Determining the Impact of Films and Videos

The theme at this year’s Media That Matters conference, held last month, focused on how to measure the impact of social change films. A discussion that is incredibly important and relevant as measurement helps inform whether what we are doing is actually working.

However, tracking the impact of films or videos isn’t black and white or easy. Is it even possible, what data is meaningful and what indicators prove impact has taken place?

Some artists might reject the idea of measurement entirely, citing a story cannot be reduced to statistics. And to some degree I agree.

But what speakers at the conference pushed me to think about was the need to be accountable and responsible about the change we are claiming we make. Otherwise we can say our videos create impact but maybe they really don’t.
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Posted on March 25, 2013 by Martha Dodge in Measurement, Strategies to Create Impact

Video Engagement: Retaining Your Audience

When I saw the 2010 Oscar winning documentary The Cove about dolphin slaughters in Japan, I literally jumped out of my seat, approached the director, (who happened to be at the screening), and asked, “How can I get involved, what do you need people to do?”

I was pointed to a website where I signed petitions and donated what I could. I followed the film’s progress as it was critically acclaimed around the world but I have to admit, as time went on, my involvement tapered off.

Once I took action, I felt satisfied I had done my part, and I sort-of moved on.

Distracted by other issues and newer films, it was easy to be seduced by all the other causes vying for my attention.

I share my experience, one that I think is very common, to raise questions.

(Photo courtesy of PBS Slavery by Another Name)

When we engage people around our films and videos, what percentage of that audience are we retaining as long lasting advocates? Are we doing enough to maintain their involvement and what can we be doing better?

I think these are really important questions, which were raised during my recent discussion with Felicia Pride of the Pride Collaborative.

(By the way the campaign to save dolphins is going strong! Check out their work and if you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend it.)

Pride suggests re-conceptualizing the idea of engagement. Instead of seeing it as something you initially create to attract audiences, think about it in terms of something you build to sustain that audience.

“Engagement for me either means or requires relationship building,” says Pride.

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Martha Dodge in Strategies to Create Impact

Making Local Leaders Part of Your Video Strategy

Many people assume that in order to create real social impact you need a viral video, the next KONY 2012, something that will be seen by millions of people.

But sometimes generating impact can be just as significant or even more effective on a targeted local level.

Just ask Peter Stonier, Senior Director of Visual Storytelling at Conservation International (CI).

Stonier, a graduate of USC film school, hails over 20 years of film and production experience at places like PBS, CNN International, BBC, Universal Pictures and creative agencies like R/GA, SapientNitro, and McCann Erickson.

“By engaging local leaders, we are creating conservation films that achieve actual results,” he says.

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Martha Dodge in Non-profit examples, Strategies to Create Impact

Avoiding the Visual Stutter

(Video by Peter Biro/IRC)

When I was in graduate school I had a photojournalism professor who used to emphasize how important it was to avoid the “visual stutter.”

Basically he meant that when working on a photo story, it was vital that each photograph represent a new piece of information. Even if the photographs looked different, if the content was the same, we were “stuttering.”

Gerald Martone/IRC

So, to build better stories, we were encouraged to dig deeper and find new angles that would reveal the depth and holistic picture of an entire subject, whether it be an issue or person.

I was thinking about this concept the other day after my interview with Ruth Fertig, Online Community Builder at the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

One of the many things the IRC does really well is provide video variety.

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Martha Dodge in Non-profit examples, Strategies to Create Impact

The Benefits of Backpack Journalism

(Tattoo shop British Ink is profiled in the following piece made by Amna Nawaz for the March 2010 backpack journalism workshop with Bill Gentile and NBC News in Washington DC.)

Often times when people think about documentary filmmaking they imagine big crews, lots of camera equipment and expensive budgets. But making documentaries on a smaller scale is much easier than most people assume. It all depends on the approach.

I recently sat down with Bill Gentile to talk about one method, backpack journalism, and how it might be a useful to non-profit organizations (NGOs).

Gentile teaches backpack journalism workshops and is a professor at American University in Washington D.C. He has worked in every facet of journalism over the last 30 years and been published by Newsweek, National Geographic Channel, Discovery, PBS Frontline, ABC, to name only a few.

(You can learn more about Gentile’s long and impressive career here or watch some of his video stories here.)

So what is backpack journalism? “It is not the six o’clock news,” Gentile emphasizes.