sizzle reel available upon request
Synopsis
DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE is a seven part- one hour longitudinal documentary series with over 40 hours of unencumbered footage shot in 1080p and 720p.
Can you imagine returning to South Africa with a handful of North American kids and seeing what they see with fresh eyes. ten years after their initial encounter?
How these kids from different nations , and two different continents reconnect after growing up separately- how differently would they remember the past ?
Do they clash? Laugh? Cry? The growth of where they were to where they are today.
Ten years ago we shot kids from North America comparing their lives with kids from South Africa and a sponsored child in Zimbabwe.
Today we explore how their lives have changed. What did the power of listening do for them.
How solid is their bond ? Do all young people innately possess this super power known as the ability to listen and learn from one another?
In spite of cultural differences, transportation issues, entertainment diversities, temptations to leave school,
and what is the nuclear family , the importance of song and dance , to highlight a few of the episodes in the series ;the kids themselves are strikingly authentic.
Their interactions are inspirational .
How overwhelmingly powerful are the connections they share ? When you see these young people experience life differently yet fundamentally the same.
When listening creates trust, trust becomes respect and from there , strong human bonds are formed.
If there was a time we needed to listen to our fellow citizen , it is now.
These groups of kids from different nations are reunited to see how they have changed,
how they have grown, what they remember, and most importantly to hear what each other has to say because every young person knows how the importance of listening can change a life forever.
Do You See What I See is a cross between Boyhood meets the UP series and Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father. .
Director
Deborah Kelly -Essery has worked in the television and film industry for over 30 years. She began her career in Europe as a model, and then began hosting, acting, writing, casting and producing television series in Canada ; mostly working on magazine format style programming and Kids (tween) shows. .
Deborah 's skills as a producer and writer overlapped with directing and casting many different talent in numerous shows , most notably the array of stars in the series Video & Arcade Top 10 that ran for 17 years on YTV (Youth Television Network) widely recognized as the Nickleodeon of Canada.
Cast
The cast includes South African and Zimbabwean children, as well as the Essery brothers Samuel Kent and Theo Andre child stars of the series Cock'd Guns and Gemini winners of Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series.
And we can't ignore the complex tapestry of the landscape that is woven into the story as a breathtaking character .
