IndiaUnheard; Video Reporting by Local Activists

A couple of months ago I wrote a paper on local activism through the production of videos on local (community) issues. This work is done by an NGO called Video Volunteers (VV). They train a number of people in communities and equip them with the necessary material/tools (camera, pc, etc) and encourage them to produce videos that report on local problems. In this way they tend to pressure local authorities in order to take action and find a solution to their problems. It turns out to be very effective. Not only do these people make a living out of this – besides making these political videos, they also earn some extra money by making commercial videos – they also in  a way empower the local people as they now (feel that they) have voice. The videos are posted online and can be watched by a global audience…

This video was sent to my by VV in their monthly newsletter, and reports on a case of prostitution in a village in the North of India.

What is the value of such an video, what does this simple video change locally? It is something I kept thinking about. It has to compete with billions of other videos online.. But I think, however, that the strenght of such a video lies within the production process. The locals can give their opinion, they feel that they have something important to say, and that people are interested in their stories. Furthermore, when they interview several actors they create a larger network of people involved with the problem, which increases their power as community residents. Finally, a camera and a group of reporters and the idea that a video will be posted on the Internet usually frightens authorities that are unwilling to take action or find solutions, and thus the dwellers might actually change something.

Video Volunteers is one of the examples of “10 Tactics for Turning Information into Action“. Me Like!