Tibet 1

Better pronuciation of tibetan words would help this piece. Plus mention of the Chinese in Tibet is also important. The footage is amazing...

To balance this very glossy, commercial and "lite" look at Tibet I would reccomend

link

For a little dose of truth.

But, in defense of this piece, regarding the comment below asking for Tibetan interviews, I commend the filmmaker for not taking random interviews which would have put Tibetans in great danger if they would have responded on political topics.

Out of 6,000 monasteries, China destroyed all but 13. China has also killed 1/6 of Tibet's population through invasion, forced labor, starvation murder and torture.

While it may be enticing for a Western filmmaker, Tibet as a subject has to be approached with a great sense of responsibility by any Western photographer or filmmaker as a matter of life and death.

Today, China's government continues official and brutal policies of cultural genocide, intending to leave only a theme-park type shell to attract tourist dollars.

Regarding the film,
The explanations of Buddhism and the prayer wheel are far from accurate and elementary at best. Lahsa is not the "Rome" of the Buddhist world, but it was the center of the specific sects of Tibetan Buddhism and China's current role is certainly glossed over.

But I would thank the filmmaker for not endangering Tibetans by trying to take or broadcast political interviews on the Web that would not have gone unnoticed by Chinese authorities but it is very weak on any real substance.

Visually and Respectfully

Thanks for the comment! This video was actually part of a series I blogged from Tibet (that's a story in itself) this spring. The series appears on my video blog Schreiner's Media Landscape at link I shot a documentary there which includes the stuff you mentioned. Obviously, this story doesn't have all that.

If you would get some interviews with Tibetans...you know about how Tibet has changed since Chinese occupation .... plus get some local musicians...monks talking about essence of buddhism...westeners talking about buddhism and what Tibet means for them...You have to find a story because now it is too weak to keep audience watching.
Right now the pod is kind of ... lacks the energy... Voice over is too "polished" :)
Come on, Tibet has really good energy! Upload newer version. Good job anyway.

Ken, great footage. Local music would it make even better. Definitely greenlight.

Ken,
Nice shots...next time let me know I will go and be your photographer
Shane

Awesome shots you have here and a good story. The narration does feel too forced, the voice, while great for certain pieces, sounds too polished and upbeat for this piece. It has great potential, some native music from Tibet would enhance the flavor too. Overall, good shots, good editing, good story, GL.

Thanks for watching! I agree with you. I edited this on a laptop in a dimly-lit guest house in Lhasa to put on my blog that night so I didn't have much to work with. I copied it to a Sandisk and just now am sending it elsewhere. I did four other videos on schreinervideo.blogspot.com. The story behind this trip (on which I shot a documentary) is quite interesting as well. I'm glad I don't have to crap in a concrete hole anymore.