Unit 31/3

Community media provide a vital alternative to the profit-oriented agenda of corporate media. They are driven by social objectives rather than the private, profit motive.

They empower people rather than treat them as passive consumers, and they nurture lo9cal knowledge rather than replace it with standard solutions.

Community media projects require assistance to adapt to new digital production technologies and to increase their access to the internet.

Building community media requires an approach based on the empowerment of people and communities- not private investors. Nation states and international institutions have to guarantee access for production, distribution and consumption to all groups in society.

Community media in practice

• political and economic news that facilitates community dialogue and involvement community
• personal messages (marriages, union-meetings)
• musical greetings
• educational programs for development (health, environment, gender)
• information programs, and culturally relevant entertainment

Examples of social action media video for the following purposes:

-to raise awareness: Safeguarding- abuse 

-to campaign: Topshop It Campaign Video

-to change attitudes: "We All Have Problems" - Mental Health Awareness Ad

-to provide information: 10 First Aid Mistakes Explained by a Professional

-change voting behavior: The Courage to Change, vote for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Documentary is broad term to describe a non-fiction film that in some ways "documents" of captures reality. The truth aspect in documentaries can be undefined, have narrative a structure, be misinterpreted, distorted or faked. Many documentary filmmakers view some particular stories as not covered and that viewers should be aware of. 

Purposes of documentaries:

• to change or improve society
• to bring to light cause of injustice
• to entertain or delight
• uncover hidden truth
• to inform
• to raise awareness
• profile someone famous

The different documentary modes are a way of determining the common concepts and themes of the various documentary styles. The were devised by American documentary theoritist Bill Nicholas.

6 documentary modes:

• poetic- purposely dictates that a certain tone or mood is depicted throughout the documentary, which will influence the viewers understanding and intake of information.
• expository- documenter speaks directly to the viewer. through the use of tools such as voiceover, or subtitles, and through this create a powerful argument and POV.
• reflexive- focuses on the relationship between the filmmaker and the audience, pushing viewers to reflect on their perceptions and re-analyze their notions of truth.
• observational- emphasizing the documentary filmmaker's engagement in observing the subject's daily life and circumstances and documenting them with an unobtrusive camera
• performative- often confused with participatory, engages the viewer in a story but can expose them to factual points during this process.
• participatory- believes that the documenter has to have a certain level of influence on the footage and facts allowing a certain level of clear evidence on the presenting events creating a strong evident argument.

Features of documentary:

• interview
• observation
• dramatization
• mise-en-scene
• exposition

Fly on the wall filming technique putting the audience in a role of eyewitness where the camera appears to be unseen. The observer has no interaction with the people.

Interviews are a main staple in most documentary films and we utilize them to communicate vital information about the story. Through the interviews the protagonists of our films have the opportunity to tell their experiences directly to the audience.

Dramatizing scenes in documentaries allows the filmmaker to create an aesthetic for appreciation by the audience and a visual cue for potentially uncaptured reported events.

In a documentary, the exposition occurs at the beginning and introduces the important themes of the film. It is important because it creates the viewer's first impression and introduces the viewer to the content. Simply means the line of argument in a documentary which is what the documentary is 'saying'. Sequences that lead the audience to make their own conclusions.

KONY 2012

Short documentary film Kony 2012 has a main aim which is to arrest Joseph Kony. Throughout the film is described Kony's actions with his rebel militia group by the protagonist and the main leader of the campaign Jason Russell who promised one of the victims Jason that he will stop him. The purpose of the campaign is to mainly raise awareness everywhere mainly in USA and to persuade USA government to send armed forces to Uganda and help to capture him. To this to happen it needed lots of demonstrations and promotions so normal citizens all around the world get aware of this horrible situation and try to help by spreading it even more and to finally persuade the government to actually help. This document was very effective as it woke up many responses and disagreement in Kony's actions and people wanting to help and stop these abuses, murders, sexual assaults, no freedom and to help and set free those innocent children as well as stopping Kony. People tried to get involved as much as possible and it resulted in positive outcome that government sent American armed forces to Uganda to help. They also targeted on celebrities and politicians to use their voice to make Kony even more visible, and used facebook where people can join the group Invisible Children campaign. I personally think Jason and his team actually put all effort into the project which has an obvious aim that they followed no matter what, they started from nothing and raised the awareness up and even at the beginning the government refused them, they didn't give up and kept going and actually made the government to help. The documentary is nicely made, by the use of cuts, sounds, even presence of Jason's son, the film takes the audience in and keeps them pay attention and persuades them to 'do something' and take an action.