Kate the Great and the State of Hollywood
The Academy Awards are the perfect place to witness how stories in our culture get told and shared. And while there were so many complex, challenging stories being recognized (5 Broken Cameras, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Silver Linings Playbook to name a few), last night’s academy awards also reminded me of the ways in which Hollywood creates and sustains our status quo. The current world order is formed and reproduced by narratives that justify inequality. If stories are the key ingredient in protecting the status quo- then it’s this more »
Annie’s TEDxNYU talk: Your Story Can Change the World
To be honest, doing the TEDx talk was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. My talk was about encouraging others to tell the stories they’re scared to tell, but I really had to battle that fear myself. I had to face all my inner demons- the voices telling me I’m not smart, articulate, insightful, brave enough to do it. The voices told me that my ideas weren’t profound, deep or new. The stories I was sharing were deeply personal, so I felt incredibly vulnerable. I did more »
In Their Own Words Video Premiere
“You didn’t ask my permission to use those computers. Put them back. You obviously haven’t met the students yet,” said the Principal. It was 2006 and I was about to begin my first day teaching English as a Second Language at a suspension site in Bushwick, Brooklyn. I was idealistic, enthusiastic and ready to change lives. But there was my principal, telling me how I couldn’t use the 3 computers that I’d found in a closet, collecting dust. According to her, we had to “protect” the computers from the students. more »
How to Translate Your Programs Into Compelling Videos
When High Water Women first came to us, the first thing they said was, “We want a video about our program.” We cringed a little bit. As we described in The Starter Guide to Non-Profit Video Storytelling, many non-profits fall into what we call “The Program Trap.” Their videos focus too much on what they do, instead of why they do it. Let’s be honest. Videos about programs end up putting people to sleep instead of making them feel something. We’ve learned that compelling, shareable, money raising videos are about people, not programs. more »
The Making of ‘Run for Freedom’
The story behind Run for Freedom all began when I was approached by a group of volunteers organizing The 5K Annual Palestine Run, a sport event occurring in various parts of Palestine to support diverse causes and charities that support children in need. The 5K promo not only had to revolve around running, but also books, as this year’s proceeds from the run were to go to ‘The Palestine Writing Workshop’, which supports children’s reading and writing through workshops and literature festivals. The idea for the film, about a young more »
Who Gets To Tell the Stories?
Why do you want to create videos? This was the first question we asked our students during our first video workshop here at Bethlehem University in the occupied Palestinian territories. “People always ask about our problems, but they don’t understand anything of what our lives are like. They seem to think we are abnormal. I want to show people what our real lives are like.” said Saneh. “I want to show real stories. Occupation continues because the media doesn’t show the real life. They tell a story to the world about who more »
What Side of History Will You Be On?
I’ve got something to say. And this time I won’t stand silent. Ethan and I arrived in Ramallah two days ago to lead 2 video advocacy workshops: one for activists and non-profits and another for a group of 12 students at Bethlehem University. The Silence. I first came to the occupied Palestinian territories almost four years ago, to document the work of TYO, an incredible organization that offers kids from refugee camps a safe space to play and express themselves. I felt paralyzed when it came to expressing what it more »
How to Create Documentaries Which Will Change the World
Yesterday I went to another great Union Docs event featuring Judith Helfand (founder of Chicken and Egg and Working Films), Abby Disney (Pray the Devil Back to Hell) and Debika Shome (Harmony Institute). All 3 have spent years figuring out how to create films which will change the world. Most of their advice was aimed at documentary filmmakers, but a lot of it is relevant to non-profits as well. Story Matters 1. Ask yourself these questions about your issue: What does the general public not understand? What are your stumbling blocks more »
What Super Bowl Ads Tell Us About This Moment In Time
Super bowl commercials offer a brilliant opportunity to examine our present cultural narratives. I recently shared 10 tips for creating contagious content and the ads demonstrate the points perfectly. Here are 8 of our thoughts on what the ads say about this moment in time. 1. Focus groups tested positive on dogs. Contagiousness Concept Illuminated: Aim for Combined Relevance. Contagiousness Concept Illuminated: Do Something Unexpected/Have a Twist. Don’t reveal the key piece of information until the end. 2. Authentic Storytelling Matters. Contagiousness Concept Illuminated: Make it Timely. “It’s halftime in America too. We’re all scared because this more »
Top Ten Tips for Creating Contagious Content
Every non-profit wants a viral video; often this is the justification for investing in video in the first place. If your video goes viral, you know it’ll be worth the investment. Often, if this goal is not achieved, organizations become disenchanted with video as a whole. But just giving up is not the smart response. Video is the future of internet content. It’s not going anywhere, it is only going to grow. So instead of throwing in the towel, make a commitment to being more intentional and smart about your more »
