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The Organization for Visual Progression Visual Media Advocacy Training in Collaboration

with the University of the Philippines, DavaoApril-May 2009

The Visual Media Project in Collaboration with the University of the Philippines in Davao offers university students, community organizers and NGO representatives visual media produc-tion skills and advocacy strategies. It is organized in direct response to frustrations expressed to OVP during previous visual media trainings: many community leaders lack the opportunity to participate in policy making procedures that directly effect their communities because they have no access to established media infrastructures.

For example, due to cultural, geographical, and technological barriers, the Teduray in Maguin-danao have no voice in the Government- Moro National Liberation Front (GRP-MNLF) peace process negotiations, which directly threaten their rights to their ancestral land. OVP is commit-ted to helping the Teduray and other Filipino communities to develop their own media advocacy tools in order to represent their interests to both decision makers and other community leaders who face similar barriers. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the development of an alternative me-dia infrastructure.

The OVP Visual Media Training Project compliments participants’ current advocacy goals by providing representatives of such marginalized communities with the tools to create and dis-seminate a video that effectively communicates their issue to their target audience. The project includes three components: (1) the Training, (2) Follow-Up, and (3) the Mobile Cinema Pro-gram.

1. TrainingTrainings focus on teaching participants the basics of visual literacy, technical skills (pre-production, production and post-production) and advocacy strategies in order to visually communicate their social justice messages to target audiences. The hands-on learning experience will include exhibition and distribution methodologies. Participants will also work in small teams to create a video that will be fit for public screening. The trainings are generally designed for 20 participants. This training will be conducted in English, Tagalog, and Bisaya.

2. Follow-UpFollowing completion of the training, OVP provides support and guidance for a few participants who are dedicated to completing a visual media production specifically for their local social justice efforts or research. The Follow-Up, therefore, ensures that participants complete, exhibit, and

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Project Overview

distribute a visual media production that is ready for screening. During these production cycles, OVP’s local staff will provide guidance and close assistance to make sure the production and post-production will run smoothly, as well as arrange access to equipment (local OVP staff travels to participants’ communities). 3. Mobile Cinema ProgramThe Mobile Cinema Program is designed for participants to screen their productions to their target audience. OVP arranges access to projection equipment and supports participants in the development of outreach materials (pamphlets, network resources, etc.) so as to effectively contextualize their productions to raise awareness on specific local social justice issues and discuss sustainable solutions. The Program utilizes OVP networks to attract target audiences, connecting participants to other media makers, NGO workers, and community members and will start after the participants in the Follow-Up part have completed their productions.

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Intensive

Visual

Media

Training

Prepara-

tions

Screening

1

Joint

productions

Media support

Archive

Curriculum

Web publish

1 2 3 4 5Stages

University of

the Philippines

Public

Mobile Cinema

Program

2 Days 13 Days 2 Hours (Follow-up) (Follow-up/Mobile Cinema Program)

Past Trainings

Manila (April 2007)The first OVP training was given at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. Participants included representatives of the Philippine Development Institute, Anthrowatch, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, University of the Philippines Visayas, and the Philippine Ecumenical Action for Community Empowerment (PEACE) Foundation, among others. This was a three day training.

DavaoI (April 2007)This was the first OVP training given in the Southern Philippines. Over 20 participants attended the training, including representatives from the Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao (AFRIM), Mindanews, Kebager te Ked-Inged (KtKI), Kyabaan, Davao Provincial Rural Development Institute (DPRDI), Timuay Justice and Governance, Oblate Communications, Sumpay Mindanao, Kauma, Partnership for Agrarian Reform, Southern Christine College, and the Center for Advancement and Strengthening of Community Property Rights, among others. A number of non-affiliated participants also attended. The three day basic training was held at Matina’s Holy Shrine.

Davao II (September 2007)The second OVP training given in the Southern Philippines was given at the Philnet offices, in downtown Davao City. Over 20 participants attended, representing groups such as the Kinaiyahan Unahon, Tricom, Rural Development Institute of Sulatan Kudarat, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), KtKI, and AFRIM.

Davao III (March 2008)In the beginning of 2008, OVP conducted its first pilot intensive training in Davao. For a total of 6 days, two trainers (Ajim and Iben) worked with 6 participants representing four Indigenous community organizations, including one Women’s rights group. The participants from the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Women for Development (MIPWED), KtKI, the Indigenous Peoples Information, Development and News Services (IPID News) and the Teduray Justice and Governance were trained in hands-on camera techniques and production. All interviews for the training project were conducted at the Institute for Indigenous People’s Education.

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Quezon City (September 2007)OVP conducted a one-day training for staff of the Philippine Development Institute at their headquarters in Quezon City. 15 participants attended, representing areas all over the northern part of the Philippines. The training was largely conducted in Tagalog and all exercises were completed successfully.

Bataan (September 2007)This was a one-day field training for PDI staff in Bataan, a province situated Northwest of Manila. The training focused on basic workflows, testimony and interviews. All of the people interviewed were members of an Aeta community who are employing viable strategies for

agricultural sustainability on their own ancestral domain. The objective of the training project was to create a short visual overview on land development and sustainable practices. Participants used these videos to both update sponsors and attract potential new funders.

Colombo (October 2007)The first OVP training given in Colombo, Sri Lanka was co-organized by the X-Group and received in-kind supported from Facilitating Local Initiatives for Conflict Transformation (FLICT). Various grass roots organizations attended, including members of the November Movement, the Pragathi Subasadaka Committee, Intersections, Sri Lanka National Freedom from Hunger Campaign Board, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka, Action for Peace & Human Rights, League of Slum Dwellers, Kithusara Group, and Peoples Planning Commission, among others. The four day basic training was conducted at a secluded venue, which allowed all participants to fully focus on the training material and workflows. Four production groups presented their project at the end of the training.

Koronadal City, South Cotabato (November 2008)This two day basic visual media training was conducted by our instructor Ajim Inni. It was instructed in the Tagalog, Bisaya and Ilonggo languages and co-organized by the Justice and Peace, Social Action Center at their office in Marbel, Koronadal City, Philippines. Most of the representatives attending focused on issues concerning agricultural and extractive industries, in particular logging, mining and palm oil/pineapple plantation expansion.

General Santos (November 2008)Ajim also conducted a training in General Santos, Philippines. 30 enthusiast participants attended, and instruction was carried out in Tagalog, Bisaya, and Ilonggo.

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The Organization for Visual Progression (OVP) is dedicated to providing individuals and organizations with the opportunity to create and utilize visual media in their advocacy efforts and social justice campaigns.

Our goals are threefold: to amplify voices, amplify issues, and to promote alternative media infrastructures.

Amplify VoicesWe amplify voices by offering intensive visual media advocacy trainings to community leaders, NGO representatives and university students work-ing to bring about progressive social change in areas marginalized by es-tablished media infrastructures. OVP also supports participants in the pro-duction and distribution of visual media productions.

Amplify IssuesWe amplify marginalized issues by collaborating with university students, communities and social justice organizations in the creation, distribution, and contextualization of visual media productions.

Alternative Media Infrastructures allow people and organizations excluded from existing media infrastructures to communicate with target audiences. Visual media in particular can help to initiate and support sustainable dialogue between and within communities that may be divided by geographical, cultural or economic barriers. Collaborative visual media trainings and production programs can also be instrumental in connecting local citizen groups with established professional circles.

To support such alternative media infrastructures, OVP works to:

• Equip community leaders, activists, human rights defenders, students, NGOs and media personnel with visual media skills through comprehensive training

• Initiate and support sustainable grassroots production and screening programs

• Expand regional and international distribution networks

• Guide media producers towards exhibition, distribution and networking opportunities

• Develop curriculum to help integrate marginalized issues into academic institutions

• Initiate collaboration with partner groups and present productions to target audiences

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Organizational Info

Core ValuesThe core values that guide our work are based on a strong commitment to the following:

1. Inclusion, Equality, and Respect: We are inclusive of diverse and marginalized voices and treat anyone we work with as our equal. We insist on open discussion and constructive criticism with the utmost of respect for people’s needs and cultural, social and political backgrounds without bias or discrimination.

2. Safety of Individual and Community: Our concern is with placing the highest priority on safety and the wellbeing of our partners, staff, and with whomever we collaborate.

3. Commitment to Grassroots: The driving force behind our work is (and should always remain) a strong commitment to people on the ground. We strive for a culture of sharing resources, knowledge and information between the grassroots and various professional circles.

4.Moderation and Pragmatism: We strive to use our resources as cost efficiently and effectively as possible, as well as being respectful of the economic realities in which our collaborators, partner institutions, and students must negotiate. We believe that our work demands from us to be both mobile and flexible, especially when working in the field.

OVP Staff

Benjamin Foley Ajim Inni Jr. Dexter MancaoIben Trino-Molenkamp

Guest InstructorsEizel Hilario

Bj Patiño

Board (Netherlands) Roosje Klap/ChairIlja van Roon/Secretary/TreasurerMerel Boers/Media Advisor

Board (USA)Zahra Khosrovi/ Legal Advisor

Ben Foley/Secretary/TreasurerIben Trino-Molenkamp/President

Contact info:info@visualprogression.orgwww.visualprogression.org

Address:44-27 Purves Street, #4C

Long Island City, NY 11101

Telephone: (1) 646-321-3571

Skype ID: visualprogression

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