One Shot Thought !

There is not a moment when things around us are still. There is not one moment when the winds seize to blow, not one moment when the waters seize to flow. Even if they did, there is not one split second when one’s mind is quiet. But in the middle of all this activity, does one ever stop to look around him let alone within? Does he ever stop to observe the sun set from one side to let the moon rise from the other? Does one ever stop to observe so as to feel blessed? Does one ever? One Thought Shot is an initiative to help people take that one moment off just to look around and appreciate the things around them. For, by observation can we build reflection and from reflection can we encourage introspection!

The ‘What’ of One Shot Thought...?

There is movement all around us and what better a medium to capture this movement than the camera. One Shot Thought aims at empowering people with the ability to have an eye on things happening around them and to break the habit of taking things for granted.  It is an effort to encourage people to ask questions of why and what next. One Thought Shot is that platform to voice your thought through your film and empower you with the power to express.

The ‘How’ of One Shot Thought...?

So how we plan to go about building this platform to express through film is by handing simple flip cameras to people. What is it around you that amuses you the most? What is it that is so peculiar that it makes you want to stand and stare? It could be just anything. The stage is yours. Shoot what you see. Show what you feel. With just one flip of a camera and just one shot of film, we want you to show the world what you stopped to see and tell them to stop and see too.

The ‘Who’ of One Shot Thought...?

So who is it that we plan to give these flip cameras to? Well we did think much and finally decided to start off with two groups of fantastic children who have fought the odds with the brightest of smiles the day has ever seen! A third camera will be given to none other than our very own Udhai bhai, the auto driver the entire city of Amdavad is proud of!

And ‘Why’ them for One Shot Thought?

·        One Shot Thought with the leaders of tomorrow...

The Loving Community

The loving community is a small community of people affected by Leprosy. This community is supported by the Manav Sadhna, Ahmadabad. Recently Christopher Lowman, a volunteer here who has practised traditional medicine has started a leadership program for 12 extremely talented children. These children as Christopher noticed have immense capacity and could do very well in any field they chose provided they were motivated enough. It is this external push, this motivation that Chris hopes to create for these 12 talented children. You can read more about Christopher (Chris) on his website http://www.movingtowardspeace.com/. We at One Shot Thought felt it would be a good learning experience for these children as well as for ourselves to involve them in our activities. By the end of our association with these children we want to inspire them to be more observant to the things that go on around them. We want to give them the confidence to question the wrong that they see around and hope to give them the power to express themselves. New media being as important as it is today would surely open an array of opportunities for these children and it would be interesting to see these children evolve through the journey that we hope to take with them under the guidance of their mentors Christopher and Aruna.  

We hope to meet our 12 young leaders at The Loving Community thrice a week to interact and discuss the videos that the children take. All the sessions are intended to be extremely interactive as our motive is to get the children to express themselves first through their video and then verbally as they discuss and present their video to the rest of us present. In addition to the teaching of basic camera operation and the taking and discussion of videos, we also intend to do a short program through photography wherein they will be encouraged to present their thoughts on a particular photo being shown to them. The photos are going to be chosen in such a way that the children will not only get to see much of what they normally can’t but also give them insights into what makes a leader. The purpose of this entire program though is not to educate the children about the technicalities of the camera and how it functions. That is just an added bonus for them. Our eyes at One Thought Shot are set on the larger picture which is to empower these children with the skill and confidence to express themselves. Film being the impactful medium that it is going to be the platform to achieve this big picture. 

With our cameras being charged and our leaders all set for their new task ahead, we are soon to set rolling! Come be a part of this journey as 12 young children evolve into leaders with the power to express! Come be a part of that one shot which changes perspective and adds a whole new dimension!

·        One Shot Thought with the children of Ekatva, The Oneness Project...

Ekatva

Ekatva is a recent project undertaken by the Manav Sadhna wherein 16 slum children have been selected after extensive auditions and screenings to tour 4 countries as a team to spread the message of oneness through various cultural programs. These children have indeed proved to be double as talented as they were thought to be after the auditions for today, along with the hectic schedules of the program they also make sure that they don’t lose out on academics by keeping up to date with lessons from class. As children setting off to go on a trip around the world spreading such a noble message as that of oneness, we are sure each child has a million experiences to share, a million little things that they observe now and did not before. One Shot Thought will be giving these children the opportunity to express all that they are feeling in this crucial time through film. For film, is really the medium to put your thoughts in action is it not! These children will be encouraged to draw comparisons between what they are feeling, how they are evolving through Ekatva and capture this on video. Regular interactions with these children are sure to make them aware of what changes they are going through themselves through the course of this program. Hence, with Ekatva, One Shot Thought will be focusing extensively on introspection and capturing transformation of the self on film. This would be an interesting activity for the kids as they would brainstorm on using metaphors to draw comparisons to what they are feeling with respect to what they see around them. We hope to add more enjoyment to this fun filled project and help make the children aware of all the change that they are going through during the course of this program.

With this group of enthusiastic children who could sway to any tune, sing on any note, talk on any stage and act in front of the largest of crowds, One Shot Thought is sure to push its limits giving them the best it has to offer and taking in return from them lessons of optimism which they just seem to be full of!

·        One Shot Thought with Amdavad’s favourite auto driver...

Uday Bhai

A Gandhian auto driver whizzing around the beautiful city of Amdavad is sure to see the city in a whole new perspective. And that is the perspective that we at One Thought Shot want to give him the platform to express. For all those who don’t know Uday Bhai yet, here’s a small filler. Uday bhai runs an auto on gift economy. His meter is always set at 0.00 and he would take you anywhere you would want to go not asking for any money in return. It is just what you pay from the heart that he is interested in. Uday bhai has been taking for a while now, pictures of his passengers which he would give them. So we thought why not give him a flip camera instead to help capture all those moments that keep him as positive and optimistic as he is. Amdavad in all its glory through the eyes of a Gandhian would surely be a treat to watch wouldn’t it? So, that is why the decision to give Uday bhai the third flip camera. We are sure his videos would be just as delightful as the rides on his auto!

The ‘When’ of One Shot Thought...?

The cameras will start recording come this Monday that is the 6^th of June, 2011! Come be a part of this fantastic journey that we are about to set on. Show the children your support as they capture little things that put a smile on their faces or a frown down their lips. Support Uday Bhai as he sets off on his auto showing the city how she looks. If you yourself have videos that you would like to share, do send them in to us with lines of your thoughts as you took the video. One Shot Thought is surely going to be a shot of a lifetime for you and for us.