1. WWW.RANALABS.COM
Rana Labs:
Empowering the
future storytellers
of our world.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) TRAINING INFO@RANALABS.COM
At Rana Labs, we believe in empowering
people and communities by improving access
and familiarity with Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) tools such
as video, web, and social media. We develop
and deliver custom workshops in video
production technique, website design, social
media campaigns, and other types of
technology training. As a result of our ICT
workshops, our trainees create professional
videos, websites, and social media
campaigns to tell their own stories to the
world.
For small business owners, tourism
professionals, small-scale agriculture
exporters, indigenous communities, and
youth looking for employment opportunities,
our trainings produce tangible products to be
used in promoting their trade or to achieve
their particular communications goals. We
utilize available technology in-country, with
our procurements targeted, wherever
possible, to use local vendors accessible to
our partners. At the conclusion of our
trainings, this equipment can remain for use
by our strategic partners, to encourage
sustainability of our efforts.
Our Services
We are based in Washington, D.C. as a full-service
digital media agency, producing websites, videos, and
social media campaigns for nonprofit organizations and
private sector clients. We offer training services to the
D.C. government in workforce development initiatives
and provide specialized ICT training to local
beneficiaries.
Where We Work
We have a global team and we speak five languages
natively: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and
Russian. We have experience working in Latin America,
Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia.
Our Focus
In Spanish, rana means “frog”, an ancient symbol of
transformation and metamorphosis. This same word, in
Arabic, means “beautiful, eye-catching.” We combine
both of these definitions to be the foundation for
everything we produce: we strive for our work to be
beautiful and eye-catching, and the process by which we
create is transformational.
Our Results
The trainings we provide in video production, website
development, social media campaigns and general IT-
readiness provide real-world experience that is
applicable to many potential employment
opportunities. Our team is devoted to ensuring that the
people we train have tangible skills they can use for
improving their current job opportunities and enhancing
the manner in which they communicate with the world.
Visual Storytelling Workshops
Learn about the video production and photography
trainings we offer around the world. Page 2
Web Design & IT Capacity Building
We bring website creation and IT skills within reach,
from setting up a CMS to office networking. Page 3
Our Story
Sharing with the World
Our trainings provide the tools necessary to share powerful
stories via social media campaigns and enhance the reach
of small businesses, community leaders, women and men
of all ages. Page 4
Our Services
We are based in Washington, D.C. as a full-
service digital media agency, producing
websites, videos, and social media campaigns for
nonprofit organizations and private sector
clients. We offer training services to the D.C.
government in workforce development
initiatives and provide specialized ICT training to
local beneficiaries.
Where We Work
We have a global team and we speak five
languages natively: English, Spanish,
Portuguese, Arabic, and Russian. We have
experience working in Latin America, Africa, the
Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia.
Our Focus
In Spanish, rana means “frog”, an ancient symbol
of transformation and metamorphosis. This
same word, in Arabic, means “beautiful, eye-
catching.” We combine both of these definitions
to be the foundation for everything we produce:
we strive for our work to be beautiful and eye-
catching, and the process by which we create is
transformational.
Our Results
The trainings we provide in video production,
website development, social media campaigns
and general IT-readiness provide real-world
experience that is applicable to many potential
employment opportunities. Our team is devoted
to ensuring that the people we train have
tangible skills they can use for improving their
current job opportunities and enhancing the
manner in which they communicate with the
world.

2. WWW.RANALABS.COM 2
VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Professional Filming Technique
We have Emmy-award winning videographers with
decades of experience in lighting, audio, filming
techniques, and professional-grade equipment.
Smartphone and Tablets
At Rana Labs, we also believe the best camera you have
is the one in your pocket. Increasingly, smartphone and
tablet cameras are used in professional settings and
quality has increased dramatically in recent years. High
Definition video from these devices is an exciting and
more approachable way to tell a story in many cases.
FAST FACTS
53%Percentage of Africans in a 2015 Pew Research Study
who used their phone to take pictures or video in the last
12 months. [Source: www.pewglobal.org]
85%Percentage of mobile phones shipped worldwide that
have embedded cameras. A World Bank report also
shows more than 75% of households now have access to
a mobile phone. [Source: giiresearch.com]
Our workshops focus on the fundamentals,
including the type of equipment we use and
the best ways to create video and photo
content. We utilize available technology in-
country, with our procurements targeted,
wherever possible, to use local vendors
accessible to our partners.
With all aspects of multimedia creation, we
aim to tell a story. To do so, we focus on four
areas of production, including:
Our next step is to create a storyboard,
describing each scene through visual
descriptions or sketches in one column and
the narration in a second column.
Finally, we present our storyboards to small
group teams for feedback to see where we
can cut and how we can improve the overall
messages.
Production
With our storyboard in hand, we go on
location and begin the process of identifying
the scenes we want to include or images we
want to capture that match our core
messages. We analyze the lighting
conditions, test for sound quality, and set up
the framing of our shots.
Included in this phase is an explanation of
lenses, camera settings, light positioning,
audio capture methods, and more.
Post-Production
We use a variety of tools to edit photo, video
and audio content, from mobile apps to full
desktop professional editing software.
Depending on the needs of each training
partner, we identify the most appropriate
software to help achieve their goals while
enabling them with the full creative potential
they need.
Promotion
Every good story deserves a platform for
sharing with the world. Continuing on page
4, learn about our social media outreach
methodology for every product we create.
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Pre-production: Identifying the
message, goals, and creating a
storyboard
Production: Camera technique,
lighting and audio recording
Post-production: Editing, color and
audio correction
Promotion: Sharing with the world
via social media campaigns, organic
and paid
Video Production and Photography
From professional-grade camera technique to mobileapps
Ready to record? A lot of careful
preparation happens before we’re
ready to create a compelling
video.
Pre-Production
We start by identifying the story we want to
tell the world. From small businesses
wanting to share their products to
community-based organizations providing
insight into their culture and history, we first
identify our messages, establish our
audience, and identify the purpose of the
video. And we always ask what we want our
audience to do upon watching the video.
We then discuss the type of product we want
to create, from talking-head interview videos
to promotional voice-over narration, or
photo slideshows for use on social media.

3. WWW.RANALABS.COM
Step 2: The Content Management System (CMS)
We most often train users with Wordpress, a powerful CMS relied on by the majority of
database-driven websites in the world. Our team also has expertise in other major CMS
platforms such as Drupal, Joomla, and SharePoint. In our training, each participant sets up a
new website and tests different layout options, themes, and color schemes, to match their
wireframes.
Step 3: Writing for the Web and Content Placement
Our third and final step in creating a website involves writing and placing good photos,
videos, and other content we have produced throughout our training. Our team helps each
participant to review and place their content based on the goals of the site and their
audience.
We take the complexity out of the website creation process and
focus instead on creating a clean, user-friendly experience that tells
the key message our audience is looking for. Using simple tools for
creation gives us more time to focus on content instead of complex
coding requirements. Our site creation process follows three basic
steps:
Step 1: Wireframes
As with all of the products we create, our first step is to understand
what we are trying to share with the world and what we want our
audience to do after visiting our website. Using pencil and paper, we
draw sketches of the site to show blocks of content and discuss the
importance of organization of a site through our experience in
website usability studies.
Website Development
We make website creation approachable and fun
Technology changes rapidly and it is important to understand the role of the devices we use in
our trainings. We always want to ensure users can achieve the most from the technology they
have available. We have a comprehensive selection of IT capacity building courses from basic
computer training and typing skills to server administration.
Laptops and Productivity Software
In remote areas, lightweight laptops are portable and easy to charge without need for power
during extended periods of use. Based on identified need, we procure laptops in local
languages and are experts in all operating systems, including Linux, Chrome OS, Windows and
Macs.
Smartphones and Tablets
Mobile technology is the most popular form of computing in today’s world, and Google’s
Android is installed on more than 80% of mobile devices. We provide training on Android from
SMS functionality to mobile creativity and productivity apps. Our goal is to make sure these
devices are used to their utmost potential.
Servers and Networking
For more advanced participants, we offer a comprehensive look into how networks work and
what the role of servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, and other technologies are. As a part of our
training, we set up our own private network, assign roles for devices, and configure server
functions, such as a print and web server, to simulate an office environment.
IT Capacity Building
Understanding the hardware and software that make everything possible
3

4. WWW.RANALABS.COM 4
Our social media workshops cover a lot of
ground. As a part of our training, we conduct
real social media campaigns as part of the
learning process. We utilize the content we
have created in prior training elements, such
as videos, photos, websites, and other
content to spread important messages,
garner support for causes and increase
awareness.
We explain the difference between organic
and paid campaigns on social media
platforms such as Google, YouTube,
Facebook and Twitter. For small business in
particular, a focus on paid campaigns and
how it can help leverage new customers is
key to understanding the global
marketplace.
Our goal is to show the art and science of
what is successful online, testing and
experimenting to learn which content
resonates best with specific audiences.
Our social media trainings include:
SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING TOPICS
Social Media 101: Using
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
Google, and other sites
effectively
Creating social media messaging
Researching the social media
landscape
Using photos, video and graphics
Discussing the difference
between organic and paid
campaigns
Strategizing and implementing
paid digital campaigns
Targeting content to specific
audiences
Monitoring and reporting
methods
SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH WORKSHOPS
Facebook: Pages and Promotions
Facebook, as the most popular social media network in
the world, has a lot of traction and is a powerful resource
for small business owners to target their audiences. It is
also a great place to build a page to highlight services for
local businesses.
Twitter and Instagram: Organic
and Paid Outreach
Twitter and Instagram are powerful platforms and can
be used in both organic (non-paid) and paid promotions
using engaging photos, video, written copy and
graphics.
Google: SEO & Ads
Search Engine Optimization is a science, and
successfully showing up in search results takes time and
experience. By setting up a strong web and social media
presence, and by linking these services together, SEO
results improve dramatically. We also cover search and
YouTube advertising through Google’s AdWords
platform
Social Media Outreach
Sharing with the world on a level playing field
INFO@RANALABS.COM
Success on social media is always linked to good content. We
focus, in our trainings, on how to develop the type of content
people will want to come back for.
WWW.RANALABS.COM