07/04/2025
What makes working internationally so rewarding?
For me, it's always the team you build on the ground.
Filming across borders comes with a long list of challenges—visas, film permits, kit imports, cultural sensitivities, live translation, scheduling, logistics, location access, unpredictable weather...
But with the right local team, it all becomes possible—and often inspiring.
Recently, in Kigali, Rwanda, I worked with Ayubu Kasasa (below - pictured left), a local producer and fixer. He was recommended by frequent Sketch collaborator Ewan Dryburgh.
Ayubu helped us navigate the various Government departments to obtain the highly prized film permits. Making a health related advocacy film in any country is sensitive and you need to ensure that you have established the right relationships. Ayubu was professional, friendly and efficient. We filmed across the city and came back with all the footage we needed.
Beyond logistics, local collaborators offer something far more valuable: context, insight, and connection. You're no longer trying to make sense of something from what you've read, watched or heard - finally you're on the ground and there's nothing like it to displace the misplaced assumptions that you undoubtedly will have.
I work often in sub-Saharan Africa but the shoots are limited to two weeks. So even though I've worked in many African countries, I'm not there long enough to become an expert in any way. That's why surrounding yourself with the right people is critical.
And the best part? You leave not just with the right footage—but with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the place and its people. Even if it's just the beginning.
