, but for the best. When we arrived, we noticed a small gravel parking lot where a few cars were pulling in. We made our way to the temple before us only to find it empty. A woman guided us to the very small house which was situated beside the parking lot. Before entering we took off our shoes. When we finally made it inside, we were pleased to find he abbot, as well as a handful of others who had arrived for the service. Most of them, surprisingly, were Caucasion. For our next project, the observational footage on 16 mm, we are hoping to attend an annual festival and capture as much as we can. We were told by those who attended service that this festival in particular would be one of the best days to come out and not only get footage, but learn more about the religion and its customs. We’ve heard that there could be anywhere from 100-300 people attending this event, so we’re pretty excited to see what and who we’ll be able to capture. The festival is called Magha Pucha. Magha Pucha Day is one of the special buddhist holy days. On this day 1250 Arahant monks came together without prior arrangement to pay homage to the lord Buddha at Veruvana monestary. More importantly, it was the first and only occasion that the Lord Buddha addressed to his disciples the Ovadha-Patimokkha, also known as the Fundamentals of Buddhism. The Wat Carolina Buddhajakra Vanaram has planned to have the ceremony on Sunday, February 25, 2007. Following lunch we will meditate with the monks and end with a candle procession. We are hoping to really capture a piece of history as well as tradition on Sunday. Though this is considered a holy day, we will have to be sure of what we can and cannot film as we do not want to be disrespectful. I feel that this is going to be a great way for people to be a part of the ceremony who wouldn’t normally know anything about it. Simply because of the sheer genuineness and welcoming aura of the Buddhists, I am sure that this footage will be an inspiring and calming experience for all.

*Christy