One thing I found super interesting was the frequent use of AI imagery on large billboards throughout the city. At least half of all advertisements were noticeably AI-generated, which I think is quite different from what I see in the US. It was an observation that I am still quite interested in understanding today and…
Author: hem119
Looking Forward
As a young director who was pushing far beyond my previous work, I think the greatest hurdle to overcome was the immense workload, organization, and confidence required to pull our project off. I remember constantly planning our next moves, the next shot, and the next shooting day. Our painter, my assistant director, and the many…
Ditch Google Maps!
One thing I love about exploring new places is memorizing the layout of the city that I am in. I enjoyed ignoring my phone, picking a direction to walk, and walking across the city from memory. By the end of the trip, I could just about get anywhere in Dakar without Google Maps– at one…
Why Senegal?
During my study abroad trip, I filmed a documentary about a boat painter living on the Yoff coast in Dakar. It was for this reason that UI actually chose to study in Senegal, as the Frederick Honors College Research and Culture in Senegal Program was very excited about my proposal when I came to them…
Adjusting to a new experience
Dakar is a modern city. I went to the grocery store, I took Ubers (Yango being the Senegalese equivalent), and I went to the bank; but it’s the little differences that you have to get used to. For one thing, traffic is a big issue and public transit can be intimidating to try, as it…