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sounds and long pauses
Take written notes while filming
Be detail-oriented at all stages – even small
‘mistakes’ will be very noticeable to viewers
Keep microphones and other equipment out of the
visible frame
Keep the video camera steady and in focus
Avoid making sounds when recording
Re-shoot a scene or sequence if you’re not happy
with the first or second take
Be patient with the process and those involved
Key Resources on Participatory Video
Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism (Witness, 2005)
Video Advocacy Planning Toolkit (Witness)
Insights into Participatory Video: A Handbook for the Field (InsightShare, 2003)
Conversations with the Earth (non-profit organization and network)
Sacred Land Film Project
TOOL: Photo Stories
Purpose: This tool can be adapted and used to display a slideshow of photographs about and in support
of the community protocol. It could be used for documentation, awareness-raising and advocacy
campaigns, engaging with external actors, and reporting and evaluation. Other ways to use
photographs include in exhibitions, brochures, posters, and reports.
Resource: Adapted from Photo Story 10-Step How To Guide (Adaptation Learning Mechanism, 2010)
Search www.youtube.com or the accompanying DVD for a photo story of the Maldhari Biocultural
Community Protocol
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Compiling a photo story (also known as a photo slideshow) is one of the easiest ways to effectively
display and share digital photographs. It involves selecting compelling photos, arranging them into
a meaningful order, adding special effects and audio, personalizing it with titles and captions, and
publishing it to a DVD or online video-sharing platform. See Box 30 for basic tips.
Download and familiarize yourself with the software.
Prepare an outline for your story (for example, general information about the community and area,
main issues and challenges, community projects or initiatives, lessons learned, and next steps).
Collect 10-20 relevant photographs using a variety of shots and angles (for example, close-ups,
mid-range and long shots, and staged and action shots).
Open the software and begin a new project.
Import the photos and arrange them into the desired order on the filmstrip.
Consider using the editing tools such as rotation, crop, red-eye, and colour adjustments. Editing
could also be done before importing the photos into the project.
Add a title page at the beginning, captions for the photos, and credits at the end. Adjust the font,
style, size, and position of the text.
Add animation effects such as fades, pans, or zooms between each photo.
Add narration or background music.
Save the story for playback on your computer.
Share it with others by transferring the file to other computers, burning it onto a DVD, or uploading
it to a social media platform such as Facebook or a video-sharing site such as YouTube.
Box 30: Tips for creating an effective photo story
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You need a certain kind of software to create a photo story. Recent Windows and Macintosh
operating systems include their own versions such as Windows Movie Maker and iMovie. Others
such as Microsoft Photo Story 3 and Prezi are available online for free download.