Possibly the greatest find of the week
Do you know Behance?
Their vision is to empower the creative world to make ideas happen.
and in part their have done this by creating a scrolling platform on which you can post your art - from images to videos, via Slideshare and written content.
In many ways, it is like Storify but better*, when it comes to recording a projects work.
Perfect example is my — Looking Back at Road to Rio+20’s Online Communications evaluation, which has taken points out of the simple Google Doc version and made it more inviting to read.
Imagine if tons of campaign/organisation evaluations were on a platform like this. Easy to set up. read and search for, so that we can learn from each other on how to push action forward and be more creative.
We can remodel Behance’s vision into “empowering the organisational world to make creative ideas happen”
Anyways, I am also interested in what can be done with this platform apart from evaluations and showing of art projects. Maybe it could be another way of showing content on a complicated issue or a 1 sheet training manual.
* However, Storify does have the bonus, of bringing together different social media content and the ability to be embedded onto websites.
Ira Glass on the Secret of Success in Creative Work
In case you thought creativity is too hard work, or you will never be creative, but you want to be. This 2minute video is just for you
Taking From:
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/22/ira-glass-on-the-secret-of-success/
When I looked out of the airplane window, as we flew over the Amazon - I noticed the fields, and the little amount of trees.
Luckily for an area of Amazon the size of Wales will be saved, by the efforts of the Size of Wales campaign.
I don’t know who their financial backers are; but for each Facebook Like they gain - they also gain a £1 to go towards Amazon rainforest protection.
So - find a rich person - get people to like you - and maybe focus on nationalism(certain defined local areas) to get people to act.
WWF’s Earth Book.
Ahead of Rio+20, there is a need for everyone just to remember how brilliant our world is & why we need action at this UN summit in June.
WWF simply have made you be the person who helps create the Earth Book via your own travels, photos and stories.
Don’t just share a campaign with everyone - Share it with everyone that matters.
Imagine if we could just as easily share a local campaign or organisation with everyone in a small town - without having to resort to going through our social media list one by one.
Why Creativity is the Underestimated Superpower of the Nonprofit World
Gives simple - 22 Creative Ways to Show Your Nonprofit’s Personality.
But it starts to go even further then that, by stating if your day-to-day office life starts to take on the awesome personality that you see as important for your NGO communications; then this will itself, flow into your communications.
A QR Code too far?
Do we need to give people a sense of ownership to care for trees in public places?
The District of Columbia’s Department of Transportation, have done just that via sticking QR codes to trees. More info .
Your History
Facebook Timeline, loads of people don’t get it - but for organisations it’s a tool to not only show your history but the movements history.
Stonewall’s Facebook timeline easily shows the history of gay rights and campaigning within the UK since 1989
Hat tip, to @alexjamesfarrow
What can an NGO with a video camera learn from Kony2012
Kony2012 has become one of the most viewed viral videos ever.
Even though allegations on Invisible Children’s organisational practice have come into question (Charlie Brooker does a great job doing so, in his 10 O’Clock Live slot) and even though those living in Uganda see it as a horribly bias, western focused and incorrect film (here and here) you can’t help but be a little bit envious of all the attention it has gained - pushing the organisation and the campaign itself into the stratosphere.
So what tricks can NGO’s or charities with a video camera learn?
Surly the success can be replicated elsewhere - what secret does it have, to even hook the most self-centred person and make them post it everywhere.
- Start with an quote that most people know. Like - ‘Nothing is more powerfully then an idea whose time has come’ - Victor Hugo.
- Make a statement of such epic proportions, it makes every viewer feel together and as one. Here its done by talking about the connectivity of the internet.
- The next 27 minutes are an experiment - What a hook, even though you have no clue what the hell he is talking about, you want to watch more.
- 02:20 Here they start a simple narrative frame based around family and how important it is to all of us.
- Include a personal story - For this video it is Jacob’s, as bad as it sounds - he is a story plot. Stories are powerful tools of connecting with an audience.
- 08:10 The director, yet again pulls in the individual by stating that you can change history, collectively with every other viewer - and this is repeated ever so often throughout the film.
- 08:30 Start to introduce songs with emotional, tuneful melodies. Usually by Coldplay, Sigur Ros or in this case The Naked & The Famous. X-factor always does it.
- Get a kid to talk about the issue or bad guy. If the next generation can understand how evil someone is, that person is really EVIL!
- Ok - now we have some very technical, expensive slow-mo shots of children acting like their are being kidnapped, followed by technical photo and even CGI shots . Hardly any NGO has a turnover to even think about doing this.
- 14:20 Bring in your organisations own history, your achievements, your growth, your story - you are the ones who want to be joined by viewers to form a community
- Show people uniting with your organisation (just please do not inadvertently look like a new version of Hitler Youth… 17:06)
- Tell them how to act - what can they do right now to help the cause. Here it’s the simple action of spreading his name.
- Insert Bono…..*
- Offline material. This may be online - but offline material is a vital necessity
- Bring back the points and narrative made at the beginning - like how the internet connects everyone, how family is important and how everyone can work collectively to change history.
Final thoughts:
It is a very cleaver propaganda film - much like the Make Poverty History campaign it will unite people within developed countries, in the thought that they will save the world; which is not a bad thing, but shouldn’t we move to a more long lasting plan- growing and shifting the power to those without a voice.
If the people in Uganda have power and a voice to fight Kony and if all those that watch this film have power and a voice to fight Kony, wouldn’t that lead to longer lasting change?
and when I say power I do not mean military - I mean the power to advocate for what is right, the power of community, of democracy and of equality.
These are the types of power that create change.
*Please do not insert Bono anywhere
1950's Facebook makeover
An app from the people at Action Aid for International Woman’s Week. So cool.
Click the link.
Moss Graffiti: The ecological way to create community/ activist wall art.
Everything is a Remix.
This excellent 4-part documentary looks into how creativity is just a remix and how this has caused problems for social evolution.
It is worth watching as it strengthens your awareness of remixing campaigns that have a creative streak.
Watch the whole series at http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/
Draw a Whale! http://thelast130.org/ To supports WWF’s campaign to save the last 130 Western Gray Whales.
Stories and myths are a strong conversation tool for NGO’s. The guy behind the creative side of Story of Stuff explains why.
Via Casper Ter Kuile
What are the laws regarding protestors that are 5 inches high?
Full article on the Russian protest http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/doll-protesters-problem-russian-police
