Rebel News Podcast - AVI YEMINI ｜ The Yemini Report — Ep 26

00:00:00.440 Welcome back to the Yamini Report. You're tuned in to the free audio version of this episode, which is solid, but it's just a taste of the full experience.

00:00:10.420 Over at YaminiReport.com, the full video edition is ready for you, and it takes things to the next level.

00:00:17.780 Why not head there now and join Rebel News Plus?

00:00:20.940 Because for just $8 a month, you get access to the video version of this show, plus every Rebel program and documentary.

00:00:28.220 We're not backed by corporate sponsors or government cash. We're backed by you.

00:00:33.860 So if you believe in independent journalism, go to YaminiReport.com, sign up for Rebel News Plus, and be a part of the fight for truth.

00:00:46.380 Welcome back to the Yamini Report, and thank you for all the lovely wishes from last week's special about the passing of my grandmother.

00:00:56.200 I really appreciate it. I really feel like we're a family, with all the love I get here.

00:01:01.720 I guess I'm feeling a little bit sentimental, so I thought this week we'll do another special thing,

00:01:06.100 because you always see me on camera, but for the years that I have been working,

00:01:10.660 you rarely get to hear about the people, or the person, behind the camera who makes it all possible,

00:01:19.060 who does so much of the hard work and doesn't get much of the credit.

00:01:24.280 So today I thought we'll interview Benji, the cameraman, tell you about how we got going together,

00:01:32.280 and a bit about his story, and why he hasn't run away yet.

00:01:38.920 Benji, welcome to the show. How are you doing?

00:01:43.580 I'm doing great, man. Thanks for having me on.

00:01:47.880 I know how much you wanted to be on this.

00:01:49.940 You told me this morning, are you sure we have to do it?

00:01:54.400 Yeah, yeah. Not looking forward to it, but I had to do what it's done,

00:01:59.980 because it's part of my job, isn't it?

00:02:02.180 Are you saying I forced you to join this, Benji?

00:02:07.100 Nah, I'm joking. That's not what you said on your text.

00:02:11.300 I'm trying to give you credit for all your hard work, because I think we get a lot of comments most of the time.

00:02:18.900 Sometimes people ask, why is the angle so low?

00:02:22.940 And I think it's because you've got this extremely heavy rig, and you get tired.

00:02:28.640 And so you end up putting it lower instead of lightening up your rig.

00:02:33.340 Is that right?

00:02:33.820 Nah, it is a way to prevent fatigue, but at the same time, it's a deliberate attempt to make you look taller,

00:02:43.880 in case you haven't noticed, with a low angle shot, and a very close-up.

00:02:49.880 I think the cat's out of the bag. I think everyone knows I'm short, so maybe we can do it straight now,

00:02:54.300 so people don't tell me that maybe your cameraman needs a break,

00:02:58.420 because I think people think that I'm working you too hard. Do you work too hard, Benji?

00:03:04.620 Sometimes. I mean, like, it's just literally you and me editing videos in Australia.

00:03:11.720 Like, I don't think people realise that Rebel Australia is actually no more than three people working here.

00:03:20.380 You and me and some other guy.

00:03:23.440 Daniel. He has a name. Daniel.

00:03:26.200 Oh, I thought we can't say his name.

00:03:28.420 We can say his name. Daniel is great, and he does a lot of good work.

00:03:32.620 He does more of the website stuff, while you and me are a team in person.

00:03:37.360 You're the camera guy, editor.

00:03:40.620 We work together closely every single day.

00:03:43.220 We're usually both working, and you work extremely hard.

00:03:47.500 In fact, you're going to prep this after, ready to go on the show,

00:03:51.280 and then we've got plenty of other editing to go, so we're going to get straight into the story.

00:03:57.340 How did you end up? I know the story, obviously, because I was the other person involved in this story,

00:04:02.480 but I want you to tell the story.

00:04:04.820 How it came to be that Benji has become my cameraman now for how many years is it?

00:04:13.400 Six years.

00:04:14.480 I think it's seven years already.

00:04:16.560 Seven years.

00:04:17.120 I've been working with you long before you joined Rebel, back when you still were for TR News.

00:04:22.380 How did it happen? Tell people the original story, because it was such a fantastic story.

00:04:25.780 Well, I think, like most people, I started out as a fan.

00:04:31.360 I saw your content, especially when it comes to immigration, when it comes to youth crime from black African gangs in Melbourne. 1.00

00:04:41.140 I saw your content about calling these stuff out and wanting to address the issues in an environment where most people are woke

00:04:53.720 and are scared to touch on these issues because they're afraid of being called racist or all that type of stuff you're used to being called.

00:05:02.600 Nazi, racist, white supreme pizza, if you know what I mean. 0.68

00:05:09.300 Anyway, yeah, I saw your content and I like what you do. 0.95

00:05:13.080 So, like, I started, like, meeting you in person, like, attending some events that you organized, like, around the city in Melbourne.

00:05:22.440 And then, one day back in, and this was back in the 2019, when, like, the pro-democracy protests happened.

00:05:33.000 Obviously, my background is Hong Kong Chinese.

00:05:35.540 Even though I am born here, I am still proud Aussie first and then proud Hong Kong Chinese second.

00:05:44.140 So, like, I'm passionate about both issues, about, like, what's happening in Hong Kong because obviously it is where my parents came from and, like, I'm proud of, like, that background as well.

00:05:56.680 So, when that protest and that issue started happening, I tried to invite you to cover, like, some of the stories because I feel like you would be interested in this topic with Communist China trying to erode the freedoms of, like, Hong Kong.

00:06:19.820 So, I invited you, I think, I think, I think you saw my message, did you?

00:06:27.300 I don't, I don't, I don't recall.

00:06:29.680 I may have, maybe that's how I got the information.

00:06:32.180 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:06:33.020 I tried to invite you to a pro-democracy protest in the State Library in Hong Kong.

00:06:38.880 Sorry, not in Hong Kong, in, in, here in Melbourne.

00:06:41.280 And then I, I made, I get to, I get to see what you do and, like, I like, I like the stuff that you do.

00:06:48.640 So, like, and at one point, I, I saw, like, you get, you got confronted by socialist Antifa in these, in this one Hong Kong protest, Hong Kong protest in Melbourne.

00:07:05.900 I stepped in to defend you.

00:07:08.340 This is what I remember.

00:07:09.600 This is the, this is the story I remember.

00:07:11.500 It's actually quite a famous video.

00:07:13.260 Let's play the clip.

00:07:14.140 Yeah, I was going, I was going, I was going to say, yeah, the rest is history because, like, people can watch the video and, uh, judge about yourself.

00:07:21.480 I'm still, I'm still, I'm still looking back.

00:07:24.280 Hold on, let's play, Benji, let's play the clip now.

00:07:27.140 How do you feel about the idea that socialists who side with communists want me who fights for freedom to leave?

00:07:38.540 What do you feel about that?

00:07:39.720 Well, let's not forget, like, socialism lead to communism.

00:07:42.260 We're here in Melbourne CBD where, um, the local Hong Kong community are, uh, protesting as they are around the world for Hong Kong.

00:07:53.320 We just want everyone to know that we value democracy, like, true freedom, and we value Australian, like, values.

00:08:01.260 I shouldn't talk to this man. 0.90

00:08:05.320 He's an extreme right-wing, like, Nazi, Nazi, Nazi. 0.98

00:08:12.460 He's well-known for being, like, extremely racist.

00:08:14.880 You're part of the Victorian Socialists. 0.57

00:08:16.620 What are the Victorian Socialists doing here today?

00:08:18.400 I don't want to talk to you. 0.98

00:08:19.100 You're, like, a racist. 1.00

00:08:20.360 You're, like, an actual huge racist. 1.00

00:08:22.460 You know, I just came back from Hong Kong. 0.99

00:08:24.260 I was at the pro-

00:08:25.240 I think you should, like, not be here.

00:08:27.820 I don't want- can you stop, like, coming towards me?

00:08:30.280 Like-

00:08:30.520 You're the one that came up to us.

00:08:34.240 Mate, mate. 1.00

00:08:35.500 You're a racist. 1.00

00:08:36.440 Look, mate. 1.00

00:08:37.380 So, why- what are you- what here exactly-

00:08:39.740 Leave. 0.99

00:08:40.080 What here are you supporting?

00:08:42.020 Don't touch me.

00:08:42.820 Okay.

00:08:43.340 Don't touch me.

00:08:44.360 So, wait.

00:08:45.280 As a socialist, you're saying you support-

00:08:48.260 I'm a socialist, I'm an anti-fascist.

00:08:49.520 Wait, wait, wait, wait.

00:08:50.000 We're opposed to you, as a fascist, Zionist, being at a rally, who opposes the struggles 1.00

00:08:57.800 of ordinary people everywhere.

00:08:59.340 We're opposed to that, and we're opposed to you co-opting the movement in an anti-democratic

00:09:02.740 way.

00:09:02.960 Have you been to Hong Kong?

00:09:04.060 No, I'm-

00:09:04.800 So, in the street protests, right now, in Hong Kong, everybody says that they support

00:09:10.640 Donald Trump.

00:09:11.660 How do you feel about that?

00:09:12.960 No, they don't.

00:09:14.460 That's a concern.

00:09:15.660 They fly an American flag.

00:09:17.260 Some people even wear a MAGA hat.

00:09:19.500 How do you feel- do you- they want me to leave, the socialists want me to leave.

00:09:23.100 How do you feel about the idea that socialists, who side with communists, want me, who fights

00:09:31.780 for freedom, to leave?

00:09:33.840 What do you feel about that?

00:09:35.080 Well, let's not forget, like, socialism leads to communism.

00:09:38.300 It's like, socialism is a precursor to communism.

00:09:41.180 So, yeah, I would never trust a socialist, never trust Bernie Sanders, yeah, anyone that

00:09:47.240 everyone wants to, like, force everyone to submit to a state and to live under, like,

00:09:54.720 a tyranny.

00:09:55.820 You have connections to, like, Blair Cottrell.

00:09:59.340 Connections were up to Blair Cottrell.

00:10:00.960 You guys work together.

00:10:02.500 No, no, I work for TR News.

00:10:05.340 You know what would be best for everyone?

00:10:07.580 Why don't we trade in the self-loathing, uh, Australians, socialists, like, pro-socialists,

00:10:14.560 supporting socialists, for the freedom-loving, hard-working Hong Kong people that have been

00:10:20.000 oppressed across the ocean?

00:10:22.500 Yeah, why don't we just trade them in?

00:10:24.400 We trade them in, yeah.

00:10:26.740 Can you, like, leave?

00:10:27.880 You're being, like, completely absurd.

00:10:29.780 Like, I just, like-

00:10:31.060 You- you walked up while I was interviewing.

00:10:33.140 I do support, like, I support legal rights, like, in democracy in places, like-

00:10:37.220 all over the world, including Palestine, like-

00:10:40.140 How do you feel about communism?

00:10:42.640 Love it.

00:10:43.140 I'm a communist myself.

00:10:44.320 I'm a communist myself.

00:10:45.620 I'm a communist myself.

00:10:47.880 So you're co-opting this rally to, like, further your, like, anti-Chinese, like, interests.

00:10:55.300 Donald Trump, don't trust China. 1.00

00:10:56.860 China is asshole. 1.00

00:10:58.200 Further your, like, anti-Chinese, like, interests. 1.00

00:11:01.080 Donald Trump, don't trust China. 1.00

00:11:02.660 China is asshole. 1.00

00:11:04.000 Further your, like, anti-Chinese, like, interests. 1.00

00:11:06.540 China is asshole. 1.00

00:11:08.340 Anti-Chinese. 1.00

00:11:10.200 It's asshole. 1.00

00:11:11.880 Hong Kongers are freedom-loving people. 1.00

00:11:14.300 And, uh, Donald Trump, yeah?

00:11:16.780 He's all about freedom.

00:11:18.120 He's all about-

00:11:18.920 It's traditional.

00:11:19.460 Yeah, he's all about individual liberty and all about free speech and all that stuff.

00:11:25.460 Do you reckon the Hong Kongers are behind him?

00:11:27.220 Yes.

00:11:28.160 Hong Kongers will love-

00:11:29.040 Hong Kongers will love every Western country in the world, man.

00:11:32.520 Britain, here in Australia. 0.70

00:11:34.180 Okay.

00:11:34.500 Yeah.

00:11:36.140 We all love free.

00:11:37.420 Do you reckon they like socialism?

00:11:39.900 Nah.

00:11:40.760 Nah.

00:11:41.680 Nah.

00:11:41.980 Nah.

00:11:43.660 Can you just, like, wait?

00:11:45.720 I just, like-

00:11:46.600 You're the one that came up to me.

00:11:48.020 Just go.

00:11:48.640 You're the one that came up to me?

00:11:49.680 Still don't understand why the socialists, Victorian socialists are here.

00:11:53.240 I don't, which part of this, which part of the Hong Kong community supports Victorian socialism?

00:11:59.260 Socialism.

00:12:00.080 Who?

00:12:01.120 No Hong Kongers support socialism.

00:12:03.460 They support democracy, freedom.

00:12:05.740 Not socialism.

00:12:06.880 Not communism.

00:12:07.800 That there is how I remember it starting.

00:12:11.820 Possibly you sent me a message before and how I got there.

00:12:15.780 And the rest is history.

00:12:17.980 In fact, it's been a long history.

00:12:19.560 I think my best line in that video is when I talk, I joke about deporting the socialists,

00:12:28.660 trading him in for a freedom-loving Hong Konger.

00:12:32.160 I probably, like, should have been more prepared and polished in the way I speak.

00:12:37.200 I thought it was great.

00:12:37.880 It came out of nowhere for me.

00:12:39.100 There was a, you know, from my perspective, what I saw, you know, you had these two socialists,

00:12:45.320 which, like you articulated there, were essentially the precursors of the communism that they were

00:12:53.320 pretending to care about.

00:12:55.800 They were just doing what they usually do.

00:12:57.540 They were hijacking an issue and making themselves, giving themselves the leadership role and the spokesmanship

00:13:05.620 position of the Hong Kong community, which they certainly weren't, because after I'd started covering

00:13:12.960 more of these protests, in fact, I became quite well-known around the Hong Kong community.

00:13:18.880 Even when we went to Hong Kong, you know, it became crazy how well-known I became in Hong Kong

00:13:24.380 for confronting, questioning mainland Chinese students here on the streets of Melbourne.

00:13:32.040 And all of that was because of you, and it was incredible, because you had these socialists

00:13:35.600 trying to kick me out, and here there was a proud Australian Hong Konger wrapped in an 0.83

00:13:40.820 Australian flag, just basically saying, no, if we have to pick a side here, it's definitely 0.91

00:13:49.580 not your side.

00:13:50.940 He can stay.

00:13:51.660 And we definitely stayed, and from there, we went on to, you started, I think you told

00:13:58.560 me you were an aspiring or you were studying photography, and...

00:14:05.500 Actually, I wasn't originally wanting to be a filmmaker, a photographer as a career.

00:14:14.640 I was a muso, a musician when I was a kid.

00:14:18.420 When I played guitar, I have like, in fact, I got a couple of instruments right behind

00:14:22.920 me, if you can see, right there.

00:14:25.320 Can you play anything well?

00:14:27.620 I actually haven't touched my guitar for a while, ever since, like, I had surgery on

00:14:33.180 my hand.

00:14:33.660 Oh, that's right.

00:14:34.260 And also, like, obviously, I got this new job working for you.

00:14:39.360 So, like, my skills as a musician is no longer required, but I still keep also my guitars

00:14:44.280 as a sentimental reminder of, like, what I used to be passionate about.

00:14:48.600 And I can add, as well, like, the main reason why I kind of started working for you full-time

00:14:58.580 is because, like, I used to be a musician during, studying music in TAFE during the lockdowns,

00:15:06.960 and then, like, and COVID hit, obviously.

00:15:09.760 And, like, most of my peers in my class, we got affected the most during, like, the lockdowns

00:15:18.040 because we were musicians and we needed to be together to rehearse and, like, perform

00:15:25.840 as part of our requirement in studying TAFE.

00:15:31.160 So, it was a very shitty experience, but then I got you along, and, like, I met you, and

00:15:41.800 then I already, and I do have, like, a hobby and a set of skills with the camera, and, like,

00:15:53.920 so when, when I met you and then started wanting to work for you because, obviously, I'm an

00:16:02.400 ideologically driven individual.

00:16:04.880 I'm passionate about, like, many of these political issues, so, like, and I'm good with

00:16:09.000 the camera, so I wanted to, I decided I wanted to film for you and to, like, do it as a sidekick.

00:16:17.580 You did, you did, yeah, so in the beginning, before COVID, I think even, even when we went

00:16:21.980 to Hong Kong in 2009, you did hold the camera a couple of times, you were, you were kind

00:16:26.680 of playing with it.

00:16:27.680 I thought in the beginning you were also playing with photography, but maybe I was wrong.

00:16:32.240 That's how I remember it.

00:16:33.380 I was, I was doing a bit of photography.

00:16:35.860 Yeah, so there was something about photography then, and you did a couple of small gigs, and

00:16:41.080 then I signed on to Rebel at the beginning of COVID on the 3rd of September, I think, of

00:16:46.900 2020, so, um, that's five years ago, and I think, uh, shortly after that, because until

00:16:57.260 that point, you were kind of working casually for me every time I needed somebody, um, while

00:17:04.900 I was with TR and all that, and then once I moved to Rebel, we essentially, pretty soon

00:17:10.880 after, by memory, you'd come on full-time, is that right?

00:17:15.480 Yeah, it's because, like, uh, I, I thought that, like, my musical career was derailed during

00:17:23.200 lockdown, during COVID, and the vaccine mandates, so, like, uh, and, so, like, uh, it was a shitty

00:17:31.140 experience back then, so, like, I feel like the time is, is, is the time to move on to a

00:17:37.000 different career, one that I'm also passionate, and, like, uh, one that I also enjoy, which

00:17:41.840 is videography and photography, camera work, etc., and that's why, uh, and that's how I

00:17:47.900 became your full-time, uh, cameraman and editor, and, like, I feel like the one of the main

00:17:52.660 reasons is because I also, I'm also a guy that is interested in tech, camera tech, I do a

00:17:58.420 bit of filming of myself playing guitar when I was a kid, so I know how to edit videos, and

00:18:02.960 I'm good with, uh, camera work, and, like, uh, I'm, I'm also interested in, like, uh, many

00:18:09.840 of the latest technologies in film, filmmaking, mainly, uh, 360 camera right next to me, and,

00:18:19.920 like, uh, I, like, once I discovered this tech, I knew that it would be very useful for this

00:18:27.180 line of work in journalism, and I remember someone once told me, uh, I can't remember

00:18:33.940 who, but, like, uh, I knew it was right after I mentioned I'm working as a journalist, I remember

00:18:40.480 he told me, if you master and, uh, get used to many of the most recent and most latest

00:18:47.940 technologies in filmmaking, you'll be valuable to your company one day.

00:18:52.580 Yeah, well, you've grown with it, because if people look back at, you know, anything that

00:18:58.840 was filmed, you know, since, uh, TR day, so any, any of my, most of my videos, especially

00:19:05.920 on the street, since, um, you know, late 2019, was most likely you who filmed it, and if you

00:19:13.940 look, if people just go look at the quality and the style changes through the period, so

00:19:19.880 look at one video every six months, and you'll see the progression into what we have today,

00:19:25.720 and, of course, you, you've, almost every dollar you make, you go and invest in other equipment,

00:19:32.320 and I come back every time to work, and suddenly you've got all these other devices, and you've

00:19:36.660 got different devices for sit-down interviews, you've got different, um, equipment that you

00:19:40.940 use for the streets, so you've got, like, a whole rig and set-up for when we go to the street,

00:19:45.880 where it's going to be slightly, potentially more dangerous, and, and you've got to be, uh, more,

00:19:52.520 uh, uh, uh, you, you've got to be able to move around and run around fast, and it's got to be

00:19:56.480 strong enough that if somebody hits it, as opposed to when you have the set-ups, you know, when we

00:20:00.460 sit, do a sit-down interview, you've got a whole set-up for that, you've really invested everything

00:20:05.640 in it, but do you, do you feel like, and look, and look at what's happening with, yeah, yeah,

00:20:10.760 I was gonna say, yeah, I'm proud of, were you happy that you moved from music, do you regret

00:20:17.000 that, do you regret that you were forced, essentially, by the government to move from music into, into

00:20:23.700 photography, or are you happy doing photography?

00:20:25.960 Uh, nah, I'm not, I, I'm not, I, I'm not, um, I don't regret, like, uh, moving, uh, from one

00:20:35.880 career to another career, I'm actually grateful for this, this new opportunity that, uh, Rebel

00:20:41.080 has given me, like, uh, the music career is, I'm, I still love it, I still pick, I actually

00:20:47.880 still pick it up, pick, uh, my guitar from here and there, but, like, uh, I wasn't, I'm probably

00:20:54.520 not as devoted as, like, uh, playing guitar as I used to do, but, like, uh, yeah, I, I

00:21:00.360 definitely, like, uh, I'm proud of, like, uh, the work that I do for Rebel and, like, uh,

00:21:05.640 this new career that I, I, I've chosen and, like, uh, yeah.

00:21:12.120 Tell me now, in the, sorry, in the, what is it, six, in the five years since you've been

00:21:16.840 with Rebel, we've done a lot of, a lot of, whether it was the COVID and, or even when we

00:21:24.280 went to Hong Kong, uh, or we were in Hong Kong, I think that was, I don't know.

00:21:28.520 Don't forget Israel. 0.95

00:21:30.360 Then Israel, then there's a bunch of, you know, some of them more crazy than others. 1.00

00:21:35.080 What was your favourite, the World Economic Forum, we've done a couple of times, what

00:21:40.440 has been, I guess, your favourite trip, like, as in, what do you, do you feel, what was your

00:21:49.960 favourite and why? And then on top of that, um, what was your single favourite video we ever did?

00:21:57.480 The highlight of my moment, innit? Yeah, uh, it's definitely some of the more intense and

00:22:03.880 more action-packed events that I go to is my favourite. Yeah, if I had to narrow it down,

00:22:10.920 it has to be something during lockdown. I'd say it has to be, like, uh, outside of the CFMU

00:22:16.760 headquarter, right? Oh, that day, that was intense, yeah. When there is like, um, like,

00:22:21.880 that was your favourite, that was your favourite, um, day of journalism. What was your favourite

00:22:29.640 trip and what, um, what was that your favourite, just because of the intensity? Yeah, it's because

00:22:35.240 of the intensity and like, uh, like I said. Most people think you're crazy. I like, I love going 0.97

00:22:40.760 into action and yes, I am a bit crazy because like, uh, I can be crazy. Um, yeah, I remember

00:22:49.640 there's one, there's one video that I'll never forget when the, um, when we're at one of the

00:22:53.800 COVID protests at the parliament stairs and, and the, the protesters had breached the police line

00:23:01.080 and the police were going nuts, trying to control the crowd. And what did you do when the cop hit your

00:23:06.360 camera? Oh, mate. I loosed it. I lost myself at him. And I had to stop you. I was like, Benji, Benji, Benji.

00:23:14.920 Um, because, uh, obviously we were there, but I honestly, I always laugh. Honestly, I, I honestly

00:23:20.760 would have two-footed him if you wouldn't, uh, conned me down, but I feel like that would be, uh,

00:23:27.240 Yeah, well, you'd probably be, they probably would have used that as an excuse to beat you up

00:23:31.800 and we wouldn't have been able to cover the event. But I, I always, uh, think about that moment where

00:23:36.600 you see him push the, you know, this cop pushing your camera unfairly targeting it. He was just

00:23:43.160 angry, frustrated. And now, and that was, and that was the time where I started, that was the time where

00:23:48.600 I started using 360s. So like, uh, they probably wouldn't have known I would have caught that.

00:23:55.000 But I feel like now, now these days, not only everybody from the mainstream media

00:24:01.720 use like a wide angle camera, it doesn't have to be a 360. Most of the mainstream media,

00:24:05.880 they now they're using, they're using, I was going to say to you, and they've all copied.

00:24:09.960 That was you who started it. Yeah.

00:24:12.280 And they all would see us out there with your 360 up there. Now I've noticed,

00:24:16.760 like I was watching a current affair the other night, you can, you can probably put it over this.

00:24:21.400 You can see where the, it's, it was the story of where they were doorstepping this, um, uh, refugee.

00:24:30.040 I think he was an Iraqi refugee who had raped a girl and they kept taking wide shots. And then I, 0.68

00:24:37.320 I just out of interest because I know that you were the one that started this trend

00:24:41.720 and which they used to all see at the COVID protests. And when, when you saw the, the wide

00:24:47.640 shot from the camera, you could see that they've mounted a GoPro on the mic down, which is their

00:24:54.040 form of giving them that 360 effect, that wide angle of the whole shot. Everyone's doing that

00:25:00.680 because that was your idea. When we're in middle of all the action, you just, we, we kept missing

00:25:06.920 little things, you know, somebody coming from the side of hitting, including that comp.

00:25:11.720 How does it feel now looking back and seeing everyone copying your techniques?

00:25:16.600 It kind of, yeah, I feel like, like, uh, you just gotta like a take advantage with the,

00:25:23.800 the most latest tech, uh, that's available. Like you even see like in protests now in these days,

00:25:28.600 you've got individual, the activists using 360s to like, uh, film everything and film themselves.

00:25:37.000 Like if they get attacked, where is this from? Yeah. Where is this from the left or right?

00:25:41.480 Everybody's doing because there's like, it is, it is so like, uh, effective at like, uh,

00:25:47.720 recording everything is literally a, a, a bird's eye view of the entire surrounding. And like, uh,

00:25:56.360 you, you say that and like, uh, it makes me, it makes me think, it makes me feel like I,

00:26:01.720 I, why didn't I do this sooner? Why didn't I have a free 16 when you first get arrested? Uh,

00:26:07.720 next in the first COVID lockdowns, you know what I'm talking about?

00:26:11.080 September 5th.

00:26:13.320 What? It was somewhere in, uh, next to Taylor Lake, I think.

00:26:16.600 Yeah. September 5th, that one.

00:26:18.680 Yeah. That was the, that was the first time where I realized.

00:26:21.480 But that's what I'm saying to people that can go back and look and see in each video,

00:26:26.440 the technology, the skill, um, but very much the technology you invested, not you invested in,

00:26:33.400 in your skill by practicing, but also the technology, um, like 360s. And we've had,

00:26:40.440 we've gone through a couple of them like drones, but also just the lenses, the style of camera,

00:26:44.440 you have one for the street, you have one for indoor. Mate, you're, you've, you've grown as a

00:26:48.920 professional cameraman, but who, who, who cares about, um, um, his shot and cares about his work.

00:26:57.240 And as a journalist, um, but yeah, you're going to tell me what your favorite trip was. What was

00:27:01.960 your favorite trip in all, all this time?

00:27:05.000 It has to be Israel. It has to be the trip to Israel. 0.84

00:27:07.480 So October, uh, just after October 7th, when we went there and, and we were literally running away from bombs.

00:27:13.000 It was like a, the Korea defining moment because like, uh, went to a war zone, obviously,

00:27:19.960 and like, uh, been shot at rockets with you. And like, uh,

00:27:25.720 And it's not like how it is now. It was, it was in the beginning of, of, of the war. So it was like,

00:27:32.440 you remember that night we were driving in the Tesla and then they pulled the guns on us

00:27:36.680 because we were driving down a street. We shouldn't have been going.

00:27:39.640 It was just, but, but half, but half of the half of the time, I wasn't even

00:27:44.520 sure what was going on. Cause I don't understand Hebrew man. 1.00

00:27:47.560 You want me to tell you a secret Benji? Yeah.

00:27:51.080 Half the time I didn't understand what was going on.

00:27:54.120 Okay. But like, but the thing is like, uh, I'm the only civilian. I'm the only civilian in,

00:28:01.160 in our group when we're in Israel, we have you, we have, uh, that other Aussie dude.

00:28:06.120 I forgot his name. Will y'all are both. Yeah. We y'all are both veterans. You've seen combat.

00:28:11.640 You've have operational like, uh, experience. I'm an outsider to you basically. And like, uh,

00:28:19.480 half of the time. So half of the time, I don't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't have known what to do

00:28:25.960 to, uh, keep myself safe, but like, uh, but I guess like, uh, most of the time it is, uh,

00:28:33.480 I do have common sense and like, uh, you do use that to like, uh, to, to like, uh, keep yourself

00:28:40.680 safe in those types of, uh, situation. But yeah, it is an experience. It is like, uh, an experience

00:28:47.320 that like, uh, a high accurate, high and emoting highlighting moment in my resume. If you know

00:28:53.480 what I mean? Now, um, I know a lot of people are going to be asking, why does he have a British accent?

00:29:01.320 Oh, it's because I also like, I enjoy watching, uh, Tommy Robinson when I was a kid. In fact,

00:29:06.600 I found, I found out like a, who you are from Tommy Robinson. So you're a Tommy fan. That's how you got

00:29:14.120 to me. Yeah. You're a Melbourne boy. That was a Tommy fan. And that's how you found me.

00:29:20.840 Yeah, exactly. And like, uh, I did grow up, um, I did grew up watching a lot of English movies and

00:29:27.960 shows. So like, uh, I watch a lot of American movies, but you don't see me speaking with an American

00:29:32.920 accent. And, and this is not something, this is something that you do full time. And we laugh

00:29:37.880 about because even when we went to England together, you were speaking, um, with an English

00:29:44.040 attempting to speak in a Birmingham accent, man. And they were all laughing. They're like,

00:29:50.200 this guy's more, more English than me. What's going on? Well, you can't, you can't go to a country and

00:29:58.200 not like a border learning the language in that country. You know what I mean? Like I,

00:30:04.280 even when I was in Switzerland with you, I tried to speak a bit of Swiss, uh, German to the locals

00:30:10.680 when I'm interacting because in my experience, yeah. When you, uh, don't even attempt to speak

00:30:17.960 their language when you're a tourist entering somebody's country, the people would, people there 1.00

00:30:24.360 would treat you like shit. If you know what I mean? Cause like, uh, but why are you speaking 1.00

00:30:27.800 in an English accent here? Uh, why didn't you attempt an Australian accent? Uh, because I can do it.

00:30:39.320 Listen, uh, we, we, we love and appreciate you at rebel, uh, with or without your pommy accent.

00:30:46.760 Uh, we're still trying to work out why, but it's your, your, your work speaks, your work speaks

00:30:53.800 for itself, uh, with an Australian accent. Um, now finally, before we wrap this up today,

00:31:00.600 I just want to know now for probably four years, Rookshan has been trying to take your job.

00:31:09.080 Yeah. What have you done to keep your job away from Rookshan? 0.99

00:31:12.760 Rookshan. It has to be because like, uh, I'm, I am better, I'm a better cinematographer than Rookshan

00:31:18.840 because I, I, I actually make my shot look interesting. Like, uh, from the low angle shot,

00:31:26.760 from the very wide angle shot. We don't like the low angle shot. No one likes the low angle shot.

00:31:30.440 Don't use that one as your defense. That's the, that's the reason why we like Rookshan. No low,

00:31:35.000 low angle shots, but we like your shots generally minus the low angle shots. You are a better

00:31:40.360 photographer than Rookshan. I'll go on the record. You've got more experience and now you've been

00:31:44.840 to war zones that Rookshan's never done. And also like, uh, the thing is like, uh, I feel like also

00:31:51.960 run towards the danger when I see it. Like, uh, I don't know about you, but if you know if Rookshan

00:31:58.280 or some other people that I've seen online, uh, whenever they seek confrontation, like, like, like when

00:32:04.120 people get arrested, they run away. He doesn't, he doesn't go straight to it and capture it. I

00:32:10.920 remember when you tell me when I first work with you, like, uh, uh, you said, make sure to film

00:32:17.240 everything. Even if I got stabbed in the neck, I want you to film it. That's your words. Film it.

00:32:24.440 I want you to film the blood squirting off my neck and me dying on the floor. That's what I 0.57

00:32:29.800 I think it's something on the line. I may be paraphrasing, but you, I, I remember you've

00:32:34.600 said that to me before and I took it literally. So you're telling me if I got stabbed in the neck

00:32:39.880 at one of these protests, you would just stand back and film because I told you to do that.

00:32:46.280 That's my job, isn't it? A hundred percent Benji. Benji, I know you didn't want to do this

00:32:51.800 interview. I'm sure. I'm sure you have. Yeah. Sorry. Go on. No, no, go on. I'm sure I'll have what?

00:32:57.880 I'm sure like, uh, uh, when you're, whenever you got, uh, bashed or stabbed in a protest,

00:33:04.840 you have Daniel, uh, Jones, the security guard with you. Yeah. That's his job. You're right.

00:33:10.120 You're right. Listen, I'm, I'm just, I was just testing you. Um, I want to say on behalf of all

00:33:16.520 the viewers, thank you firstly for doing this interview, even though you didn't really want

00:33:21.320 to do it because this gives people an insight into the people behind the camera and the team

00:33:27.640 that's on the ground and the person that's really the person behind it all. And then on top of it,

00:33:33.560 thank you for your work, everybody. I know watching this is going to appreciate it knowing how hard

00:33:40.600 you work. So thank you. I really appreciate it, man. Thanks for having me again.

00:33:46.520 Okay.

00:33:47.100 Thank you.

00:33:47.160 Thank you.

00:33:47.720 Thank you.

00:33:48.040 Bye.

00:33:48.140 Bye.

00:33:48.620 Bye.

00:33:49.160 Bye.

00:33:49.540 Bye.

00:33:49.720 Bye.

00:33:50.460 Bye.

00:33:50.720 Bye.

00:33:51.560 Bye.

00:33:52.260 Bye.

00:33:52.800 Bye.

00:33:52.840 Bye.

00:33:53.000 Bye.

00:33:54.400 bye.

00:33:54.880 You're, bye.

00:33:57.040 Bye.

00:33:57.200 Bye.

00:33:58.260 Bye.

00:33:58.760 Bye bye.

00:34:00.700 Bye.

00:34:02.040 Bye.

00:34:03.120 Bye.

00:34:06.940 Bye.

00:34:07.240 Bye.

00:34:07.680 Bye bye.

00:34:08.140 Bye.

00:34:10.360 Bye.

00:34:11.380 Bye.

00:34:14.280 Bye.

00:34:14.600 Bye.

Rebel News Podcast - June 04, 2025

AVI YEMINI ｜ The Yemini Report — Ep 26

Episode Stats

Summary

Transcript