permalink I’m sure by now you all have heard about the terrorist attack on Uganda during the world cup and I thought it appropriate to address on this blog. Among the 76 people who died as the result of a bombing by the radical Somali militant group el-Shabaab was our good friend Nate “Oteka” Henn. Learn more here. “Nate worked with us at Invisible Children for a year and a half and leaves behind a legacy of honor, integrity, and service. From traveling the United States without pay advocating for the freedom of abducted child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s war, to raising thousands of dollars to put war-affected Ugandan students in school, Nate lived a life that demanded explanation. He sacrificed his comfort to live in the humble service of God and of a better world, and his is a life to be emulated.” We will be taking all precautions in regards to our upcoming trip and will be relying on advice from our staff in Uganda who are closely monitoring the safety of the region. Thank you all for your love and support during these hard times. Should you feel compelled, Nate’s family has set up a memorial fund at www.NateHenn.com where you can support the dream he was carrying out with his actions.

I’m sure by now you all have heard about the terrorist attack on Uganda during the world cup and I thought it appropriate to address on this blog.

Among the 76 people who died as the result of a bombing by the radical Somali militant group el-Shabaab was our good friend Nate “Oteka” Henn. Learn more here.

“Nate worked with us at Invisible Children for a year and a half and leaves behind a legacy of honor, integrity, and service. From traveling the United States without pay advocating for the freedom of abducted child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s war, to raising thousands of dollars to put war-affected Ugandan students in school, Nate lived a life that demanded explanation. He sacrificed his comfort to live in the humble service of God and of a better world, and his is a life to be emulated.”

We will be taking all precautions in regards to our upcoming trip and will be relying on advice from our staff in Uganda who are closely monitoring the safety of the region.

Thank you all for your love and support during these hard times. Should you feel compelled, Nate’s family has set up a memorial fund at www.NateHenn.com where you can support the dream he was carrying out with his actions.

Posted in nate oteka henn, bombing invisible children attack | 1 note
permalink
Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Dr. Carl Sagan
—

Just wanted to give a quick update. We’re moving full speed ahead with piecing together the itinerary for the trip while in Uganda. The bands, IC US and IC Uganda have all come up with some really amazing elements that will make for beautiful and natural storytelling.

Chryde is continuing to put together the perfect team to capture this story. You met ARTURO PEREZ in an earlier post on this blog… but we’re happy to announce that Chryde has also confirmed that his partner in crime VINCENT MOON will also be running camera on the trip. We’re extremely excited to be working with this super group. 

More to come soon!

Posted in africa uganda vincent moon la blogotheque arturo perez jr | 2 notes
permalink I’m trying to keep these updates focused on the project, but this news is HUGE. Invisible Children founders Jason Russell, Laren Poole and CEO Ben Keesey just had a meeting with US President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House where Obama signed a bill that will ultimately lead to the freedom of these child soldiers. The bill commits the US to working with central east African countries to help arrest rebel leader Joseph Kony and end Africa’s longest running war. I realize this post is a little US-centric, but it’s because it’s been a huge push from the international community for this to happen and this is a huge win for the kids in Uganda. Learn more about how world support is prompting positive US action: THE PASSING OF THE BILL And see President Obama’s official statement here: OBAMA “OPPRESSORS BE WARNED: All Dreams Come True Someday”

I’m trying to keep these updates focused on the project, but this news is HUGE. Invisible Children founders Jason Russell, Laren Poole and CEO Ben Keesey just had a meeting with US President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House where Obama signed a bill that will ultimately lead to the freedom of these child soldiers. The bill commits the US to working with central east African countries to help arrest rebel leader Joseph Kony and end Africa’s longest running war.

I realize this post is a little US-centric, but it’s because it’s been a huge push from the international community for this to happen and this is a huge win for the kids in Uganda.

Learn more about how world support is prompting positive US action: THE PASSING OF THE BILL

And see President Obama’s official statement here: OBAMA

“OPPRESSORS BE WARNED: All Dreams Come True Someday”

Posted | 2 notes
permalink For those who don’t know the man behind the Blogotheque curtain, his name is Chryde Abric. He brilliantly dreamt up the concept and has since brought the magic of hundreds of Take Away Shows to the world. Until we start pre-production for this film and have video update blogs etc, we thought it would be fun if Chryde was interviewed by his co-worker Sarah Schutzki Voisin about the project. It’s so cool to see someone doing what they love and using that for positive change. His love for the spontaneous is spellbinding. ::: Sarah: This the first time La Blogotheque has gotten involved in a project alongside a non-profit organization, right?  How do you feel about the mission of Invisible Children, and how do you think this project will influence La Blogotheque in it’s future endeavors, if at all? Chryde: Yes, it’s the first time we’re involved in something like this. I was immediately interested for two reasons: first, I totally support the general mission of Invisible Children, and second, I loved the idea of for the film.  I was also initially excited because this project is so different from what we see from French non profits: supporting great causes in such an entertaining way!  It definitely feels great doing something so useful while also doing what we love.   I think we’ll get involved in more projects like this in the future - it helps us keep our feet on the ground (right?!). S: What do you think it will be like the moment you, along with Kenny and the members of Polyphonic Spree, Yeasayer and Lykke Li, step off the plane and start meeting the locals and the children in Gulu, Uganda?C: It might be super weird, and mainly because of the Polyphonic Spree: we won’t be a small group, but thirty people coming to the camps all at once… It will be super tough to know where to look too.  It’s gonna be sparkles and smiles and confusion and punches in the face (in a good sense)… I hope the kids will lead the way. I’d love them to take the bands where they want and be the masters of the whole thing. S: During interviews, what is a question you have always hoped the interviewers would ask you but never have? C: Ha! I don’t know. I have too many ideas and too few at the same time. Weirdly I think about questions I’m scared of, that would puzzle me. I’d love to have those sort of questions, even if they frighten me. S: Annnnnnd, drum roll: What did you eat for breakfast this morning? C: Ouch, just a coffee.  I had so many e-mails to send! For another great interview with Chryde go HERE. And to follow him on Twitter do so at: http://twitter.com/chryde

For those who don’t know the man behind the Blogotheque curtain, his name is Chryde Abric. He brilliantly dreamt up the concept and has since brought the magic of hundreds of Take Away Shows to the world.

Until we start pre-production for this film and have video update blogs etc, we thought it would be fun if Chryde was interviewed by his co-worker Sarah Schutzki Voisin about the project. It’s so cool to see someone doing what they love and using that for positive change. His love for the spontaneous is spellbinding.

:::

Sarah: This the first time La Blogotheque has gotten involved in a project alongside a non-profit organization, right?  How do you feel about the mission of Invisible Children, and how do you think this project will influence La Blogotheque in it’s future endeavors, if at all?


Chryde: Yes, it’s the first time we’re involved in something like this. I was immediately interested for two reasons: first, I totally support the general mission of Invisible Children, and second, I loved the idea of for the film.  I was also initially excited because this project is so different from what we see from French non profits: supporting great causes in such an entertaining way!  It definitely feels great doing something so useful while also doing what we love.   I think we’ll get involved in more projects like this in the future - it helps us keep our feet on the ground (right?!).

S: What do you think it will be like the moment you, along with Kenny and the members of Polyphonic Spree, Yeasayer and Lykke Li, step off the plane and start meeting the locals and the children in Gulu, Uganda?

C: It might be super weird, and mainly because of the Polyphonic Spree: we won’t be a small group, but thirty people coming to the camps all at once… It will be super tough to know where to look too.  It’s gonna be sparkles and smiles and confusion and punches in the face (in a good sense)… I hope the kids will lead the way. I’d love them to take the bands where they want and be the masters of the whole thing.


S: During interviews, what is a question you have always hoped the interviewers would ask you but never have?


C: Ha! I don’t know. I have too many ideas and too few at the same time. Weirdly I think about questions I’m scared of, that would puzzle me. I’d love to have those sort of questions, even if they frighten me.


S: Annnnnnd, drum roll: What did you eat for breakfast this morning?

C: Ouch, just a coffee.  I had so many e-mails to send!

For another great interview with Chryde go HERE.

And to follow him on Twitter do so at: http://twitter.com/chryde

Posted in chryde blogotheque take away shows interview lykke li africa uganda polyphonic spree yeasayer invisible children | 1 note
permalink

Blogotheque is magic. Watch their newest Take Away Show: Wilco.

Posted
permalink

DONATE BUTTON ADDED!

During the Kickstarter fundraising period I had a friend comment on how amazing it is that so many people get to “experience the joy of giving” to this project. To be honest, I was caught up in fundraising mode and the humility and sincerity in which he said it knocked me on my heals a bit. He made me remember that some of the greatest joys in my life have come from giving gifts to other people, and who better to give to than kids in Uganda who simply need a leg up so that they can go to school and fulfill their dreams.

If you’re one of those unique individuals that enjoys giving, and you’re in a position to do so, I didn’t want to be the one to deprive you of that opportunity. :)

So we’ve added a donate button. All donations will go toward funding this project, and anything that goes over will go straight to Invisible Children’s programs.

Thanks for being a part of this journey.

Posted | 2 notes
permalink

Ladies and Gentleman,

Introducing: Arturo Perez, Jr … The man that connected the dots.

I thought it’d be a good idea to provide some insight from the individuals working on this project. Since this whole project started with a chance meeting between myself and Art I thought he’d be the best person to start with. Despite being an award winning filmmaker and amazing contributor to La Blogotheque, Art has since donated a lot of his time to help film for IC (see some of his aerial shots from THE RESCUE). I asked Art to recall how this whole thing started. Here are his thoughts:

When people ask me what I like best about Take Away Shows I often answer, “Well, the fact that you just never know what will happen.”

That’s sort of the charm of the whole thing. Spontaneity is the name of the game. You take out a camera and you place full trust that life will give you moments that are worth exploring. Moments that could change the way you see an artist, a song, a person, an idea, a point of view.

One of these moments happened on February 4th 2009.  Precise, I know. This was the day I shot the Delta Spirit Take Away Show. (You know, the one on the cable car?) [SEE ABOVE]

After jumping on-and-off cable cars, crashing houses and stores, and laying on patches of green grass, I met Kenny. As far as I knew, Kenny was just another one of the tourists that we had picked up that day, a straggler enjoying a musical journey. But I soon found out that Kenny was representing Invisible Children on Delta Spirit’s tour.

I had often heard about Indivisible Children and was continuously amazed at the level of energy and activism these guys were able to amass. We got to talking about lots of projects, thoughts and ideas. He mentioned that IC and La Blogotheque should do something together, and I agreed.

I came back to my computer and chatted with Chryde. Chryde is one of the founders of the now famous Take Away Shows. (He is the happy and lovely guy you see in many of the videos, often with a drink in his hand ;). A true visionary and artist, always thinking and doing a million things at a time.

Immediately after I told him about doing a project with IC, he was in. He didn’t even think twice about it. Chryde was ready to help make this happen. Now, a year later, here we are. Getting ready to take one simple idea that started on a sunny afternoon in San Francisco a reality.

I’m humbled to be a part of this project and excited to see exactly what will happen when we get to Uganda with these three beautiful bands. Should be pretty special.

see more of Art’s work at: arturo-perez.com

Posted
permalink Our friends at All Together Now are hosting concerts at SXSW Wed, Fri & Sat that will also benefit Invisible Children. If you’re planning on attending SXSW please come say hello. I’ll be at the booth most of the time and we can chat about life, love, film and how to end wars. http://www.atnshowcase.com/

Our friends at All Together Now are hosting concerts at SXSW Wed, Fri & Sat that will also benefit Invisible Children. If you’re planning on attending SXSW please come say hello. I’ll be at the booth most of the time and we can chat about life, love, film and how to end wars. http://www.atnshowcase.com/

Posted
permalink LYKKE LI HAS CONFIRMED TO JOIN US ON THIS TRIP!! We’re so extremely honored to announce that Lykke will be the 3rd and final artist on this trip. I could not have asked for a better, more sincere group of people to be a part of this film. The Ugandan people deserve nothing less than the most talented artists representing them and I am confident that we have found the most adequate ambassadors. So we have our team and all things are go at this point! We’ll be looking into sponsors to help continue to fund the rest of this film and will be relying upon word of mouth to raise awareness. Please continue to tell friends about this project. We’ll keep you updated! Twitter: @blogotheque @invisible <3

LYKKE LI HAS CONFIRMED TO JOIN US ON THIS TRIP!! We’re so extremely honored to announce that Lykke will be the 3rd and final artist on this trip.

I could not have asked for a better, more sincere group of people to be a part of this film. The Ugandan people deserve nothing less than the most talented artists representing them and I am confident that we have found the most adequate ambassadors.

So we have our team and all things are go at this point! We’ll be looking into sponsors to help continue to fund the rest of this film and will be relying upon word of mouth to raise awareness. Please continue to tell friends about this project. We’ll keep you updated!

Twitter:

@blogotheque

@invisible

<3

Posted | 2 notes
permalink

NEW SITE!

Due to the overwhelming support we received on the Kickstarter page I decided to create a place where supporters can go for updates about the status of the trip etc. So here it is!

I guess this page is a bit of an experiment. Bringing these bands together to help raise awareness about Africa’s longest running war has been exciting, but also a ton of work. I thought it’d be fun to give a sort of behind the scenes look at the development of this project and the people working to make it happen.

The response so far has been humbling and I’m honored to be a part of this film.

Everyone involved will be posting at times. At first it will be mostly me, Kenny, from Invisible Children, but others will pitch in as we go along. At some point we want to lead up to contributions from the bands, photo updates once we reach Uganda, behind the scenes footage while we’re editing the film, etc.

Please follow along and spread the word. I’ve posted a few blogs below to get the page moving.

PS..Our amazing intern and designer Steve put this page together in his off hours while volunteering at Invisible Children. A million thanks to him for making it happen. He is incredibly talented. To see some of his artwork find him HERE.

Posted