Maasai Cultural Exchange Project

Documentary Film Project "Quench"

QUENCH

With footage gathered and edited in 2004, Quench the Thirst was produced in 2005 as a six minute student film. It was directed by Skylar Bird, a Bucks County, PA teen, receiving the Chairman's Choice Award at the Bucks Fever Film Festival sponsored by the Bucks County Chamber of Commerce on June 19 and 20, 2005.

From November 26 to December 7, 2005 young Skylar joined a group of eight MCEP volunteers including a four-person professional film crew who traveled to Kenya. Hosted by the Maasai, experiencing life with no water or electricity, the drilling of the first well was filmed.

In May 2006, the seven-minute film trailer Quench was completed and has been viewed and discussed by thousands of students and community members at Maasai presentations and lectures. One of the goals of the film project is to fund a full-length documentary film about the Maasai. In addition to filming in Kenya, hours of footage were filmed in May and June, 2005 while our Maasai friends visited the US, including the NYC trip to the United Nations 4th Session on Indigenous Peoples Affairs on May 18th.

The 30 minute film Quench has been completed by Shooters Post and Transfer, Inc. Philadelphia, PA. Thanks to the volunteer crew who very generously donated time and equipment to the documentary project; Director John-Michael Trojan, Phil Bradshaw of Freshfly in Philadelphia, PA, Skylar Bird and Meghan Hughes for editing and post production work.

Kenya Film Crew

John-Michael Trojan - Producer/Director

John Gooch - Audio

Jason Contino - Camera

Phil Bradshaw - Camera

Jennifer Ellsworth - Executive Producer

Phyllis Eckelmeyer - Producer

Skylar Bird - Student Producer