I just completed filming in Beirut and Istanbul with fine hard work from my dedicated crew: Joan Churchill (camera), Alan Barker (sound) and Walker (co-producer). Filming real life, as it were, is always an art. Trying to do that in places that are unfamiliar, with jet lag, and complicated access issues made it a challenging shoot. There were happy accidents along with missed opportunities. The way it rolls with this kind of film.

Without going into a lot of detail (never scoop yourself!) I can say that the film has found a new focus. Compelling characters deal with threats from malware, cyber-surveillance and other forms of Internet badness — particularly on social networks — that have life-and-death consequences. Especially in Syria where the regime is waging cyberwar to match the civil war on the ground. And where Facebook is both a critically important tool for communications and information, and also a platform which the regime regularly uses to compromise activists and members of the opposition.

We are now spending much of our time filming within a global community of passionately committed activists, organizers, analysts, exiles and investigators who work to keep the Internet safe to help achieve human rights and social change. It’s a privilege to get to know them. And an honor that they trust us with doing this film.

Down the street from dinner, Beirut.

Crew at work in Beirut.