Tsunami Survivors (updated)

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Archive 2008 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

liamh
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p.1 #1 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Hi all,

These pics were taken today in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, the city that suffered the worst devastation from the Tsunami a couple of years ago.

All of these people have harrowing stories; some have lost every member of their family, their homes and their livelihoods.

I'm here making a film about them, before traveling on to the USA, Lebanon, Kashmir and elsewhere to tell stories of other people who have seen tragedy and disaster come their way.

1.

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Edited on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:27 PM · View previous versions

Oct 06, 2008 at 04:51 PM

Steady Hand
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p.1 #2 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Howdy Liam,

I am glad to see you are posting some pics from your travels on your project. I look forward to seeing the "stills."

It sounds like it will be a fascinating and "life changing" experience both personally and professionally.

In this set, I like that you have a range of ages of people.

Good light to you.

Oct 06, 2008 at 05:03 PM

canerino
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p.1 #3 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

nice pj stuff here liam! love how close you were for these. any idea on when your documentary is set to release?

Oct 06, 2008 at 05:12 PM

Sam Bortol
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p.1 #4 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Great set Liam, thank you for sharing...

Oct 06, 2008 at 05:14 PM

timhpark
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p.1 #5 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Thanks for sharing these. I see the stories in their eyes.

Tim

Oct 06, 2008 at 06:57 PM

liamh
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p.1 #6 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Steady, Chuck, Sam and Tim thanks for looking.

Chuck, the film will be aired mid December.

Steady, I don't yet know if it will be life-changing or not, who can tell? But, what I can say is, every person I've met on this and similar shoots has left an impression on me and that's a good thing. A little of their pain travels with me, a little of their horror travels with me, a little of their joy travels with me.

The man in #6 was swept away by the first wave that hit his village and then pushed further inland by the second. He clung to his wife and child for as long as he could before his wife slid away, taken by the current, when he could hold his son no more he sunk his teeth into the boy's shirt and held him above the water for four hours simply by the strength of his jaw. Luckily, his wife survived the wave, sadly they were the only members of their family who did.

He lost his house and his livelihood, but not his dignity. He's refused our money and he's taken nothing from us yet given us so much to help make our film. Sometimes, I think me, my friends and my family don't even know we are born...

The internet here is a bit patchy and my time is limited, but we're halfway through filming in Indonesia. The people in these parts have touched us all and we genuinely hope to be able to help. We will help.

Here's a few more;

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A little behind the scenes shot;

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Yours truly being a twat;

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Edited on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:33 PM · View previous versions

Oct 07, 2008 at 06:53 PM

Steady Hand
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p.1 #7 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

That's the spirit..."uplifting."

I mean the last image of course.

The "dolly" shot is an interesting POV too. It is always interesting to see "behind the curtain."

Keep us posted when you can.

Good light to you.

Oct 07, 2008 at 07:26 PM

timhpark
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p.1 #8 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Hey Liam, I just noticed it, but why was this thread tagged with NSFW? Just curious.

Tim

Oct 07, 2008 at 07:31 PM

Seth Tower
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p.1 #9 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

timhpark wrote:
Hey Liam, I just noticed it, but why was this thread tagged with NSFW? Just curious.
Tim

Ditto...

Oct 07, 2008 at 07:53 PM

pilles
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p.1 #10 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Tim, and Seth. What do you want to bet that he just wanted to make sure he got looked at?

Dirty pool, I say.

Oct 07, 2008 at 09:28 PM

deermatt1
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p.1 #11 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

wow, great shots. Funding for your film has to be very large .

Oct 07, 2008 at 10:08 PM

digitalgene
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p.1 #12 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Great shots all of them very moving.

Oct 08, 2008 at 02:51 AM

liamh
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p.1 #13 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

timhpark wrote:
Hey Liam, I just noticed it, but why was this thread tagged with NSFW? Just curious.

Tim
It seemed appropriate since there's a picture of me, truly scary

Thanks to the rest of you too. I'll keep adding more when I can...

Oct 08, 2008 at 03:22 AM

timhpark
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p.1 #14 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

liamh wrote:
timhpark wrote:
Hey Liam, I just noticed it, but why was this thread tagged with NSFW? Just curious.

Tim
It seemed appropriate since there's a picture of me, truly scary

Thanks to the rest of you too. I'll keep adding more when I can...

Oct 08, 2008 at 03:44 AM

SeanP
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p.1 #15 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

pilles wrote:
Tim, and Seth. What do you want to bet that he just wanted to make sure he got looked at?

Dirty pool, I say.

haha, thats funny because when im at home i always make sure to look at every thread with that marking.

nice pictures

Oct 08, 2008 at 05:02 AM

Spyros D
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p.1 #16 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Liam, thanks for posting these images - they are very expressive, and bring us into the lives of these people. I wish you all the best of luck on your project, and please do keep us posted! Cheers, Spyros

Oct 09, 2008 at 08:26 PM

Jim Rickards
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p.1 #17 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

A touching story, Liam. Thanks for sharing it with us. The portraits are very well done too.

Oct 09, 2008 at 08:52 PM

SJMD
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p.1 #18 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Thanks for sharing and good luck with the project.

Oct 09, 2008 at 09:49 PM

Ryan Torres
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p.1 #19 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

timhpark wrote:
Hey Liam, I just noticed it, but why was this thread tagged with NSFW? Just curious.

Tim

That cow is naked.

Great work by the way.

Oct 10, 2008 at 02:05 AM

liamh
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p.1 #20 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Thanks to all of you who have looked -even the lurkers

We've now finished our shoot in Aceh and today will fly on to Kuala Lumpur, before catching a plane ascross the pacific to LA and another one to New Orleans, our next location.

I'll post some from the US next week, in the meantime here's a few more from Indonesia:

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Oct 10, 2008 at 06:10 AM

Stan Santiago
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p.1 #21 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

hi liam,

on your last pic, your sensor has dust and needs cleaning

keep us posted and be safe.

cheers,
stan

Oct 10, 2008 at 06:51 AM

liamh
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p.1 #22 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Stan Santiago wrote:
hi liam,

on your last pic, your sensor has dust and needs cleaning

keep us posted and be safe.

cheers,
stan

I've cleaned it now

Oct 10, 2008 at 01:11 PM

Steady Hand
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p.1 #23 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Howdy Liam,

From the added photos, it looks like you and the crew are having some fun meeting the locals.

The yellow buildings look brand new.

Are they housing or offices?

Are they in a location that was "swept" or flooded by the Tsunami or are they removed from the "danger zone?"

Are people building (or rebuilding) in the waterfront areas (where damage was greatest) or is there a "move" more to inland or higher ground (due to fear of another wave in future)?

Is there a sense of "get on with life and go back to way it was" or "things are different and I won't build in the same place?"

And...are those buildings part of an international aid project (donated)?

Regards.

Oct 10, 2008 at 01:18 PM

liamh
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p.1 #24 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Hi Steady,

The locals were truly wonderful and inspiring in so many ways.

Yes, the yellow buildings are brand new. This development is ten minutes drive from the sea and has been built by various NGOs from around the world. I visited one village that was entirely built with money donated by Jackie Chan.

Building has been going on all over the area, though some of the waterfront was effectively reclaimed by the tsunami and is still under water.

There's no 'danger zone' as such, indeed the wave reached several miles inland. The ship in the picture below was swept off its mooring and came to rest five miles inland. There are two houses beneath it, no one knows how many bodies.

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Fishing is still a major industry in the area, though many of the young people have required extra training in the ways of the sea as Banda Aceh effectively lost a generation of fisherman.

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As I've got a ten hour wait here in Malaysia before flying to LA in the morning, I'll try and write some detail about what's going on there and if it's interesting I'll post it on my blog with a few more pics.

Oct 10, 2008 at 02:26 PM

solipeddr
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p.1 #25 · Tsunami Survivors (updated)

Liam great to see your work! Also that you have fun doing it. I believe that is why you are good at it. My favorite is the one of the moto or moped through the fence. Great composition IMHO

Cheers,
Fernando

Oct 10, 2008 at 06:54 PM


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