Our Story

''Trinidad became known as the 'Mecca' of carnival because of the ingenuity of the people. Our designs were so great that big architects would be amazed.''- Stephen Derek

''There are few mas camps left in Trinidad. The life of a mas camp is dwindling away - it's disappearing and disappearing fast.'' - Stephen Derek

 

Stephen Derek formed D'Midas in July 1977. Since then, he has won countless titles in Trinidad. His international successes throughout the United States, Canada and Europe are extensive. Stephen has also taught carnival crafts to students in South Africa and the UK.

 

Many of Trinidad's costume designers and wirebenders are being pushed out of the local industry by large corporate bands.This means an abandonment of carnival arts and crafts and its immeasurable contribution to local arts education, employment, crime intervention, local and export industry and the stability of the economy.

 

More about Stephen Derek: http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-b...

 

A note from the filmmaker:

As a child in Trinidad, nothing compared to the spirit and freedom of playing beautiful children's costumes every year for Carnival. Carnival was my time to be the queen in me. Before every parade, my excitement would keep me up the night before and force me to stay in my costume long after. Years later, as a film student in New York, I walked into Stephen Derek's costume camp in Brooklyn, and right then and there, I began re-living the joy and glory I felt as a young masquerader. I felt the passion and pride in the young people playing their 'Queen' and 'King' costumes and thought,

Why did I ever give up this joy?

Soon after, I started filming Stephen Derek's work.

Since then, I've done independent documentary work in Ethiopia and Trinidad and I'm now fully committed to capturing the work of Stephen Derek in Trinidad and around the world. Stephen has given me privileged access to his life and work and I'll be working with cameraman/director Shannon Walcott on the first part of the film.

The Impact

This film is for Trinbagonians to become more conscious of the creative genius of Trinidad's Carnival and its value to arts education, employment, crime reduction, local and export industry and the stability of our economy.

This film honors the Trinidadian men who created and shared the steelpan with the world. Today, the art of playing steelpan is a million dollar industry and a formal part of arts education curricula around the world.

I'm producing this film to provide documentary of  the genius of Trinidad, the 'Mecca of Carnival', where there is still no public museum that preserves Carnival creations and provides training for the public. There is also no permanent stage for year round carnival performers and annual masqueraders.

I'm producing this film because I want to inspire young people to have pride in who they are and create their own visions and standards of their 'geneinus' - the gene in all of us to be our genius.

 http://www.geneinus.com/ is an online space that inspires you to know, see, desire and create your geneinus.

 

Who will see this film?

This film will be:

Screened on TV stations and at secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Submitted to Caribbean TV programmes in the US, UK and Canada.

Submitted to online streaming Caribbean TV programming.

Submitted to the carnival/visual arts departments at colleges and universities throughout the Caribbean and the world.

Submitted to the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and other film festivals around the world.

 

Production Timeline

January 2012 - March 2013

 

 

What We Need

 

We're seeking funding to cover:

The filming of Stephen Derek and his camp creating costumes for Trinidad Carnival 2012.

Editing of the first part of the documentary, Stephen Derek: Creating the genius of Trinidad's Carnival.

 

                                                                          

Production (camera, sound, equipment rental,                                       $3,500

food, transportation)                                                                               

Post Production( editing)                                                                         $3000

 

TOTAL ($US)                                                                                          $6,500

 

Note: This amount is a portion of our initial funding goal($9,500) that includes the filming of Stephen Derek creating carnival abroad.

Other Ways You Can Help

Share our indiegogo link http://www.indiegogo.com/Stephen-Derek-Creating... on all your social networks with artists, carnival enthusiasts, arts educators, and anyone interested in the sustainability of Trinidad's Carnival.