Today, the Maddow Blog highlighted the work that one of Fledgling Fund's grantees, Out In The Silence, is doing to really change hearts and minds in unexpected places. This film, and the unstoppable campaign that Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson have built, continue to show us that stories like these, and the dedication to put this film into the right hands, is an investment we are proud to make. Check out the blog, here.
October 2011 Archives
Working Films and The Fledgling Fund in partnership with the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) just wrapped our second Reel Change: Managing Social Issue Film Campaigns workshop in San Francisco. Launched in New York City last December, this series of trainings is open to the field and intended to give individuals the skills to lead creative engagement campaigns for social issue documentary films and related media projects.
We brought together a stellar group of filmmakers, community organizers, and experts in the field of audience engagement. Led by Molly Murphy and Judith Helfand of Working Films and Emily Verellen of The Fledgling Fund, guest instructors included Gillian Caldwell, former director of 1Sky and WITNESS; Sonya Childress, Community Engagement Specialist at Firelight Media; Jen Gilomen, Director of Public Media Strategies at Bay Area Video Coalition; Andy Moore, Distribution Coordinator at Patchworks Films; Jim Miller, Executive Director at Brave New Foundation; and Shaady Salehi, Deputy Director at Active Voice.
Out of 23 participant evaluations, every single one said they recommend this workshop to others.
Some of the rave feedback we've received from attendees include:
• I have deepened my understanding of both the theory and practice of creating community engagement campaigns.
• I gained important new relationships and connections.
• I'm motivated and excited to push forward with tangible ideas and
strategies for my engagement efforts. This was a great environment for
sharing.
• I loved meeting the other participants. I now have a sense of purpose and vision!
• I am feeling excited, pumped, and inspired that I'm not the only one doing this work and it can be done!
• Thank you for sharing your knowledge, for your commitment to social change, for your energy, and your patience!
• It has been invaluable & comes at the perfect time for me. You hit so many issues we are wrestling with. Thanks!!!
• This is a wonderful opportunity for filmmakers and I greatly appreciate all the thought and work presented to us.
Stay tuned for information about our next Reel Change training, expected to take place on the East Coast in early 2012.
Reel Change participants included: Ada McMahon, Agi Orsi, Andrew
Lowenthal, Carol Duffy Clay , Cary McQueen Morrow, Chelo Alvarez-Stehle,
Chelsea Matter, Chuck Schultz, Danielle Beverly , Emily Davis, Hadley
Dynak, Hannah Rosenzweig, Janis Astor del Valle, Jenne Turner, Judy
Branfman, Kate Trumbull, Kathryn Pyle, Kimberly Bautista, Leah
Warshawski, Luis Argueta, Nancy Kelly, Nicole Karsin, Patricia Benabe,
Rachel Antell, Shannon Carroll, Sheila E. Schroeder, Tricia
Creason-Valencia, Wen Lee, Win-Sie Tow
Check out this article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy on the power of documentary film to inspire social change. The article profiles the work of Gasland to build a movement and spark a new momentum for the fight against fracking.
The Fledgling Fund congratulates the recipients of the TFI New Media Fund and is cheering them on as they continue to use their tools to inspire people to make social change. To see the full list of grantees, click here.
Good Pitch 2011 from Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation on Vimeo.
The Fledgling Fund is pleased to continue supporting The Good Pitch. Last week, the latest version of this exciting event took place in San Francisco. Once again, the Good Pitch team filled the room with passionate and dedicated participants. We watched as filmmaking teams shared their stories and their hopes for making real social change with their films. We are thrilled to watch as these films make their way in the world and begin to change hearts and minds.