Just received the following email, after a harrowing round of grant applications and the like:

Hello Matt!!
Welcome to the Tostan family!! We would love to have you come to the declaration on November 12 to film. I would have XXX, who is a wonderful volunteer from France, stay with you on your whole trip in order to translate for you and assist you at the declaration. I'll be there also of course but she would be glad to really assist you. She has already been in Senegal twice, went home to get her Master's Degree and will be back in Senegal around the beginning of November. She has already been to the Fouta. It is about an 8 hours drive from Dakar! XXX's email is above so you could ask her any questions you might have. I am leaving for Kenya for one week on Friday so will not be here. I will receive emails so you can continue to write.
Warm greetings, Molly

I'm so stoked I can't even tell you! I'm sure I will be having a ton of questions. Right now my first concern is figuring out hot to get my gear their along with me, what I’ll bring, power requirements, safety issues, where I’ll be staying, where I’ll be filming, etc. Any information anyone can send me pertaining to those issues would be greatly appreciated.

So much to do. This will only be the first trip of many, but still it seems like this has just been happening very quickly. No matter how much you prepare, and we've been preparing for months, when it gets to it, it seems like there is so much to do!!

Wish me luck,

Matt

Any chance you could grab a few shots for me while you are there? Nothing too extreme, I promise.

Oh... congrats on your journey!

What do you need?

Thanks Matthew- I'm looking for a simple pan and dolly type move, for an Indiana Jones type opening. A pan of sunrise on the plains and animals, coming to the back of the adventure guy. Then the cam does a semi circle around to the front of adventure guy, the sun directly behind him, so that his face is hidden by the shadows. A simple leather jacket and fedora for costume, and maybe a jeep for a prop?

Am I being pushy yet?

LOL!!

I wouldn't say "pushy"...

I honestly don't think I'll be able to do it this (first trip), I'll only be there for a few days and will be jammed most of the time. The pan shot sure, but the rest would have to wait for a subsequent trip.

Matt

I appreciate your honesty. I have posted this in the helping hands forum, hoping to catch someone with time, maybe vacation time, to grab this for me. But, I'm easy, and will glady take what I can get. Many thanks, and again, best wishes on your journey. Be safe, shake out your shoes before putting them on, and don't drink the water ;)

Matt, while you're there, you could work on this job too and make some serious jack!

Africa Shoot - Discovery Channel
www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost.php?p=368018&postcount=139

Hey! Leave him alone James! He barely has time to get my shots... for free ;)