Mandingueira

So, this was an idea that had been sitting around in my head for at least a year or so.  I don’t know how widely this series of public service announcements has been broadcast geographically, so I tried to find one to put here but I could only find parodies and no examples of the actual commercials.  Basically, each advertisement in the campaign focuses on a person doing something they love, basketball for example, and at the end the person or a message on the screen would say, “Basketball: My anti-drug”.  Before you read the following, please keep in mind that I’m no film student (especially if you are one yourself), and that it might sound cheesy/corny when written out here but I really think with the right cinematography, etc., it could be pulled off!

“Capoeira: My Anti-Drug”

Opening: Black.

Scene: Darkened gym room.  Person in capoeira uniform sitting on bench, obviously about to do drugs.  Person pauses, then throws substance into nearby trashcan, gets up and starts walking away from bench.

Cue berimbau toque: Sao bento grande de angola, with variations.

Fade into same darkened gym, panning across sole capoeirista training (same person as before).  Slow ginga, with dramatic cinematography; zoom in on and across arms and face, which wears expression of intense focus, and shows perspiration. 

Capoeirista begins sequence: kicks, escapes, acrobatics, done slowly, smoothly, and expressively, enunciating height and straightness of leg, flexibility and curve of back, length of airtime.  Camera pans from different angles; zooms in and out as best fits.

Sequence ends with mortal, camera follows capoeirista up into air—

Cue singing and additional instruments: Paranaue, paranaue, paranau.

—and back down, as capoeirista lands in the middle of a roda, playing an opponent.

Cue increase of music volume and rhythm speed.

Camera pans, briefly showing full batteria and singing, clapping capoeiristas.   

The game continues, played close and hard.  First capoeirista fells opponent with sudden, cleanly executed take-down.  Both do volta ao mundo, return to feet of the berimbaus, lowered and waiting.  First capoeirista looks up as camera zooms in on face. 

Cue fading of music into background.

Fade to black.

Cue anti-drug message.