Local film maker, Ben Jay Crossman got in touch with us recently to share his video series, titled ‘The Streets Of Fietas’. The series is a stark insight into the lives of the residents of one of Johannesburg’s poorest suburbs, as they battle drug addiction. This is part one of three.

We caught up with Ben to find out more about this film maker who split with Die Antwoord in the latter part of 2012. What follows is his unedited response to our questions:

i’m an artist/film maker here in south africa, passionate about reality and insanity.

i bought a cannon a few years ago and leaned how to shoot, sine then i’ve been working with a band “Die Antwoord” doing alot of secret creative stuff for then, videos art tons of stuff. i have been filming in a lil town called fietas for a few year and have sculpted my persona around building trust from my subjects to get close, so close inf-act that i’m always battling in the edit, so hard to not show a 16 year old white girl prostitute with a kids face on camera cos i don’t wanna ruin anyone’s life but still wanna expose criminal and shock kids away from the dangers of drugs and crime.

i’m kind nutz, as soon as i hear there is a township riot i’m in my car and right in there filming and getting shot at but the cops with the  african protesters. i’ve got banks of raw dog footage over the years and only now that i have separated form “Die Antwoord” i’ve decided to put my stuff out there. i’ve had cameras snatched, black eyes, stabbed  twice, shot buy rubber bullets, guns in my face and hardcore threats, had  to run away from angry mobs for being white in black areas ect…

i’ve writen a few screen plays but here in south africa you only get to make a feature if your some lame advertizing director who’s worked the mill for years. i’ve decided to take my own route but learning from the streets up. and will acheive my goals but having a honest connection to people emotion and creativity.

The description for the first episode in the series reads as follows:

i started filming this short series 5 years ago. i know it’s pretty hardcore but i wanted to draw attention to the huge drug and crime problems with south africa’s poverty stricken youths. i shot most of it on a 7d before i even knew how to use the camera so please excuse the shaky wobbly vibes.

Enjoy.

STREETS OF FIETAS from ben jay crossman on Vimeo.

[Source : Vimeo]

Thanks, Ben!