Prepare a Synopsis and an Outline for Your Advocacy Video
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Prepare a Synopsis and an Outline for your Advocacy Video WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org .
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http://videoplan.witness.org | This session will teach participants how to write a synopsis, or short description of their video, and outline that communicate their message through a compelling visual story. The synopsis is a very effective tool in preparing an advocacy video – highly recommended session. WITNESS Training Curriculum - Part of module 5
Transcript of Prepare a Synopsis and an Outline for Your Advocacy Video
Prepare a Synopsis and an Outline for your Advocacy
Video
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License.
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org.
Synopsis
Objective:
To write a quality synopsis.
• What is a synopsis?
• Why write a synopsis?
• How to write a synopsis?
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Synopsis
A short paragraph or series of short paragraphs
that visually describes the story the audience will
see – it is the first step of visually telling the story of
your video.
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An Example…
In the Casamance region of Senegal we will follow the lives of four landmine victims of differing ages, genders and social classes, each of whom is trying to continue living and working.
They explain the lack of medical assistance, and the socio-economic and psychological effects of landmines on their lives, their personal experiences are reinforced through expert interviews, culminating in an appeal, voiced by the victims, to the government and the international community to meet their obligations to provide assistance to victims of landmines, cease the use of landmines and to de-mine the region, as is stipulated under the Mine Ban Treaty to which Senegal is a signatory.
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Why write a synopsis:
Helps your film team agree and plan what footage is needed to make the video.
Shows your allies and supporters what the completed video will look like – even before filming.
Allows you to share your video project in a brief yet visual way.
Helps you determine how the story can and cannot be told visually.
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Group Exercise: Synopsis
In groups of 3-5 persons, read the sample synopses given to you.
Suggest 5 ways the synopsis could be improved.
Your group will share its suggestions after 15 minutes.
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Considerations
• Would you share the same synopsis with both a funder and an ally – what about a decision maker?
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QUESTIONS FOR US
• Idea: Have screenshots/images and ask participants to write a synopsis based on images.
• Change: Should we change ‘guiding paragraph’ to ‘synopsis’? (CM: Yes, MW: Done)
• ADD: use deborah diniz’ guiding para from house of the dead.
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Outline: Session Overview
What’s an outline?
Why create an outline?
How to prepare a great outline?
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What is an Outline?
An outline is the architecture of your video.
It is a make-up of the audio-visual elements of the finished film, arranged in order, illustrating the storyline of your film.
It is what you see and what you hear.
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Why Create an Outline
Key suggestion: Outline 1st – Film 2nd
You will save time and resources if you know what you need before you film.
Know what you need to tell your story in the most compelling and dramatic way to move your audience to action.
This is a crucial phase in the VAP for your pre-production - take time now to save time later.
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First, Consider:• What story are you telling?
• What story are you leaving out? Why?
• Why are you telling this specific story?
• Has your story been told before?
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And then Consider:• When did the event happened?
• Where did it occur?
• Who will appear in the story?
• Who will tell the story?
• How will you tell the story?
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Example Outline
Image Sound
Child soldiers crawling Narration on training exercise in the camp
MaFille tells story of rape in the camp Interview on Camera with MaFille
Image of Mafille with her family An expert explain the reintegration process
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Issues to Consider
• Characters – the voices in the story
• Point of view – whose viewpoint is included? Whose viewpoint is left out?
• Narrative structure: who and how
• What do you have access to given security, budget and time constraints?
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Outline: Summary
Develop your story first.
Prepare an outline of “what you see and what you hear” before you film.
Remember: video has image and sound, so use both strategically.
Ensure the audio-visual elements are well sequenced and clearly set to best support the message and call for action.
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Prepare a Synopsis and an Outline for your Advocacy
Video
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License.
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org.
