This document discusses a new paradigm for media production using mobile phones. It outlines the traditional model where local believers provide cultural insight that media experts translate into finished media products. The new model empowers locals to produce their own media using mobile phones, cameras, and online/app editing tools provided by media enablers. This allows millions more locals to produce and distribute culturally relevant media instead of relying on only hundreds of professional media producers. Some groups are already leading this change by teaching video skills and providing open source assets. A single online platform is still needed to enable locals to find/upload content, edit it, and distribute finished products.

1. The Mobile Phone and
a New Paradigm for
Media Production

2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/karanj/31869410/

3. The De Facto Model of
Missions Media
Production

4. Flow of Insight/
Enablement
Local Believer/ Media Expert
Missionary
Professional
Media Equipment
Production of
Media

5. In this model the local believer or
missionary passes on their cultural
understanding and insight into how
the Gospel can be best understood
and expressed in their culture and
then relies upon the media expert
to translate that understanding and
insight into an appropriate media
end-product.

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vancouverfilmschool/5476664145/

7. An Altered
Equation

8. Flow of Insight/
Enablement
Local Believer/Missionary Media
Expert
Mobile Phone w/Camera
Web access and/or video
editing app or freeware
Production of Media

9. In this model the media expert
passes on their understanding of
media production to the local
believer or missionary and also
empowers them through the
provision of resources they will need
(stock imagery/audio, online editing
program, etc.) to produce and
distribute their own media.

10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rayand/4199641605/sizes/l/in/photostream/

11. Reasons to Change the Paradigm
1) The enormous imbalance
between the number of local
believers/ missionaries
(millions) and missional
media producers (hundreds)

12. Reasons to Change the Paradigm
2) The huge percentage of local
believers and missionaries
that are equipped and able to
shoot video via their mobile
phones, etc.

13. Reasons to Change the Paradigm
3) The availability of on-phone
online and free/low-cost
video editing programs

14. Reasons to Change the Paradigm
4) The minimal expertise and
expense required to produce
media that is “good enough”
for a mobile screen (the most
widespread screen found
among the unreached)

15. Reasons to Change the Paradigm
5) Large-scale distribution
channels are available to local
believers and missionaries
through video sharing sites
and the Bluetooth phone-to-
phone transmission channel

17. The Challenge
Can Christian media
ministries make the switch
from solely being “media
producers” to “media
enablers” for the Church?

18. Some Groups Leading the Way as
Media Enablers
• Gemstone Media’s How2Video
http://www.how2video.org
• The Global Short Film Network’s Flight School
http://www.globalshortfilmnetwork.com/train
ed-create-short-films-ta-t-4_5.html
• The Global Virtual Studio
http://www.globalvirtualstudio.com/alpha.php/

19. What is Still Needed?
Among other things:
• Online open source imagery (for instance,
background visuals for chronological Bible
stories)
• A single-stop Christian website, program
and/or phone app enabling users to
1) Upload and/or find imagery/footage/
audio, 2) edit it and 3) both download the
final product for offline distribution as well
as upload it for online distribution

20. When the winds of
change blow, some
seek shelter, others
build windmills
Chinese Proverb

21. Produced by
Mobile Advance
http://www.mobileadvance.org
e-mail: keith(at)mobileadvance.org