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 »
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 »
What’s this storytelling revolution all about?
A couple weeks ago, I was coming back from a meeting in midtown and I was in the Bryant Park subway station. As I looked around, I realized I was surrounded by stories. But not just the stories of the interesting people around me, but literally the word ‘story’ on ads all over the station. It is clear that we are in moment of heightened cultural awareness about the importance of storytelling. But later, reflecting on these ads, I began to wonder: Why is a larger awareness about the power more »
Video is the First Step, Not the Last
Your non-profit invests a couple thousand dollars into a video. You post it on facebook and your blog and then expect it to go viral. It doesn’t happen and your video gets maybe 200 hits. You’re bummed. All the hard work, and what to show for it? Too many nonprofits just put their video on one or two sites and hope it’ll be seen. Here’s some tips: Create a Distribution Plan Brainstorm with your staff and key supporters about who they have connections to. Find ways to be resourceful and far-reaching. more »
The Biggest Mistake (hands down) Non-Profits Make With Video
Yesterday, we started our discussion of the 3 biggest non-profit video mistakes by talking about the danger of eagerness without intentionality. But the biggest mistake is… 2. The Program Trap Creating engaging, sharable videos doesn’t seem to come naturally for most non-profits and I think I know why. Instead of highlighting naturally dynamic stories, non-profits tend to follow their first instinct when creating video. They represent their organization from their own point of view. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been approached by non-profits who tell us they want a more »
Non-profits: Creating Videos But Not Seeing Results?
We’ve found that while many organizations now recognize the power of video, they find themselves struggling to use it to its fullest potential. So what’s to blame? This week we’ll look at the 3 biggest mistakes non-profits make when creating videos. 1. Eagerness without Intentionality Non-profits are jumping into video, but many don’t have a plan to guide them. The result? Their videos to fail to generate the momentum they’d imagined. Spending time, energy and money on a video that nobody wants to watch just isn’t worth the investment. Videos more »
Video: Why We Are Soft-Wired to Care
“Empathy is grounded in the acknowledgement of death, a celebration of life and rooting for each other to flourish and be.” This video by RSA animate (whose work inspired this video we recently made) features Jeremy Rifkin, political advisor and author, explaining what makes us homo empathicus. He says that we are soft wired for sociability, attachment, affection and companionship. It has a lot to do with mirror neurons, which we’ve talked about before. Because of mirror neurons, when I see another human experiencing an emotion- anger, frustration or joy- more »
E-book Release is Today!
We are thrilled to announce that our e-book The Starter Guide to Non-profit Video Storytelling (which we co-wrote with CauseVox) is now available for download! In the book, we describe how your non-profit can create a video strategy that will set you up for success. We explore how to create video which push people to action, what kinds of stories hold the greatest emotional power and how to ensure that your video will not only be seen, but shared. Get your copy now at www.startstorytelling.com. And don’t forget, every Thursday more »
How to Win Free Photography for your Non-Profit
We want to help your non-profit make your vision of the world a reality. In order to be successful, you need to help your supporters visualize your impact and emotionally connect with why you exist (i.e. the people you serve). But we recognize that we can’t possibly work with every organization that’s doing great work. To increase our impact and help more non-profits tell their story well, we partnered with CauseVox to write the Starter Guide to Nonprofit Video Storytelling. In it you’ll find tons of wisdom to help your non-profit create more »
