Technology Shorts
From Akvo Labs
Technology Shorts is one of four categories of films in the Akvo video strategy.
Contents |
Description
These films are primarily show use cases for a given technology. They could be as simple as a few minutes of camera phone footage of a pump in operation. Some project reporting videos could be repurposed for this use.
Who Produces?
Most of these films will be made by volunteers and technology advocates in the long run. In the short term it may be necessary to supply some seed funding to produce set of films which define the style and presentation format for later films, and prime the pump. Professional film teams who are covering specific projects may make short films of this kind at the same time as they are making more in depth features. In general the level of complexity is low enough that a usable film can be produced by nearly anybody, and outstanding films are likely to feature local personalities and complex environmental cues (how a specific technology works in this village vs. a bare technology film.)
Who Watches and How is the film Distributed?
These films would mostly be accessed through the Akvopedia. Users seeking information about a specific technology would be presented with one or a range of films showing the technology in use around the world. Although viewing numbers are likely to be fairly low at first, it is quite conceivable that as we see greater access to internet video in the field, some of these films could become Orkut-effect hits which become popular outside of the US / European sphere. Films which spread rapidly in this way may become critical gateways to Akvo as a source of water and sanitation data for large groups of people, some of whom might sign up with the service to implement the technologies they had seen online. In this case, we have moved outside of the simplest scenario for these films (viewing mainly by potential field partners and the like) into directly publicizing technologies to the people we are trying to help. This needs to be conceptualized as part of a wider communications strategy for addressing direct conversations with the villages. We may have a few years before this becomes an urgent issue.
There may be secondary distribution channels through keychain drives or projects like a “water technologies DVD” which could be produced and distributed.
Who Pays?
Anticipated production costs are extremely low. Partners which an interest in a specific technology might provide funding to get films made about the technology they are representing. Groups like Potters for Peace or Solar Cookers International might hire an Akvo-sourced team to show off their technology. Other films would be tacked on to existing project budgets and funded alongside the main project as a subsidiary goal. Akvo might also request additional funding for Akvopedia to be seeded with films of this kind, working from the existing funding base for Akvopedia.
Who has Creative Control?
Akvopedia editors have creative control of any films to be presented on Akvopedia. Further than this, because of the diverse nature of the filmmakers involved and the multiple distribution channels, it becomes a question of selecting the films we like and pushing them forwards rather than attempting to exercise tight creative control of amateur film-makers in the field. This is a “filter” approach to creative control, rather than an executive management approach.
What’s the Goal?
These films exist to spread broad public awareness of these technologies globally, in all sectors from the general public through to the villages. Ideally motivated and interested parties would follow up on the films they have seen and participate in whatever way they can in deployment of these technologies in the field including simply learning how to implement the technology for themselves using a how-to documentary.
How Do We Measure Success?
Unusually, simple viewer figures might reflect the usefulness of these films relatively accurately. Statistics on conversion to active involvement in water issues would be extremely interesting, but potentially hard to come by.
