06.28.03...Only a week left?
I am leaving Israel about a week from today. Hard to believe how much I've seen and more importantly, thought about, in only three weeks so far. I'm now trying to decide what footage will be important to get in this last week.

One of my mentors in this project, Joe Rubin, warned me to keep in mind that just because I am documenting people, it doesn't mean that I am necessarily advocating their positions. I have taken this advice to heart, because I don't agree with some of the things people have said in interviews, but I've definitely come to a greater understanding of their points of view. One thing I DO hope I am able to convey in the final product is the real sweetness displayed by many of the punks I've spent time with. I mean, some of these guys are pretty rough and tumble, at least on the outside. A lot of people might cross the street if they saw them coming. But there have definitely been those moments where they let their guard down and some pretty raw emotions have shown through. I hope I can get those moments to come accross in the film. (Of course, if some of them read this they'd probably never let me out of the country with this footage!)

The interview with Choas Rabak last night went well, though they were a bit shy and goofy around the camera at first. Lesson learned--never let a group bring their friends to the interview...creates too many opportunities for showing off. Anyway, one of the things I appreciated most about what they were saying is that a positive aspect of being a band here, despite the lack of opportunities, is that because it's a small scene they have a greater chance of actually making a difference. In the states and Europe, there are so many bands and gigs that it all sort of blends together. Here, they feel that they can actually influence people. Ori, the led singer, explained that if they can make one kid "turn punk" then it's a great thing. I find this especially interesting in the context of a religious society. It's almost like a battle between the punks and the religious folks... a battle over the wills and fates of the young people here.