Here are potential responses to the discussion questions:
1. I think Challenge 4 around balancing empathy and objectivity would be one of the hardest challenges to overcome. As an outsider coming into a community to tell their story, it would be easy to lose objectivity and perspective. Building trust and understanding different lived experiences would require deep listening and reflection. Maintaining a balanced view would require ongoing feedback and self-awareness.
2. To address the misconception that filmmaking is easy, I would emphasize the importance of proper storytelling, editing, and production skills. I would explain that my role is to use my expertise to authentically and powerfully share their story in a way that will create impact. I would want
A lecture I gave the third year Media students at RMIT about the role of the social media producer. It is derived from the Pool UGC project "Stage Fight"
A lecture I gave the third year Media students at RMIT about the role of the social media producer. It is derived from the Pool UGC project "Stage Fight"
How will both the media we consume, and the collective identities we belong to, change in the future with the rise of Web 2.0 and Participation Culture
If you haven’t made the shift from serving members to involving them, consider this your wake-up call — and your roadmap.
Sociologists identify today’s online networked individuals as the participatory class. For many adults, the Internet primarily means the web. For others it means chat, connecting with friends, email, games, movies, social networks, text, video — all of which means they are content producers.
As part of a participatory culture, we expect to create, collaborate, connect, share, and learn interactively. We feel that our contributions matter. We share a social or emotional connection with one another that helps solve problems and develop new solutions. It’s a culture that permeates our personal lives and our workplaces.
SOC 213 Final Project Guidelines and RubricOverviewThe final.docxMARRY7
SOC 213: Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a sociological imagination PowerPoint presentation.
The presentation is designed to encourage students to think about social problems—past or present, local or global—using their sociological imagination, which involves looking beyond the traditional expectations or veneer associated with social problems. This sociological skill set is imperative in order for student’s to truly begin to grasp the relationship and distinction between individual biography and social structures. Social problems are aspects of society that communities of people are concerned about and want to change or improve. Because social problems are social creations, students will uncover structural and cultural variables that help explain how a current social problem has emerged and persisted, and students will ultimately develop a “sociological imagination”“—the ability to see behaviors socially and understand how they interact and influence each other. The objective is to submit, in a creative PowerPoint presentation, a compelling case for why a student’s chosen social problem is indeed a social and cultural problem and not simply the result of individual choices. Sociologists do not discount the role of personal responsibility within a certain context, but rather seek to understand the power of an environment in shaping personal choices and patterns.
For example, consider the social problem of youth unemployment. It is well-documented that in the last several years of America’s economy, young people have experienced unemployment in greater numbers. A presentation in this course about youth unemployment might be framed initially about how, in an American culture that is so focused on individual responsibility and achievement, an issue such as youth unemployment can be treated as purely an individual problem.
False information surrounding youth unemployment at large sounds like this: “Today's youth are self-centered and lazy, and they have a sense of entitlement.” “They are not willing to make the sacrifices that we did by working their way up the corporate ladder.” To more specifically understand this sociological problem, students would need to narrow its parameters by selecting a given time period and/or a specific geographic area for youth unemployment. If a student chose to understand unemployment as a result of the Great Recession, it would be easier to scope the range of factors that contribute to this ongoing issue. To better individualize this issue, a student might choose to share his or her own story or that of a family member or a friend who experienced losing a job. Or, a student could choose to share the narrative from a movie, such as The Pursuit of Happiness or another contemporary example. Following this, it would be important to highlight a particular sociological theory: conflict, functionalism, or symbolic interactionism.
Because theories are simp ...
Documentary filmmaking is an art form that requires a delicate balance between storytelling. As a filmmaker, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are accurately representing the truth while also creating a compelling story truth and.
Presentation for the live Elluminate session for week one of the 2010 BGI (Bainbridge Graduate Institute) course "Using the Social Web for Social Change". Topics included Shared Language, Social Web Definitions, Social Bookmarking & Collaborative Discovery.
Week 5 Instructor GuidanceOne of the topics we’ve been talki.docxcockekeshia
Week 5 Instructor Guidance
One of the topics we’ve been talking about throughout this course is how we can track both the personal and societal impact of film. In fact, your Week One Introduction post asked you to consider this issue and, as we progressed through the class and learned new terminology--new ways of looking at film, we were able to reconsider and develop our perspectives on this.
Both of your discussion posts this week touch on this issue, and it comes up in relation to your final written assignment as well.
While everything we’ve learned has helped us develop a critical capacity for talking about film, deepening our appreciation of the medium itself, ultimately our understanding of the (sometimes very personal) way film intersects with society is the key to unlocking another layer to the material from this course.
Students sometimes wonder about this course, asking how the material directly impacts their study of a chosen major. Students may even go a step beyond that and ask about how the material they've been studying has bearing on their anticipated career field at all!
That's why it's important to take a step back, away from the camera, away from the specifications of shots or the varying aspects of cinematography. It's time to pull our eyes away from the screen and look around at the world that surrounds us. We should be able to identify and consider the many ways film can impact society . . . as well as how society may impact film! In this way, we can start to consider how we can apply what we've learned in this class!
A recent study conducted by the University of Rochester (NY) finds that watching and discussing movies about relationships is as effective in lowering divorce rates as other, more intensive, early marriage counseling programs! Watch this video presentation.
Follow this link for more information about the study, and to download information about the films the couples watched, as well as the different questions the researchers asked the couples to reflect on after they watched specific movies.
As you reflect on your own journey in this class--how you watch movies and the kinds of impacts that films can have on people--try to think deeply about the many ways we engage with film and what it can really mean to us in our majors, in our careers, and in our lives!
Many of the movies we respond to are made for mostly for entertainment. No matter their artistic value, or how intelligent the plot may be, the main goal is to find an audience and get them to pay money to watch what unfolds onscreen. Individual members of the creative team--the director, the writer, specific actors--might have other more lofty aims, but at the root there is a basic economic principle at work.
Therefore, it would be easy to write these films off and focus more exclusively on documentaries or smaller budget movies made by guerilla filmmakers who aren't tied to the money making Hollywood scheme of things. We could focus on films that try.
How will both the media we consume, and the collective identities we belong to, change in the future with the rise of Web 2.0 and Participation Culture
If you haven’t made the shift from serving members to involving them, consider this your wake-up call — and your roadmap.
Sociologists identify today’s online networked individuals as the participatory class. For many adults, the Internet primarily means the web. For others it means chat, connecting with friends, email, games, movies, social networks, text, video — all of which means they are content producers.
As part of a participatory culture, we expect to create, collaborate, connect, share, and learn interactively. We feel that our contributions matter. We share a social or emotional connection with one another that helps solve problems and develop new solutions. It’s a culture that permeates our personal lives and our workplaces.
SOC 213 Final Project Guidelines and RubricOverviewThe final.docxMARRY7
SOC 213: Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a sociological imagination PowerPoint presentation.
The presentation is designed to encourage students to think about social problems—past or present, local or global—using their sociological imagination, which involves looking beyond the traditional expectations or veneer associated with social problems. This sociological skill set is imperative in order for student’s to truly begin to grasp the relationship and distinction between individual biography and social structures. Social problems are aspects of society that communities of people are concerned about and want to change or improve. Because social problems are social creations, students will uncover structural and cultural variables that help explain how a current social problem has emerged and persisted, and students will ultimately develop a “sociological imagination”“—the ability to see behaviors socially and understand how they interact and influence each other. The objective is to submit, in a creative PowerPoint presentation, a compelling case for why a student’s chosen social problem is indeed a social and cultural problem and not simply the result of individual choices. Sociologists do not discount the role of personal responsibility within a certain context, but rather seek to understand the power of an environment in shaping personal choices and patterns.
For example, consider the social problem of youth unemployment. It is well-documented that in the last several years of America’s economy, young people have experienced unemployment in greater numbers. A presentation in this course about youth unemployment might be framed initially about how, in an American culture that is so focused on individual responsibility and achievement, an issue such as youth unemployment can be treated as purely an individual problem.
False information surrounding youth unemployment at large sounds like this: “Today's youth are self-centered and lazy, and they have a sense of entitlement.” “They are not willing to make the sacrifices that we did by working their way up the corporate ladder.” To more specifically understand this sociological problem, students would need to narrow its parameters by selecting a given time period and/or a specific geographic area for youth unemployment. If a student chose to understand unemployment as a result of the Great Recession, it would be easier to scope the range of factors that contribute to this ongoing issue. To better individualize this issue, a student might choose to share his or her own story or that of a family member or a friend who experienced losing a job. Or, a student could choose to share the narrative from a movie, such as The Pursuit of Happiness or another contemporary example. Following this, it would be important to highlight a particular sociological theory: conflict, functionalism, or symbolic interactionism.
Because theories are simp ...
Documentary filmmaking is an art form that requires a delicate balance between storytelling. As a filmmaker, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are accurately representing the truth while also creating a compelling story truth and.
Presentation for the live Elluminate session for week one of the 2010 BGI (Bainbridge Graduate Institute) course "Using the Social Web for Social Change". Topics included Shared Language, Social Web Definitions, Social Bookmarking & Collaborative Discovery.
Week 5 Instructor GuidanceOne of the topics we’ve been talki.docxcockekeshia
Week 5 Instructor Guidance
One of the topics we’ve been talking about throughout this course is how we can track both the personal and societal impact of film. In fact, your Week One Introduction post asked you to consider this issue and, as we progressed through the class and learned new terminology--new ways of looking at film, we were able to reconsider and develop our perspectives on this.
Both of your discussion posts this week touch on this issue, and it comes up in relation to your final written assignment as well.
While everything we’ve learned has helped us develop a critical capacity for talking about film, deepening our appreciation of the medium itself, ultimately our understanding of the (sometimes very personal) way film intersects with society is the key to unlocking another layer to the material from this course.
Students sometimes wonder about this course, asking how the material directly impacts their study of a chosen major. Students may even go a step beyond that and ask about how the material they've been studying has bearing on their anticipated career field at all!
That's why it's important to take a step back, away from the camera, away from the specifications of shots or the varying aspects of cinematography. It's time to pull our eyes away from the screen and look around at the world that surrounds us. We should be able to identify and consider the many ways film can impact society . . . as well as how society may impact film! In this way, we can start to consider how we can apply what we've learned in this class!
A recent study conducted by the University of Rochester (NY) finds that watching and discussing movies about relationships is as effective in lowering divorce rates as other, more intensive, early marriage counseling programs! Watch this video presentation.
Follow this link for more information about the study, and to download information about the films the couples watched, as well as the different questions the researchers asked the couples to reflect on after they watched specific movies.
As you reflect on your own journey in this class--how you watch movies and the kinds of impacts that films can have on people--try to think deeply about the many ways we engage with film and what it can really mean to us in our majors, in our careers, and in our lives!
Many of the movies we respond to are made for mostly for entertainment. No matter their artistic value, or how intelligent the plot may be, the main goal is to find an audience and get them to pay money to watch what unfolds onscreen. Individual members of the creative team--the director, the writer, specific actors--might have other more lofty aims, but at the root there is a basic economic principle at work.
Therefore, it would be easy to write these films off and focus more exclusively on documentaries or smaller budget movies made by guerilla filmmakers who aren't tied to the money making Hollywood scheme of things. We could focus on films that try.
Handout that makes use of available/unavailable design. It combines three reading summaries and discussion questions from myself and two other classmates.
In this paper, we highlight some of the challenges and opportunities that social media presents to researchers, and offer relevant theoretical avenues to be explored. To do this, we present a model that unpacks social media by using a honeycomb of seven functional building blocks. We then examine each of the seven building blocks and, through appropriate social and socio-technical theories, raise questions that warrant further in-depth research to advance the conceptualization of social media in public affairs research. Finally, we combine the individual research questions for each building block back into the honeycomb model to illustrate how the theories in combination provide a powerful macro-lens for research on social media dynamics.
Unpacking the social media phenomenon: towards a research agendaIan McCarthy
In this paper, we highlight some of the challenges and opportunities that social media presents to researchers, and offer relevant theoretical avenues to be explored. To do this, we present a model that unpacks social media by using a honeycomb of seven functional building blocks. We then examine each of the seven building blocks and, through appropriate social and socio-technical theories, raise questions that warrant further in-depth research to advance the conceptualization of social media in public affairs research. Finally, we combine the individual research questions for each building block back into the honeycomb model to illustrate how the theories in combination provide a powerful macro-lens for research on social media dynamics.
(Accessible at httpswww.hatchforgood.orgexplore102nonpro.docxAASTHA76
(Accessible at https://www.hatchforgood.org/explore/102/nonprofit-photography-ethics-and-approaches)
Nonprofit Photography: Ethics
and Approaches
Best practices and tips on ethics and approaches in
humanitarian photography for social impact.
The first moon landing. The Vietnamese ‘napalm girl’, running naked and in agony. The World
Trade Centers falling.
As we know, photography carries the power to inspire, educate, horrify and compel its viewers to
take action. Images evoke strong and often public emotions, as people frequently formulate their
opinions, judgments and behaviors in response to visual stimuli. Because of this, photography
can wield substantial control over public perception and discourse.
Moreover, photography in our digital age permits us to deliver complex information about
remote conditions which can be rapidly distributed and effortlessly processed by the viewer.
Recently, we’ve witnessed the profound impact of photography coupled with social media:
together, they have fueled political movements and brought down a corrupt government.
Photography can - and has - changed the course of history.
Ethical Considerations
Those who commission and create photography of marginalized populations to further an
organizations’ mission possess a tremendous responsibility. Careful ethical consideration should
be given to all aspects of the photography supply chain: its planning, creation, and distribution.
When planning a photography campaign, it is important to examine the motives for creating
particular images and their potential impact. Not only must a faithful, comprehensive visual
depiction of the subjects be created to avoid causing misconception, but more importantly, the
subjects’ dignity must be preserved. Words and images that elicit an emotional response by their
sheer shock value (e.g. starving, skeletal children covered in flies) are harmful because they
exploit the subjects’ condition in order to generate sympathy for increasing charitable donations
or support for a given cause. In addition to violating privacy and human rights, this so-called
'poverty porn’ is harmful to those it is trying to aid because it evokes the idea that the
marginalized are helpless and incapable of helping themselves, thereby cultivating a culture of
paternalism. Poverty porn is also detrimental because it is degrading, dishonoring and robs
people of their dignity. While it is important to illustrate the challenges of a population, one must
always strive to tell stories in a way that honors the subjects’ circumstances, and (ideally)
illustrates hope for their plight.
Legal issues
Legal issues are more clear cut when images are created or used in stable countries where legal
precedent for photography use has been established. Image use and creation becomes far more
murky and problematic in countries in which law and order is vague or even nonexistent.
Even though images created for no.
Virtual Communities for Professional Development and Growth
How do we promote the knowledge, skills and sense of urgency for 21st Century teaching and learning among all teachers in our schools? As the physical and virtual worlds converge to become the 'real world' of teaching and learning, virtual exchanges, online mentoring and other Web-based environments will play increasingly important roles in educational reform. The presenter will share "lessons learned" from her seven years of experience in designing and leading virtual communities of practice.
Running head UNIT 4 PROJECT1UNIT 4 PROJECT 8Reflect.docxagnesdcarey33086
Running head: UNIT 4 PROJECT
1
UNIT 4 PROJECT
8
Reflecting on Sources
Sam Smith
Kaplan University
CM 220 05
Carrie Hannigan
October 1, 2011Unit 4 Project: Reflecting on Sources
Complete all three parts of the worksheet below. Be sure to cite all sources in APA format, including using in-text citations and reference page citations in the spaces provided. The writing should be in Standard English and complete sentences. The sources noted in this worksheet should be related to your "big idea," which is the basis of your final project in this course. Save this document to your computer, and submit it through the Unit 4 dropbox, per the instructions in the classroom under Unit 4's Project Description.Part I: Pre-Interview Worksheet
Directions: Complete each section of the Pre-Interview Worksheet below. Although students are not required to conduct an interview as research for the final project, the process of thinking about potential questions and responses related to the final project topic will help stimulate further ideas and questions related to conducting relevant and reliable research. Of course, you may also decide to interview the person discussed here or another appropriate subject and use the material in your upcoming projects as a primary source.
Interviewer Name
Sam Smith
Interviewee Name
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Interview Method
email
Interview Location
If interviewing in person, where will it be conducted?
Have you seen the location yet?
FORMCHECKBOX
Yes
FORMCHECKBOX
No
X FORMCHECKBOX
Not applicable
Interviewee Research
Adichie was featured in a TED video, discussing her beliefs that writers should tell stories that create more than one point of view, thus avoiding a "single-story" perspective; her example was that she grew up in Nigeria, but read stories from England and the United States, which colored her perception of storytelling and the world (Adichie, 2009). Likewise, she has found that others hold misperceptions of her own culture based on the limited views of stories (and media coverage). Adichie is advocating that storytellers adopt a point of view that is true to their culture, and helps show the world the complexities of their culture. Adichie is the author of Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun. Other publications include short stories, speeches, and non-fiction articles. She has received 13 awards for her writing, and numerous nominations for other awards. Through interviewing Adichie, I hope to gain her insights on how facilitating storytelling within an elderly community can benefit the community overall.
Interview Topic Research
Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of every society; it can educate, inspire, motivate, and entertain. The act of creating stories can be therapeutic for the writer, as it compels the individual to tap into his/her own emotions and memories in order to create these engaging scenes and worlds. Digital storytelling is one method of conveying a person's narrative to an.
Chapter One MediaSociety in a Digital WorldNote Read the summ.docxtiffanyd4
Chapter One: Media/Society in a Digital World
Note: Read the summary below and click on all supplemental links as part of this lecture;the videos and articles provided will assist with your understanding of this chapter.
Key Questions:
1. How can we understand the importance of media in relationship to socialization, structure and agency?
2. How can a sociological lens help us understand the relationship between media and social context?
3. What roles do structure and agency play in our understanding of media culture?
Themes:
1.1 Definitions: Media vs. Medium & Interpersonal vs. Mass Media
1.2 Technology, Interactivity & Consumption
1.3 Cultural Experience & Socialization
1.4 Sociology: Social Relations, Structure & Agency
1.5 Model of Media
1.1 Definitions: Media vs. Medium & Interpersonal vs. Mass Media
Before we examine and critique the role(s) of media in our social world(s), it is essential to identify and narrow our scope by defining terms; after all, "media" is a term used very loosely in contemporary culture. As Croteau & Hoynes (2019) explain in your textbook , the term "media" is the PLURAL of medium and is derived from medius,which is the Latin term for "middle."
A helpful way to think about these concepts is that mediumsfacilitate communication between (are in the middle of) a sender and receiver; for example, television is a medium that facilitates programming from producers/creators/networks to audiences. Other mediums include radio, print, film, and the internet, and notices that they are both digital and non-digital (print).
The term "media" is the plural of these mediums, but is often used incorrectly; although it doesn't sound like correct grammar, the proper way (within the field of Media Studies) to use "media" in a sentence is "media are" not "media is." When individuals, including politicians, members of non-profits, etc. say "media is" and fail to recognize that the concept of "media" actually encompasses many different mediums with various logics, there is an assumption that all mediums function the same, include the same message, and follow the same regulations and economic structure. For example, when "the media" is blamed for violent action or political outcomes, there is a misunderstanding that needs to be refined; are we talking about film? Television? News media? Are we talking about the digital edition of the news? Are we talking about the Tweets that come from that news organization? In other words, it is important to be specific about mediums when making claims about impact, and when referring to "media" it is important to remember that this is a plural term.
Now, the next step in introductory terminology is to identify which media are "interpersonal" and which mediums are considered "mass" - this course focuses on "mass" media. Some of you may have taken Communications courses that focus more on interpersonal communication, which is one-to-one, includes a single known receiver, and is very interactive (.
The Art Pastor's Guide to Sabbath | Steve ThomasonSteve Thomason
What is the purpose of the Sabbath Law in the Torah. It is interesting to compare how the context of the law shifts from Exodus to Deuteronomy. Who gets to rest, and why?
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
2. Summary
This article explores the idea of collaborative documentary work through the study of four filmmakers - two
professional and two academic.
Questions posed for each case study are as follows…
- How do instructors teach documentary students collaborative media skills that go beyond the classical production techniques
for film and television?
- How do filmmakers assist community groups with telling their own stories in ways that benefit both parties?
- To what extent should filmmakers collaborate on content ideas or review material with community members?
- Should filmmakers assist community members with basic technology training or with putting media tools into the hands of
their subjects?
- How is collaborative documentary filmmaking a learning tool for issues of race, class, injustice, and opportunity?
3. - The article dives into how to develop documentaries through collaboration. Collaboration is a
necessity amongst production crew, partnerships, and communities.
- The article utilized has a focus directed mostly towards the collaborative nature between
filmmakers and the communities in which the stories/issues originate.
- The piece addresses the challenges that can come about with collaborative projects. The four
case studies are used to help better understand how to navigate these issues.
- Each challenge addresses real issues that must be addressed in the production of
documentaries.
- The negligence in ignoring these challenges impacts the integrity of the final productions.
4. Challenge 1: Media Is Not the Greatest Public Service Need for the Community
- Some view the direct media approach as a “quick fix”. This inhibits the community involvement for the social
issue being addressed.
- Community leaders claim media projects, such as documentaries, can take the place of certain activities that
can spark change.
- A media based project takes away from the social service.
- A lack of community involvement can impact the authenticity of the project.
- One of the case studies addresses this problem by using undergraduates to provide video training skills,
document significant events and speakers, and arrange screenings for the community.
- Providing outlets such as this aids in the trust amongst the collaborative parties (film students and community).
5. Challenge 2: Content Control? Who's in Charge?
- Sometimes when collaborating with a community the filmmaker and members within may have differing views on the
content that is vital to the story.
- The question regarding who possesses the most control gets difficult once the direct cinema approach is abandoned.
- Finding stories and gaining trust can only be accomplished through public screenings and meetings with community
members and liaisons. This relinquishes some control to the community.
- One case study discusses the challenges they faced when producing a film on public housing. During a previous
production on the same issues high school students within the community were prohibited to discuss the issue for the
production company by the housing commissioner. The members within the study approached the community with a
more collaborative sense and were allowed the perspective of the students. Once it became clear to the community
that their interests were being taken into consideration, more control was released back to the filmmakers.
*Direct Cinema Approach: Capturing everything as it happens. Sometime referred to as the “fly on the wall” approach.
6. Challenge 3: Filmmaking Is Easy
- This challenge addresses the misconception that producing a documentary is simple due to society's easy
access to cameras and the abundance of social media platforms in which they can be uploaded and shared.
- To properly and authentically address the issues being presented in a project there must take place,
appropriate editing, storyboarding, and transcribing. This requires collaboration.
- The academic case study working with the Public Housing project possessed the equipment and knowledge to
help produce a piece worthy of telling the stories the community members had.
- With this a certain level of time commitment is necessary. This must be understood by all collaborative parties.
7. Challenge 4: Empathy versus Objectivity?
- Empathy and objectivity are crucial in producing pieces that are addressing social issues within communities.
- Each area is interconnected to issues of race, class, and history, which can provide collaborative learning
opportunities for film students. However, more often than not, groups of these students exist within fairly
narrow parameters of difference. This is why collaboration with communities is crucial. It provides a necessary
perspective.
- Collaboration such as this forces students to address issues they normally wouldn’t be confronted with.
- Empathy is needed to gain a realistic view on the issues at hand, however, objectivity is necessary to produce a
genuine project.
- Identifying community liaisons can help bridge this gap.
8. Challenge 5: Who owns material?
- The article presents the idea that there are many different kinds of ownership within collaborative media
productions.
- Community members can and should claim appropriate forms of "ownership" as facilitators, advisors, or
coproducers or in additional camera roles or postproduction roles. In turn, these individual should be awarded tax
write-offs, screening profits, donations, and educational supplements amongst other benefits.
- It is crucial for all of these potential implications and/or benefits to be within a written contract.
- The production can also be viewed as a tangible benefit. With this the communities stories can be shared for
generations to come through their own representation.
9. Conclusion
- Documentaries, when lacking a collaborative approach, may be viewed as a unrealistic “quick fix”. However,
projects that pursue the input and help of the communities within contain a more authentic final product.
- Control may be difficult to give up, but in order to produce a authentic piece, as stated above, collaboration is
necessary and collaboration requires that release.
- Filmmaking is not easy. In order for a quality project to be produced, one that the community would be proud of,
individuals with a knowledge of filmmaking are a necessity.
- Empathy versus objectivity is a difficult balance. But it is vital that this balance be found to maintain the integrity
of the film. This balance is also a crucial discovery for film students.
- Designating ownership is a difficult conversation. But with proper collaboration, respect is found within both
parties and that makes the discussion easier.
10. Reference
Coffman, Elizabeth (2009). Documentary and Collaboration: Placing the Camera in
the Community. Journal of Film and Video, Vol. 61, No.1 (SPRING 2009), pp.
62-78
11. Discussion Questions
1. The article reveals five challenges that collaborating parties must face when producing a documentary. As
a filmmaker entering a community, with a desire for their story to accurately be told, which of the
challenges do you feel would be the hardest to overcome and why?
1. Challenge 3 discusses the overwhelming idea that filmmaking, especially within the genre of
documentaries, is easy. As a filmmaker, how do you address this fallacy with the community in which you
are working? How do you help them better understand the value you, as a professional, bring to the telling
of their story?
1. One of the cases studies, addressing public housing, spoke to their collaboration with high school students
within the community. They used these students to gain their perspective on the issue at hand. As
filmmaker how would you convince these young people that their input and perspective is vital to the
production?