We have just spent the last month reviewing the almost 400 letters of inquiry from this funding round. When we step back, we are amazed by the range and quality of the projects that we have the privilege to review. As we make our final decisions about which projects to advance to the next stage, we continue to keep Fledgling's core mission at the forefront of our minds, as well as what we have learned from past and ongoing projects, namely to fundamentally change and improve the lives of the most vulnerable among us.
Within this context, we look at all of our projects through the lens of social impact. We developed a framework to help us do this that is laid out in our paper, "
Assessing the Social Impact of Creative Media". At the core, we ask if the story is engaging and compelling. Does it have the potential to raise awareness about the key issues presented? Do we think it can engage the key audiences in the process of change? Will users or viewers move from passive viewers to active participants? Do we think the project and its leaders will be able to work with and strengthen the movement? Will the project help those advocates and activists who work on these social issues day in and day out do their jobs better? Will the film help them build their base of support and better advocate for change? We recognize that sustainable social change more often than not is a long term endeavor, but we believe that increased public awareness, increased public engagement and stronger movements can build the foundation for social change.
We not only ask these questions in the application process, but we also use this framework to guide our reporting process. One of our goals is to demonstrate and document what we know and believe; that media can play a key role in moving the public and key policy makers down what is often a long road to social change. As we track and assess the impact of past projects, many have asked us what we have learned. While many lessons have emerged, here are just a few that we think are really important.
First, it is possible to achieve and document the impact of social issue documentary and their associated outreach campaigns. We can point to projects like Lioness, Very Young Girls and No Impact Man - three very different projects that have and continue to engage key audiences in long-term solutions.
Second, timing of the issue is key and not always possible to predict. The larger political and media environment can make it difficult for an issue or film to get the attention is deserves. But on the flip side, unique opportunities can emerge and project leaders need to be attuned to these opportunities and take advantage of them. This requires flexibility and knowledge of the field.
Third, there are many emerging and innovative social media and mobile technologies that can truly enhance a community engagement campaign. However, they need to be carefully selected and deployed based on a clear understanding of the audience, what you want them to accomplish, and the most effective way to reach and engage them.
Finally, there is no substitute for a committed filmmaker or project leader who, after investing significant time, financial resources and emotional energy in the creative process, remains committed to achieving their social goals.
