Documentary “˜What About Me?’ is not about you
By Emily Baraff
April 14, 2009 9:06 p.m.
“Music is the language of the soul. Language has become so convoluted in today’s day and age ““ music is the bridge between all of us.”
No, this isn’t your meditation instructor speaking. These are the words of Duncan Bridgeman, co-director (along with Jaimie Catto) of the groundbreaking music-dominated documentary, “What About Me?”
The sequel to the directing duo’s 2001 Grammy-nominated documentary, “1 Giant Leap,” and the latest offering from these boundary-testing filmmakers, can be described as a musical journey across all continents in a continued attempt to address the universally relevant topics of God, sex, death and money.
Hailing from London, Bridgeman is hoping to create a buzz in the L.A. area to get the word out for “What About Me?” that will translate into national recognition.
“What About Me?” is infused with the words and music of a collection of diverse collaborators, ranging from musicians from every corner of the world, to a number of well-known, influential thinkers, right down to the poverty-stricken street dwellers of New York City and the villagers of remote South African cultures.
Bridgeman and Catto started with 15 basic backbeats that transition smoothly from one to another, all self-composed, and took them around the world as templates for the cornucopia of musicians they would meet to embellish them with their talents.
Both being professional musicians accustomed to sound equipment and studio recording techniques, the two partners in crime traveled to over fifty locations with only themselves and two cameramen. A few years later, they had a masterpiece.
“Our mission was not only to gather insights on the huge universal themes of life from the most inspiring and illuminating people we could find, but also to seek out the cream of the world’s musicians and compose immense multi-layered music with them,” Bridgeman said.
Bridgeman and Catto traveled for seven months through Africa, Mali, Dubai and Oman, Iceland, the U.K., Turkey, Mexico, Japan, India and Egypt, as well as throughout a number of U.S. cities. The editing process utilized in “What About Me?” differs significantly from the average film ““ while most movies are edited to story and dialogue before music is even addressed, Bridgeman’s film uses the music as its concrete foundation and works its way up from there. This technique allows the film to resonate with the power of an on-going, almost internalized soundtrack that guides the audience through the film’s conceptual journey.
“It’s a music film, as I see it,” Bridgeman said. “You understand the movie and the dialogue in a musical way because of the fluid musical and visual transitions used.”
Even more intriguing is the “blendability” of the sound track ““ all of the music is superimposed and mixed, track upon track, to create one giant remix. From rappers in Japan and the U.K., to the elaborate tones of Indian and African vocalists, to mandolin players and electric and acoustic guitarists, the soundtrack transitions from theme to theme along with each consecutive speaker, making for an incredibly comprehensive sensory experience.
Noam Chomsky, Carlos Santana, ’60s cultural icon Bhagavan Das, Eckhart Tolle, and Michael Stipe are only a small sample of those interviewed over the course of the film. Das, among many other contributors featured in “What About Me?” sheds new light on the human condition and the problems facing society today.
Said Das amidst a chorus of South African tribespeople, “Your mind has this very bad habit of self-obsession. I call it the, “˜What about me?’ syndrome. You have to tell that to shut up and start giving. Start connecting with people.”
