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Telling our

story through

video

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Title: Telling our story through video

Published: April 2016

Author: Cheryl Goodenough with Berenice Meintjes and Jean Stuart

Editor: Cheryl Goodenough (www.cherylgoodenough.com)

Design: LUMO design & illustration (www.lumo.co.za)

Copyright: Oxfam gives permission for excerpts from this book to be photocopied or

reproduced provided that the source is clearly and properly acknowledged.

Disclaimer: The views in this publication are those of the respective authors and do not

necessarily represent those of Oxfam or any funding agency. The interview and

review process was participatory and consent around content and inclusion of

personal information was given to Oxfam by interviewees. Oxfam extends its thanks

to all who contributed to this document.

Contact details: Oxfam Australia

132 Leicester Street

Carlton 3053

Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 9289 4444

Email: enquire@oxfam.org.au

www.oxfam.org.au

This Report was supported by Oxfam Australia and DFAT under the Australian African Community

Engagement Scheme (AACES).

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Introduction

Oxfam places importance on the implementation of capacity building initiatives to strengthen and

support partners and programs. There is a close connection between capacity building and the

documenting of the work of Oxfam partners. While some documents have been produced as a result

of capacity building processes, other capacity building has been about telling a good story, producing

documents and sharing information through channels such as social media.

One such capacity building project, which was initiated in 2010, aimed to support a small number of

partners to tell their stories using video. Oxfam has found that people are naturally drawn to human

interest stories told by others and the use of video can enhance the ability of organisations to share

people’s stories.

Oxfam’s Pumla Mabizela says the documenting of stories of people on the ground can have powerful

effects.

“These case studies have been used at a university level where people can

interrogate and analyse the situation, based on the experience of community

members. When you take that product back to the owner and that person sees

him or herself in a document that is shared worldwide, where people can learn

something from their story, that is empowering.”

The use of video to document the stories of people and the work of organisations is challenging for

many people and even intimidating to some. Video storytelling was initially seen as a difficult skill for

people to learn to do themselves. However, once it was broken down into small topics and people

started to work on developing their own stories, the process became easier.

With the capacity building of Oxfam partners in video storytelling, the first learning process

workshops took place in October 2010 with five partners participating in a community storytelling

workshop video training process provided by three facilitators from Insight eThekwini. The five

partners were OneVoice South Africa, Woza Moya, Project Empower, SA Wilderness Foundation’s

Umzi Wethu project and CATCH.

In May 2012 a second set of workshops was facilitated by Jetty with Biowatch, Woza Moya, PACSA

and Africaid Whizzkids, and Oxfam.

A third set of workshops were held in 2013 with Jetty designing and delivering training in KwaZulu-

Natal and FlyPiggyFly facilitating those in the Eastern Cape. The KwaZulu-Natal workshops were held

with 20 members of Tholulwazi Uzivikele, two members of OneVoice and five members of Save the

Children Fund KZN. In the Eastern Cape, workshops were held with Umzi Wethu, CATCH and

Sophakama. FlyPiggyFly used materials designed by Jetty, but substantially adapted in response to

the needs of the organisations.

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Methodologies Used

Trainers from Insight adopted a participatory video approach in shaping their facilitation workshops

which focused on storytelling and basic editing to prepare videos to share on the internet. The

intention was for an intervention using minimal technology that focused on using Flip cameras and

voice recorders to inspire storytelling and capture local stories that would be accessible to diverse

audiences and able to be shared as multi-media products.

The workshops took partners through community storytelling techniques, editing, participatory

processes and participatory learning action tools, and screening and discussion as to how to take the

method forward beyond the workshops.

Organisations attending the Insight workshops were provided with a basic kit including two Flip

cameras, sound recorders and Premier Elements 8 editing software.

The technical video and storytelling skills taught by Jetty in 2012 used the ‘Weaver Video Storytelling

Program’. The goal was to provide participants with an understanding of what makes a good story

whilst recognising that all participants had an instinct for the story they wanted to tell.

All organisations except one used Flip cameras. Biowatch used a camcorder camera and tripod.

Lightworks was Jetty’s intended editing software, but iMovie or Windows Movie Maker was used by

PACSA and Africaid, while Woza Moya used Adobe Premier, with which they were already familiar.

Similar editing principles applied across software which allowed people to use what was available.

In 2013, Jetty refined their previous approach by focusing on understanding the work of

organisations in advance of the first workshop and on more intuitive training and flexible program

design customised to participants’ needs and pace. To enhance learning, games stimulated play with

concepts and film skills, and video clips of commercial movies were used to illustrate filmmaking

techniques and concepts. Follow-up support was offered with facilitators continuing to provide

advice and additional information to participants.

Organisations were asked to use any cameras they had available for this training. Some used Flip

cameras that had been loaned by Oxfam to the facilitators, some used their built-in smartphone

cameras, others worked on High Definition (HD) camcorders. Oxfam subsequently donated two Flip

cameras to each organisation and these were used for capturing film footage and to improve sound

as a supplementary audio recorder. Two monopods and a desktop tripod were available. Each of

their organisations installed Adobe Premiere on a laptop or desktop computer.

FlyPiggyFly produced their own curriculum, examples and workbooks to guide their workshops and

respond to the needs of their groups. They worked quite practically by starting with the story

identified by the organisation and talking about how to make it more powerful. They first taught

video storytelling concepts, then scripting and camera work, and finally the basics of editing with

Movie Maker. Ongoing support around filming and editing was also provided to the three

organisations.

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Organisations used Flip cameras for filming. However, the need for tripods and sound equipment to

enhance filming potential was flagged by FlyPiggyFly. Umzi Wethu and Sophakama used Windows

Movie Maker because it was regarded as simple to use and easily accessible. CATCH chose to work

on Pinnacle, a program with which they were familiar.

Outcomes and Impacts

Oxfam initiated the video storytelling process with the aim that it could strengthen partner’s abilities

to tell their own stories and those of the communities they serve.

Service Provider Perspectives

Insight identified the central challenge of the video storytelling process training as how communities

understand their social dynamics and use the video camera methodology to show, expose and find

solutions. The core element of the process for Insight was the ability of video storytelling “to open

social realisation and give direction to the sharing of solutions for society from the bottom up”.

Insight recommended that for videos to serve as a tool to promote understanding and claim rights

for marginalised societies with little voice requires a second phase during which trained groups

promote democratic change at grassroots level by introducing their technology into the community.

They argued that organisations have agendas such as promoting their work for funders and that

positive social development in communities results from authentic community expression such as

through production of their own videos. A second level of training within a community by the

partner organisations would enable this process.

Jetty found the training process had to be very practical and adapted to individual organisations.

They found the provision and use of a scriptwriting template worked well and contributed to the

subconscious development of the visual grammar of participants. Training in sound, lighting and

editing was challenging.

Nireshnee and Viroshen Chetty from Jetty Filmmakers found themselves working with a diverse set

of partners who had very different levels of video and storytelling experience. The individuals were

from rural and urban areas, spoke different languages and had various capacities to understand

more technical details.

“In Mtubatuba we worked with ‘gogos’ (grandmothers) in their 70s, who didn’t

speak English and had zero experience filming.”

According to Nireshnee and Viroshen, participants were gradually able to innovate ways to suit the

unique South African situation.

“There were times when participants adopted a guerrilla style of movie-making.

For example, one organisation needed a ‘shaggy dog’ – this is the cover for the

microphone – and they were able to make one using an old toy teddy bear and

cutting and stitching it to suit their needs.”

Nireshnee and Viroshen said some people were initially daunted by the technical process, but stuck

to it and eventually achieved a commendable level of competence.

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“The fact that people who had never held a camera are able to make a video –

from script to screen in just four or five workshops – is something we are also very

proud of. One participant said he was so nervous before the first workshop

because he thought he was too old to learn how to use a camera. At the end of

the first day, he joked about it and said he realised that there was no reason for

him to be nervous and that it was actually fairly easy. Participants were able to

apply what they learnt in other aspects of their work, such as story writing skills

for report writing or interview techniques or how to capture the most appropriate

image that communicates their message most effectively.”

FlyPiggyFly recommended that the most appropriate method of video storytelling process training

would involve mentorship of individual organisations by a facilitator to assist partners to work with

stories identified as worth telling. Their suggested outcome would be the production of a video story

by the organisation every six months. This could be uploaded on a dedicated YouTube site for

exposure and feedback.

FlyPiggyFly described the Flip cameras as excellent devices which were easy for partners to

understand and use. Cell phones and cell phone editing software could also be chosen for future

video storytelling programs.

Editing software posed the biggest challenge because of the restraints and limitations regarding

accessibility to computers and RAM, memory and space available on computers. Software can also

be expensive and inaccessible for organisations with limited budgets.

Partner Perspectives

All but one of the partner organisations completed videos during the training.

Africaid recognised and valued the storytelling process for its potential to market and promote the

benefits of their work. However, the staff members who attended the training moved on from the

organisation so they were unable to complete their video.

As part of the training process CATCH produced one video that explored the ability to voice opinions

in post-apartheid South Africa and another that tells the story of six children whose lives had

changed since they were supported by house mothers.

They used the videos for profiling their programs, marketing the organisation, showing the effect of

community support and to advocate and create awareness of the power of community voices. After

the training they recorded stories for program evaluations and to promote discussion on bullying,

circumcision and gender violence. Staff members spoke with passion about how they were

empowered and able to plan and shoot video stories to show their community what they had done

and solved through active citizenship.

Biowatch produced a four-minute video showing how a local community used agro-ecological

farming methods in their community garden, established a seed bank to preserve traditional farming

methods and exchanged traditional seeds to secure freedom from genetically modified seeds and

pesticides and ensure their food sovereignty.

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This video was uploaded to their website to provide information, awareness and insight about their

work. It has been used for fundraising, when dealing with government departments and to promote,

advocate and educate about agro-ecology. The video can be viewed here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=10BqpxJ_sMM on their YouTube channel, or on their website

www.biowatch.org.za.

Biowatch recognised the value and power of storytelling and the process of identifying and telling

the central story. The organisation expressed a desire to continue to use video storytelling. They

cited a lack of time and technical expertise and were particularly grateful for the outside editor who

understood their intent with the story and edited to successfully convey this story.

The video created by OneVoice, which was loaded onto their website, captured learners talking

about the power of using their own voices. They subsequently used video storytelling to promote

antiretrovirals for HIV and AIDS treatment and the organisation has ambitions to use it to shape and

evaluate programs, profile the work of the organisation and frame learner voices, such as in relation

to their water sanitation program. The video can be viewed here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmDOiwz1HuQ on their YouTube channel and on their website

www.onevoice.org.za.

PACSA used their video storytelling training video to enable a group of men to talk about how they

were coping with life after HIV testing. The organisation found the video process had a definite

impact, shifting thinking in the organisation about their work and influence in the world as one of

helping people to structure their own thinking and stories and extend their current thinking. The

organisation continued to use the medium of storytelling to create other videos. In 2013, PACSA

started began to host an annual film festival that showed relevant films and documentaries. For

more information, see www.pacsa.org.za/festivals/film-and-arts-festivals.

Save the Children produced a story about a child taken into foster care. They found video

storytelling to be a useful tool and recognised the value for marketing, but flagged time pressures

and limited skills as holding them back from using it further. They went on to commissioning some

videos and produced a series of three short stories to share their work regarding water, sanitation

and hygiene.

Sophakama produced a video to share with funders and promote advocacy and awareness. They

gained valuable skills and remained keen to continue using video storytelling in their work. Although

they have limited resources, staff members continue to apply and practice filming and editing, even

on their cell phones. A second period of mentorship was provided and much needed equipment

enabled them to improve their ability to produce more videos.

Tholulwazi Uzivikele produced four videos about their work that were filmed in the community

where they work. They were used to share and celebrate with the community and promote

advocacy. Sharing their films with the community led to an invitation from a local high school to

share their film and storytelling skills with learners. In future they intend to create more videos to

attract funders.

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Umzi Wethu created a video on displacing gender stereotypes, which was used for marketing,

advocacy and bringing awareness about stereotyping. The organisation also used the skills to

capture and profile the stories of graduates from their wilderness and catering programs who had

achieved success despite their disadvantaged backgrounds. In future the organisation plans to use

videos for training and to document stories on their wilderness trail.

Woza Moya produced videos, which were promoted on their website and Facebook page, about

their early childhood development work. They went on to use the medium very effectively by

establishing a media unit that produced many videos that were played to the community, used to

profile voices of community care workers to explain their rationale for resisting government

employment, to create awareness and discussion with school children and community members

around issues as diverse as water sanitation, breast feeding and living with a disability. The use of

storyboarding proved to be an effective tool in shaping authentic stories. Many videos are available

on their YouTube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UC58gs50cxRXjOsYJ4SfzsJg and on their

website www.wozamoya.org.za. Woza Moya staff have gone on to produce over 30 videos telling

the stories of their work and the community.

Case study: Woza Moya

Woza Moya staff initially attended the Insight training in 2010 and by 2014 had produced many

videos, which were being used in the community and for the benefit of the organisation. They had

realised the impact of the storytelling videos as a tool for advocacy and social change. The

organisation formed a media unit which had produced videos on WASH, living with disability,

breastfeeding and community care workers. They are used for marketing, awareness and education.

Woza Moya participants clearly explained the skills gained from video storytelling training, which

included scriptwriting, scene construction, sequencing, shot types, editing time line, cut away B rolls,

labelling and archiving footage, audience awareness, video purposes, ethics and protection of

privacy. The media team learned the skills to write out their script using the scriptwriting template

provided by Jetty prior to filming and editing. This helped to avoid the production of videos that did

not reflect the point of view or story that Woza Moya wanted to convey. In addition, the

organisation found that externally edited videos did not necessarily show what the organisation

wanted to convey.

Woza Moya’s Director Sue Hedden says it is difficult for people involved in development to ‘see the

stories’ in their work.

“What you see as a story other people might not. Important moments of change are not

always seen as significant by staff – trying to see the kernel of the story and why it is

important and learning how to extract that. We are getting better all the time though at

finding those stories. Oxfam’s capacity building with our media team and training on

storytelling and how to see and extract stories added to a conscious process of how to tell a

good story. They had storytellers come here and helped us in the process. It is about us

growing in awareness.”

Speaking about the training provided by Jetty, Sue says Jetty really connected with the team.

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“They were very practical and hands-on and have continued to come through to offer

support and training.”

After receiving the training, the Woza Moya media group taught children in Grade 8 to film and use

equipment and to make short films on community issues, which have helped learners to reflect and

work towards finding their own solutions.

Sue said the storytelling training was valuable for all Woza Moya staff to understand and tell stories

better. It led to a focus shift, which resulted in a deeper understanding of what outsiders consider to

be a good story. This helped their team share and tell stories in a far richer way.

Woza Moya used the video storytelling process for fundraising and advocacy and provided

community care workers with the means to tell government that they wanted to continue to work

for Woza Moya, rather than working for government. Staff members also realised that there could

be career opportunities for them in media.

Woza Moya found the technical side of the video storytelling process, particularly editing, to be very

challenging. They found they required more support and training in rendering and formatting videos,

including uploading to YouTube in the correct format, for example. In addition, the organisation

mentioned the need to keep up with changes, trends and tools in technology.

Case Study: Tholulwazi Uzivikele

A total of 23 representatives from the organisation participated in the video storytelling process that

was mainly conducted at Tholulwazi Uzivikele by Jetty in 2013. Working in four groups they gained

skills to write and shoot four videos which tell stories related to their mission. The thinking was for

many team members to have these skills and for specialised groups of filming, editing and story

development, for example, to develop from groups of individuals within the team.

As a result of the training, those who attended were able to identify and frame a story for video

storytelling, write video scripts and take footage, but struggled with editing.

A screening day was held at the conclusion of the workshops and this was attended by about 80

stakeholders and members of the community. A representative of Tholulwazi Uzivikele said it was an

encouraging moment to see the work they had been engaged with over the years coming to life.

“Even now the community talks of the novelty and big experience in our area, especially since

some of the community appeared on videos and enjoyed being protagonists. The platform of

the screening day gave us the space and platform to showcase activities around HIV. It was a

great teambuilding exercise where with a great spirit we all worked very hard for the whole

screening weekend, but could all shine in our traditional clothing and be visible with the

community and VIPs.”

One outcome was that a local school principal who attended the screening indicated that he would

like Tholulwazi to work with some of the learners at the school to collaborate on media products.

Tholulwazi required more training in editing saying that it was the most challenging aspect. They

emphasised that it is preferable for the organisation to be trained in editing, rather than outsourcing

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this aspect because editing skills added to their filming skills, would increase their confidence, and it

would be expensive to outsource the editing. The group suggested that if they had the skills they

could outsource these to others to earn money for the organisation.

Sphamandla Mzobe from Tholulwazi Uzivikele says video storytelling enabled them to showcase

their work to others.

Kobus Meyer agrees:

“Yes it gave us confidence because the video launch was the first event which we

hosted. And we went on to show the video to many others.”

Case Study: Sophakama

In 2013, 15 members of Sophakama attended a video storytelling process facilitated by FlyPiggyFly.

They produced a video showing how home care, child assistance and the establishment of a home

garden contributed to a woman helping others in the community who needed support.

Since the training the participants have pooled the skills they learned through the video storytelling

process. As a team they chat about stories and have continued to produce videos. They divide

themselves into three groups with one focusing on storytelling, including the target and purpose of

the story; another being the film crew; and the third, the editing team.

The participants also use their skills to video events or to capture footage for funders. Some of the

videos have been put on the Sophakama website to create awareness about the work of the

organisation.

Staff from Sophakama said they have been personally empowered by the video storytelling process

training. They learned about framing shots and some are pleased and proud that these are skills that

they can use with their personal cell phones. They also have the ability to use Flip cameras as

recording devices at events. One staff member wants to start a video-making business.

Case Study: PACSA

Nine staff members from PACSA attended workshops facilitated by Jetty in 2012. The outcome was a

video showing a man, whose life is affected by an HIV-positive diagnosis, meeting with Abanqobi, a

men’s support group.

The organisation found the video storytelling process training helped PACSA to shift their thinking

about how they work and influence the world. They realised their work is about supporting people

to structure their own thinking and stories. It also shaped program development because it brought

about a profound commitment in the organisation to those who suffer it, name it and speak it. This

has become a shaping principle in the work of the organisation.

The production of a video that spoke to their mission sparked a process that contributed to the

organisation’s thinking and informed program design.

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PACSA has continued to collaborate with Jetty. This ongoing support has helped extend the reach of

PACSA through video. The organisation now holds an annual film and art festival where local stories

are shown through the method initiated by the video storytelling process training.

Evaluating the Outcomes Against Oxfam’s

Expectations

Oxfam’s intention in providing video storytelling training was to provide partners with the capacity

and tools to tell their stories. Some of the outcomes of the process were as follows:

Of the 11 organisations, 10 identified a story pertinent to their work and shaped the idea as

a story told through video.

The stories featured people who contributed to the work of partners, or are assisted by

them. This resulted in stories being authentic and relevant to the context of the

organisation.

At least seven of the partners used the video stories to disseminate information about their

work through webpages, Facebook or YouTube, or to attract support from funders.

A total of 80% of the videos made through the training were used to create awareness of the

services offered by the partners and to advocate for change by sharing personalised stories

with others.

Some partners continued to use video storytelling long after they had completed the

training. These included Biowatch, Woza Moya, CATCH and PACSA.

Every partner organisation valued the story shaping and filming skills that they learned.

Reflections from the Evaluator

All three service providers adhered to the terms of reference put forward by Oxfam and gave

generously of their time to support partners to master various challenges. They each came from

slightly different theoretical and methodological viewpoints providing a broad set of approaches and

methodologies accommodating the diversity of people and organisations involved in a flexible and

engaging manner.

Partner organisations benefited from the video storytelling process workshops and learned about

how to plan and film a story relevant to their organisation. The partners found the process to be

exciting exposure to a new field and saw the potential of video storytelling to their organisation.

The challenge of editing

The greatest challenge mentioned by every partner organisation was mastering the technical skills to

edit and the short amount of time available to do so. They felt that they did not attain editing skills

and that this hampered their ability to continue with video storytelling. They know what should be

done, but cannot complete their videos without editing, and had little time available to work on

mastering editing. With limited resources and staff, storytelling and video work is often overtaken by

program work and dedicating time for editing can be challenging as organisations have many

conflicting needs to deliver and implement programs and projects.

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The user-friendly Windows Movie Maker was regarded as the most accessible resource. The idea of

outsourcing editing was rejected by some as a solution because of the cost and due to an editor

being in a position to change the value of a video for an organisation by changing what and how a

story is told. People recognised the value of their own voice and that of the communities they serve

and were of the view that external people can change how people are seen and their views

represented.

Relationship between the story and mission of an organisation

Video storytelling processes aimed to show, expose and find solutions to the social dynamics in

communities.

When organisations use video stories that are in line with their mission, or true to their goals, they

can contribute substantially to change in the organisation. This is particularly evident in the powerful

testimony from PACSA.

Program design

Program design should pay very careful attention to the balance between theory and practice when

supporting video story line development. Participants, in general, endorsed more practice than

theory and produced authentic stories more often when the approach was more practical.

They also consistently requested onsite training, which was preferably suited to the specific needs of

their organisation. This was accommodated through service providers going to the partner and

conducting the training with teams to bring understanding of stories and processes from the

management teams to program implementers in the organisations.

Technology

Participants were mostly confident about the framing and shooting skills they gained during the

training. This confidence was evident across a range of devices and was also being applied in their

private capacities. Techniques involving paper editing, storyboarding and scriptwriting contributed

positively to participants feeling empowered to shape their own stories.

Challenges with editing software included RAM needed to store and run big programs, lack of easy

accessibility to computers and the difficulties faced in learning the skills needed to edit. Careful

thought needs to go into the role of editing and how to avoid undermining the video storytelling

process.

Recommendations on Technical Aspects

Recommendations from service providers and partner organisations include:

Ongoing support through more or longer training time, especially around editing;

Motivation, incentives and goals around video storytelling, particularly through making and

sharing partner’s videos with others at six monthly screening festivals;

Accessible video-making software and hardware.

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Given the challenges and the value of video storytelling, very practical video storytelling that uses

cell phones to film and edit should be considered. Many South Africans are familiar with cell phones

and the technology is likely to be accessible and sustainable and the quality of the footage

acceptable.

It may be useful to set up an online collaborative forum with limited or invited access where

partners can share their videos, ask for advice and inspire one another.

Another way to continue to contribute to capacity building through video storytelling would be to

produce and distribute a training video for the production of video storytelling.

Conclusion

The video storytelling project provided partner organisations with valuable skills that enabled them

to tell the stories of their work and of the people involved in the organisations or from the

communities in which they work.

The capacity building in video storytelling enabled partners to be in control of a process that started

with the identification and development of a story. Although the editing of video required some

technical skills that took time to master, it also enabled partners to have control by making decisions

about what to include in their story.

By giving people the skills to share stories in their own way, Oxfam hopes that partners will be able

to tell stories in a way that brings hope and shows the dignity, courage and strength of people living

in difficult times. Partners and communities are also better able to be represented in a way that they

are happy with.

Oxfam’s Glenise Levendal says development organisations need to build a profile for themselves in

the world as it is today. This is done partly through social media and video storytelling is useful in

that process as it enables organisations to raise awareness about themselves, their communities and

their work.

These are stories that need to be shared. As Oxfam’s Wendell Westley says, the video storytelling

was lovely to be part of and the outcome was valuable:

“We had video screenings where we came together and showed one another the

videos that had been made. It was rewarding to see that partners recognised that

their voice was important. Sometimes voices get lost in the bigger narrative and it

is lovely to hear those voices and have them acknowledged.”

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