http://videoplan.witness.org | The aim of this presentation is to share the key elements of our approach to developing a video advocacy strategy. The presentation will cover: advocacy goals; identifying and prioritizing audiences; developing a video distribution plan; finalizing key messages that should be in the video; choosing the best advocacy story and which voices are included in the video. Additionally, participants will evaluate the structure, style and length decisions, and evaluate group or organizational capacity to create an effective video at the given stage of the campaign. This session will also introduce examples of video advocacy strategies and have participants practice recognizing the various key components for developing an effective video advocacy strategy through case studies presented. WITNESS Training Curriculum - Part of module 2

1. Develop a Video Advocacy
Plan and Review Case
Studies
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum.
All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License.
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org.

2. What does the legacy of the Rodney King incident mean for
WITNESS, for human rights defenders, for the individual
stories captured and shared via video every day?

3. .
WITNESS‟ Mandate
Over the past decade, WITNESS has
partnered with groups in over 70
countries, empowering human rights
defenders and concerned citizens to use
video as a tool to create change.
As part of an advocacy strategy around a
particular issue, WITNESS partners‟ videos
target decision-makers, the media, and
the general public to catalyze grassroots
activism, political engagement, and
change in human rights policies and
practices.

4. Session Objective
.
• Share key elements of WITNESS‟ approach to
mapping out a video advocacy strategy
• Introduce key examples/case studies of video
advocacy strategies and have participants
practice recognizing key components

5. For WITNESS, Video Advocacy is:
.
• Using video to help drive changes in human
rights policies, behaviors and practices by
communicating with particular audiences
• Video as a complement to other advocacy tools
• Video made for a reason, not about an issue
• Creating a space for action

6. For WITNESS, Video Advocacy is not:
.
• A substitute for other advocacy tools
• Using video primarily as a publicity,
educational or training tool
• Just for professional filmmakers or
journalists
• Necessarily dependent on strong graphic
imagery for impact
• An effective tool on its own; it must be
part of wide range of advocacy strategies

7. WITNESS Methodology
.
Mapping out a video advocacy strategy
• Analysis of stage of campaign: inform, cultivate,
activate
• S.M.A.R.T. advocacy goals
• Specific, analyzed target audiences
• Message with a clear request for action

8. WITNESS Methodology
.
• Appropriate stories and voices, within the
right structure, style and length and creating
clear „space for action‟
• A timed and sequenced distribution strategy
• Reality check… fit with video advocacy
strengths and organizational capacity
• Consider how to draw on the power of
networks

9. Advocacy-Driven Video
.
• Establish the purpose of the video within
broader advocacy strategy
– Is it essential?
– How will video enhance other advocacy
activities?
• Set clear and specific objectives for the
video, specifying what they are, and how
they can be achieved

10. Targeting Your Audience(s)
.
• Who has an influence on your advocacy goal?
Who should be reached and persuaded?
• What is their perspective or attitude to the
issue?
• What is their level of awareness?
• Who are your secondary audiences who can
pressure your primary audience?

11. Example Primary Audiences
.
• Courts, tribunals and other judicial and non-
judicial bodies
• Legislative and executive bodies
• Human rights bodies, Commissions, Special
Rapporteurs, Working Groups, etc.
• Key decision makers with influence on human
rights issues (IFIs, corporations, aid agencies,
etc)
• Your community, and solidarity activist
communities
• Broader public via traditional and new electronic
media

12. Audience-Driven Messages
.
• What is the message you need to get to
this audience?
• Are you educating, engaging or activating?
• What story will be persuasive, compelling
or motivating for this audience?
• What voices is it important to have in the
video in order to have political, ethical and
emotional credibility and impact?

13. Who is Credible?
– Emotional credibility: Who speaks to our
heart, and to our storytelling instincts?
– Analytical credibility: Who speaks to our
head?
– Political credibility: Who speaks to the
audience? Who needs to be in to satisfy
them?
– Ethical credibility: Whose voices must be
in for ethical reasons? I.e. Do we always
ensure that those most
victimized/marginalized are given the
space to speak out?

14. .
Tailoring Your Video
Your audience selection will inform your video‟s:
• Story and Structure
• Style
• Format
• Length
• Language and Tone
• Viewing Strategy

15. .
Timing and Distribution
• Use timing to your advantage
– Is your audience able, available and willing
to listen to you? When and where is best for
them to view?
– When is the best opportunity screen the
video?
– Choosing “tipping points” where personal
testimony, strong stories, and visual
evidence will make the final persuasive push
• Choosing the right “messenger”
– Who will your audience agree to see, and
listen to?

16. 5 Essential Questions
1. What was the objective of the video?
2. Who do you think the primary audience
was?
3. What was the story of the video?
4. What was the message of the video?
5. Was there a request for action? What was
it?

17. Additional Considerations
• What voices do you hear? What voices did
you not hear?
• Did the video and story keep your attention?
• Was the video was too short or too long?
• Was anything unclear or confusing?
• What materials do you think should have
accompanied the video?
• Do you think video was essential – the right,
strategic choice?

18. .
WITNESS Partner Case Studies
• ‘On the Frontlines’ and ‘A Duty to Protect’ (DR Congo) child
soldiers videos for community organizing and decision-maker
advocacy
• ‘Bound by Promises’ (Brazil) and ‘Missing Lives’ (Chechnya)
for decision-maker advocacy
• ‘Shoot on Sight’ (Burma) for international solidarity organizing
and media work
• ‘Book Not Bars’ (prisons in the USA) and ‘System Failure’
(juvenile justice in the USA)- video used in community
organizing and decision-maker advocacy
• ‘Witness to Truth’ (truth and reconciliation, Sierra Leone) –
video paralleling an official report
• ‘Dual Injustice’ (feminicide in Mexico) – using an emblematic
story
• ‘Living Proof’ (mental disability rights, Croatia) –
unexpected/positive approach to represent an issue
NOTE: Excerpted versions of most case studies can be seen at
WITNESS.org

19. Case Study Section
.
• Filmed by human rights defenders (most
first-time filmmakers)
• Used WITNESS Video Advocacy
Methodology and the VAP
• Where video was strategically integrated
with other advocacy methods

20. Why Video Was Used?
.
• Human Rights Issue:
• Advocacy Objective:
• Group / Organization:
• Mission:
• Location:
• Website:

21. About the Video
.
• Audience(s):
– Primary:
– Secondary:
• Story
• Message
• Voices Included (Excluded?)
• Request for Action
• Strategic Distribution and Timing

22. Nuts and Bolts
.
• Length
• Amount of Content
• Source of Audio and Visual Content
• Use of Archived Material
• Level of Editing
• Cost
• Time to Create
• Safety and Security Issues
• Strategic Distribution and Timing

23. Summary
- There are many ways to strategically
use video for advocacy
- Video advocacy is audience and
action-based video
- Creating a video advocacy plan (VAP)
will save you time and resources –
and make your video a more
powerful tool for change

24. Develop a Video Advocacy
Plan and Review Case
Studies
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum.
All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License.
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org.