Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism [Paperback]

Sam Gregory (Author), Gillian Caldwell (Author), Ronit Avni (Author), Thomas Harding (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0745324126 | ISBN-13: 978-0745324128 | Publication Date: November 1, 2005

--This is the first ever comprehensive practical guide to human rights and video campaigning--Pictures from Abu Ghraib showed the power of the amateur image to grab the world's attention. The Asian tsunami, caught on camcorder, brought home the reality

Editorial Reviews

Review

It's the rare image that can really grab hold of our insides and say, 'I got you and you'll never be the same again. -- Tim Robbins, Actor, Director, and WITNESS Advisory Committee member WITNESS doesn't just use video to expose human rights abuses for the world. It taps local heart and initiative and empowers those who know their countries best. WITNESS is both deferential to local wisdom and relentless in promoting the extraordinary findings of its partners. It is an indispensable organization. -- Samantha Power, Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide and lecturer at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government This step by step guide to the handicam revolution is the first comprehensive practical guide to human rights and video campaigning. Written by leading video activists, and staff of the human rights organisation, Witness, it is packed with 'how to' guidance, and easy to use exercises. Clear and accessible, it provides a crash course in the basics of social justice video documentation and advocacy. The authors cover all aspects of film making from technical to strategic and ethical issues. Readers are shown how to plan, film, edit and distribute. The Preface is by Witness founder Peter Gabriel. -- Festival Eye Safety is crucial. Not just of the film crew, but also of those being filmed. Depending on the context, the camera can be seen as either a shield or a target. Whether you are in Mexico or Edinburgh, theft, violence or downright fear of exposure can lead people to do extreme things. The US not-for-profit group, Witness, has published Video for Change (Pluto Press). It offers a comprehensive guide to video making, as well as highlighting the need for safety and a clear understanding of the dangers involved. -- Suzanne Fane-Saunders, Red Pepper

About the Author

WITNESS has partnered with groups in more than 60 countries, bringing often unseen images & untold stories to the attention of key decision makers, the media & the general public. Editors & contributors include Thomas Harding (author -The Video Activist Handbook), Gillian Caldwell (producer - ‘Bought and Sold’ & Executive Director - WITNESS), Katerina Cizek (producer -‘Seeing is Believing: Handicams, Human Rights & the News’), Sukanya Pillay (former Program Coord. WITNESS) & Joanna Duchesne (long-time producer - Amnesty International), Sam Gregory (WITNESS) & Ronit Avni (Just Vision Project).

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Pluto Press (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745324126
• ISBN-13: 978-0745324128
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peter Lucas, October 23, 2006

By 

Peter Lucas (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism (Paperback)

This is a serious book for emerging documentary professionals who want to work on social justice issues. The book is closely tied to the organization Witness, and their pioneering work training and partnering with front-line NGOs around the world documenting human rights abuses. I used the book in my human rights and media class last spring and it provided much needed practical advice on grassroots video advocacy, all aspects of production, the use of video as legal evidence, the role of narrative in documentary films, safety issues while in the field, how to work distribution channels, and how to use video for making changes in the world. Video for Change is very much a "how to" kind of book with great appendices containing sample release forms, action plans, checklists, etc. As a human rights educator I wish there was more on the importance of packaging documentary video with educational materials, informative websites, and radical outreach. Perhaps a bit more too on the politics of representation. Hopefully this will come in a followup guide. But at this point, Video for Change is the best study out there. And as more documentary media workers move into the human rights field, this is a must read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential guide to promoting social justice - using video, September 6, 2006

By 

Marie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism (Paperback)

Video for Change combines creative inspiration with practical advice as it guides us through the process of using video to advocate for social justice. It proves not only that video can be an incredibly effective tool for promoting change, but also that this course of action is accessible to all of us - video buffs, human rights activists and novices alike.

Sprinkled with real-life experiences from successful video activists, this book motivates the reader to action, while never forgetting the risks involved. Essential information on safety and security, on ethical issues and legal restrictions ensures that the book remains grounded in reality as an indispensable guide.

Whether you're an experienced filmmaker or you've yet to own a Handicam, the book will guide you from the technical basics to those precious finer details, ensuring that your video skills will do justice to the human rights story being told. Useful tips on identifying your audience, conceptualizing storylines and accounting for the emotional elements of video merge the technological know-how with the vital human element.

Video for Change then goes beyond the confines of the filmmaking process and explores effective strategies for distributing your video to ensure that it lands in the right hands. Exploring the advantages and disadvantages of public or private screenings facilitates an accurate assessment of the tactical distribution possibilities for each individual film.

A great tool for those interested in human rights and/or filmmaking.