|
Community Film Screenings:
Films screenings are one way of getting together in the same room with
a common purpose. There are plenty reasons for creating a forum of people.
Outreach for existing campaigns and projects, getting more people involved.
Air concerns and bring out debates on issues that effect a community
Informal mediation and conflict prevention
Create an atmosphere of inspiration and positive creativity
Going Beyond TV
Ideally Video should be just one medium with which you engage with the
audience. Live interviews, popular education, spoken word, comments and
additions from the audience, music, requests, heckling and corrections,
announcements and earnest calls to action are the real flesh of a film
screening night, and the fact that you are showing films just helps facilitates
that happening.
You can treat a screening as a show no matter how small it is, no matter
how many people you already know. If you have put out a film screening
flyer and told people that it is about social change, you can see it as
a duty to make it upbeat, intelligent, and prone to make people active.
You may be able to do that in the way films are introduced and the way
people are asked to make announcements. People notice the spirit in which
it is done and if you really care. Often that can be more influential
than the content of the films themselves.
At screenings you can show and say thing that just don't get on mainstream
TV. Here are some things that TV can't do that public screenings can
Use Video flexibly as a resource which you stop to allow people to share
emotions, reactions, and form a response.
Allow it's viewers to make announcements of up coming events as the screening
progresses.
Incite Civil Disobedience and property damage where it is clearly morally
justifiable.
Video can bring out debate in situations where it wouldn't normally happen.
It can bring bringing social change content to otherwise apolitical landscapes.
How to put on a successful screening
Choose a Venue with an audience in mind:
Arts Venue:
If you use an arts venue, often there will be really good technical support
in there and you sound great and the show will go without too much of
a hitch. However even tho' we did a lot of publicity there were only 20
people there. Our crowd hadn't followed us from the pub. Part of that
has to be because it's an arts venue.
Club / Dance Party:
“Educate the Rave” is a slogan of RGB cinema from London. This
is a challenge when you are offered a room in a venue that often wants
people to have a good time and not really worry about reality. Sometimes
doing social justice films in these types of places can get lost in the
chaos. If you keep your message clear, perform it well and have really
upbeat comedy and music based films it can work really well.
Pub / Bar / Social Club:
The bolder films that would work in pub choice of films will work well
in pubs as well as clubs. People often find their voice after a few pints
and you get people making announcements for the first time. It's good
to have a microphone and a pretty good PA. As people chatting in pubs
make a surprisingly loud noise. Well they do in Manchester anyway. I can't
imagine it's that different elsewhere.
Community Centre / Friends Meeting house
Try and create a warm vibe somehow. It can be great for having a chilled
out but productive talk afterwards as there is often no alchohol. But
if there is no real community spirit amongst your community then it might
seem a bit flat.
Pirate TV:
Pirate TV stations in Italy download programs from the internet and re-transmit
them via the airwaves. Their cheekyness knows no limits. One tactic for
getting more viewers is to flyer the neighbourhood letting them know that
the Street TV station will be retransmitting pay for view football matches
for free. Then when the locals are tuned in, they show radical content
at half time. Outrageous!
Squat:
Often the best as people often feel a good sense of ownership over the
space and the autonomy of the space helps people feel like they can respond
positively to social change films. And the lack of a licence cut off point
means you can keep going for ages. Also you have real flexibility on how
you arrange a space. I've seen screenings in some amazing squat cinemas.
Cinemas:
This can be hard but Independent cinemas do let you sometimes. It doesn't
hurt to work out what the deal is and if you can make it work financially.
You may be able to link something up with an existing festival that's
happening.
Promote the Gig Tactically and add performance into the mix
Performance, Live music and having a good time is a great way of getting
the message across. If you are doing your own event you can play the promoters'
game. Start up some thing new and try to get a buzz going. Get a popular
local Musician, DJ or VJ, Poet or Mc to come along. Make sure you know
that there will be events where your guests are known, in the lead up
to your screening so you can give out fliers there.
You will normally find a lot of people who will play for the good cause
especially if they believe you are genuine about achieving your aims.
Choose Dj's and musicians to suit the mood of what you are doing. There's
nothing worse than someone chomping at the bit to play cheesy, ecstasy-fueled
party-tunes tunes when you've just watched a really serious and thought
provoking film. Partner up with other events, try to involve other promoters
too.
Techniques that can be used to make screenings more interactive, less
formal, more mentally stimulating.
Stopping films and getting feedback
Offering choices of what film to see next
Having the films be introduced by relevant people with a bit of passion
Q and A Sessions with people who where involved in the film somehow.
Plants in the audience to stimulate debate [loud obnoxious ones are especially
funny – especially if they “come out” as a plant after
a bit]
Using extracts of video for “what happened next” role plays.
If you pull together a diverse range of people to watch it, then discussions
can keep going for as long as the film itself. It can be good to make
sure that someone with facilitation skills is there to help prevent the
debate from being circular, if you want the audience to get the most from
the experience.
Choosing films with an audience and activity in mind:
It can be a good idea to to think of films specifically to communicate
a specific message to a specific group. This is a very proactive way of
going about film screenings. You choose a social network that you are
in contact with and promote your film directly to them. Specifically targeted
flyers, mail shots to email lists and personal contact and announcements
at events.
You can work with groups to chose a video with a suitable social change
message and ideally which contains an example of an activity that may
help make a change. Hopefully the group you are working with will have
suitable activities and projects to promote at the screening.
Programming films – How to best use relevant films for screenings.
We can look at different types of films and how they can be used as part
of a schedule of a screening night.
Short action films
Short direct action films of 3 -5 minutes, are perfect for implementing
into a program which uses speakers to give more depth to the subject.
They show types of activities, actions and protests and how they are effective.
It may show community renovations, office occupations, street parties,
ecological direct action, blockades, shopping interventions etc. It is
unlikely to fully explore the background of the group or individuals involved.
This is where speakers can fill in the gaps.
Unedited rushes
Unedited or very roughly edited footage can work really well when you
have someone to narrate it or when you are doing a screening to the participants
straight after an event has happened.
Using Sections of longer films
You can take relevant parts of films that you wouldn't want to show in
their entirety to audiences. You know your audience, so don't be afraid
to edit them yourselves (unless the film maker is going to be there!).
You can record from the original to another recording deck to create your
own edit if you don't have access to editing equipment.
Longer films, well crafted films
Independent Media collectives, often combinations of enthusiastic amateurs
and media professionals create longer, well crafted, in depth features.
Where these features often differ from mainstream TV is their radical
perspective and their call to the audience to get involved. These features
are like gold dust and news of them will often travel fast amongst informal
screening networks.
These features are often fantastic for provoking debates, especially
if you have a crowd of less than 50.
|