Lessons in amateur field driven film making...

I have had the privilege and the honor of sitting with some of the most amazing people on the planet. They have told me their stories, their hopes and dreams. Stories I have tried to represent well as I have told them to friends and family. Stories that inspire me to carry on each day.

Some years ago I felt such a strong urge to share these stories. Such as source of inspiration and knowledge should be shared. That through sharing these stories it could result in true global solidarity.The paralysis of ethical dilemmas however prevented me. The burden of responsibility disarmed me. The solution was to get these people to tell their own stories through methods such as Participatory Video. Participatory Video is a powerful way through which individuals and communities can tell their stories for themselves.

This solution however seemed unsatisfactory to me. Surely as a human I also have a responsibility to bridge the gap between my community and the ones I visit? To have the courage and respect to also tell these stories. But how? Someone with no comms background, with no film experience. A year ago I decided however to stop making excuses and try field driven film making out for myself. Below is a short summary of the experience thus far.

Inspiration is the source of creativity...

The central idea to my films has been from my own interest. If you are not interested in the subject you are filming then it is hard to convince others that it is. For me I have been interested in raising the voices of the most poor and vulnerable to key decision makers and people in power. I decided that my first step in Participatory Video was to try it out for myself. If someone with no media experience or education could make a film, I could better share with others I encourage to do likewise. I have also been very interested in finding ways of using film for monitoring and evaluating change. Uses in techniques such as outcome mapping and Most Significant Change. So find your area of interest and work from there!

Responsibility in telling someone elses story...

Whilst I feel it is a moral responsibility to tell others stories, once you enter this realm you must closely consider ethical dilemmas. Film is a very powerful tool and should be treated with the respect it deserves. Used wrongly you may have a detrimental effect to individuals and communities. In the worst case you may put people in harms way. As a first step you must obtain informed consent, but this must not be the end, you must consider the effects of the use of the film product as you move along. It is sometimes easy to get carried away in trying to achieve change without considering consequence!

Tool up with whatever you have...

There is always debate on what tools to use. I am a fan of the flip cam, others like a larger film camera, some people just use mobile phones. I don't think it matters what you use, just get out there and try them out. You will find out soon enough if what you have suits the purpose. Some of the essentials however are a tripod, enough battery power, and a clean cloth to keep your lens clean. For editing I use simple programs such as iMovie or Movie Maker. I suggest you start with these rather than jumping straight into more advanced programs such as Final Cut Pro.

Get some tips from the pro's...

I like to learn by doing but it doesn't hurt to get some basic tips from those that know their stuff. I spent an hour with my comms team before heading out and an hour when I got back to learn about editing. Some of the best tips I have got are; don't use the zoom, if you want to get close use your feet, think about sound, wind and people talking can really mess things up, think about light, have the light source at your back if possible, frame your shot with principles such as the rule of thirds, allow the subject to move not the camera and keep your hand as still as possible.

Preparation prevents poor performance...

I like making my filming experience as organic as possible. However, after a number of filming experiences that have resulted in days editing when I get back because I took too much and too disjointed filming sequences, I now plan the general flow of my shots. In doing this I set up basic matrix as the one below, however when I am in the field filming I keep this matrix roughly in my head and not in my hand.

Subject, Location and Question matrix

Subject	Location	Questions to ask:
Child 1. (Boy)	Community - 2-3 locations (we would like to see what everyday life looks like for this child - school, play, home)	·          Have you been sick the past month? ·          If you have been sick what were you sick with? ·          Did you go to the health clinic when you were sick or what did your parents do when you were sick? ·          What do you get to eat at home? Is it enough?
Child 2. (Girl)	Community - 2-3 locations (we would like to see what everyday life looks like for this child - school, play, home)	·          Have you been sick the past month? ·          If you have been sick what were you sick with? ·          Did you go to the health clinic when you were sick or what did your parents do when you were sick? ·          What do you get to eat at home? Is it enough?
Mother / Mother in Law/ Grandmother of Child 1.	Community - 1-2 locations (at home or at work)	·          What kind of illnesses do you and your children get sick with? ·          When you or the child becomes sick what do you do (do you go to the health clinic). If yes or no, why? ·          What do you and your children eat, how often is it and is it enough ·          Do the men eat first normally? ·          Did you exclusively breastfeed your baby? If so for how long?

Have a crack...

There is never a better learning process than actually trying it out. In the beginning I suggest that you keep the message very simple but try presenting it in different ways. I started with only having a small memory card that forced me into limited shots so I thought more about the shots I was taking. Experiment with sound, with lighting and with camera position. You will find that the pro's are right in giving you advice but you will also find that your risks and experiments sometimes pay off. You will find your own unique style the more you practice

Put it out there...

It may be daunting but publish your films and share amongst friends, peers and experts. This will help check your technique but more importantly any ethical aspects you may have overseen. Once you get most of the creases ironed out you can go more public with your films. Sometimes we are more afraid of protecting our ego than getting the story totally wrong. I have found constructive criticism good in my film process. I find my style developing based on my own ideas mixed with the reactions from friends and peers.

Live and learn...

I have a number of friends just like me, trying this thing out. I have formed a small group that share movies and chat when we can on our experience. I have found this to be one of the most important ways of motivating me to keep going and to feeling that this work is greater than individual merit and accolade. It is about forming a movement for social change. In this time we have some of the most important tools at hand and we can all do it, so get out there!


If you want to check out my films and make comment to my evolving practice in field driven film making then please go to my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/matoke74?feature=mhee#p/u