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Bujar Luma, the MY HERO /GLOBAL EXCHANGE Site Administrator in Tetovo, Macedonia.
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All the workshop participants in Tetovo, Macedonia.
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Skip's camera exercises outside LOJA.
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Xheladin, Olsa and Perica, makers of "Life Needs Art".
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Blerim, one of the makers of "This is My Hero"
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Skip's camera exercises, 2008.
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Leka Luma, Bujar's son and future MY HERO Reporter
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MACEDONIA
LOJA Center for Balkan Cooperation
Tetovo, Macedonia
Site Administrator: Bujar Luma
Text and movie by Antonio Mendoza
"LOJA," in Albanian, means "game," which, according to our Macedonian site administrator, executive directo. Bujar is the consummate professional, and the workshops in Tetovo, Macedonia, reflectit. On both visits he was a wonderful host to MY HERO and tirelessly dedicated himself to making the MY HERO / GLOBAL EXCHANGE workshops a success.
At LOJA, Bujar and his co-director, Biljana Alampioska, are hopeful to transcend the ethnic differences that presently divide their country. While Biljana is ethnically Macedonian, Bujar is Albanian. Their friendship, partnership, and respect for each other is a testament to how Macedonia can survive as a nation and thrive as a multi-ethnic population.
The LOJA facility was a great place to hold workshops. It is well-equipped, has a nice workshop area, everything works, and there is a technician on call. It also has an excellent projector and built-in sound system.
2007 Workshops
The MY HERO / GLOBAL EXCHANGE Workshops in Tetovo were attended by students, teachers and artists from both ethnicities. While the war was foremost in the mind of the participants, these young Macedonians and Albanians chose to work together, regardless of ethnicity, and produce some wonderful videos.
During MY HERO's five-day stay in Tetovo we had workshops that included camera exercises, Photoshop lessons and and Final Cut tutorials. We also discussed values-oriented artwork and how to use digital media to tell hero stories. By the end of five days, our group of 14 participants shot, edited and completed five movies about heroes, peace and reconciliation.
On the last day of workshops in Tetovo, we screened the students' new work, shared a few award-winning videos from the 2006 MY HERO FILM FESTIVAL, and several from the US Express Anthology. During the five days we were in Macedonia, MY HERO forged an alliance with local activists, artists and students that will prove fruitful for years to come.
2008 Workshops
The participants of the 2008 MY HERO / GLOBAL EXCHANGE Workshops were an ethnically mixed group of film school students, LOJA associates, returing participants and people from the American Corner in Skopje.
On the first day we separated into four teams of three. We began with camera exercises, then Photoshop, and Final Cut Pro. After five days, the teams produced four projects.
Back to Nature, by Edlira, Flutra and Argjent, effectively presented the concept of mountains and nature, in remote Tetovo, as heroic. The use of poetic text, dramatic voiceover, and breathtaking images was highly effective.
We held a screening with the participants on the final day of workshops, which was followed by a public screening of their work later in the evening. Their films were well received and enjoyed by everyone. The group profusely expressed their thanks to LOJA, My Hero, and the State Department before and after the show.
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