FILM/TELEVISION FUNDRAISING
Behind the scenes image from the filming of Girl Rising, an inspirational film about education.
ADDICTED TO DOCUMENTARY A self-confessed documentary junkie, Peter ‘Petter’ Muffett shares seven of his favourite films, along with his thoughts on how the genre can inspire fundraisers across the sector.
T
he year 2015 was an exciting one for DTV as it saw the launch of the DTV I Film Foundation and also the launch of our first documentary, In the Shadow of War. We launched the film foundation to inspire documentary makers to consider how to DPS_Ad_HK_Small_B_EDIT_Jan16_v2.pdf tell their stories with two ‘I’s woven into
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the narrative: ‘I’ for the individual stories emotionally engaging viewers and ‘I’ for what can I do about it – how can I act, donate, support? Get that right and we believe you have the foundations for a doco that creates change. Surely this is the mantra of every 15/12/15 1:35 PM documentary maker? But, surprisingly, it
is not always evident in the narrative of many documentaries. And, remember, if you do decide to use a documentary to inspire, please pay for the rights to do so through the proper channels. Documentary making is an art that needs funding so that the films become ‘change
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projects’ and not just ‘passion projects’. Without further ado, here are my favourite films – filtered (or you’d be reading about 50) by those I’ve watched more than three times or used when inspiring our call centre staff, our creative people and our clients:
1 Bananas!*
A true David vs Goliath story, Bananas!* follows the legal battle of 12 workers on a Nicaraguan banana plantation as they take on the might of Dole Food Company. One the world’s largest banana producers, the company chose to ignore the disgraceful risks of the banned DBCP pesticide. The film inspired governments and retailers around the world to ban Dole Food products. A legal case against the filmmakers was instigated by Dole, which challenged the rights of freedom of speech. The positive result for the workers perfectly demonstrates that we have the power to be the change we want to see in the world. Head to bananasthemovie.com/watch.
2 Cowspiracy
One of the statistics quoted in this film is that animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than the combined exhaust from all transportation. This figure is expected to increase 80% by 2050. Leonardo DiCaprio was instrumental in getting this film the exposure it deserves. This is not about factory farming or animal cruelty, it’s about all farming and the ludicrous place we find ourselves in: feeding the world with food that is responsible for destroying the world and its natural resources. We’ve been looking in the wrong place to halt global warming. In fact, many global conservation and climate organisations are guilty of ignoring the facts. This film is about making sure ignorance is indefensible. Watch it at cowspiracy.com.
3 Dirty Wars
Governments don’t want you to watch this film and, in particular, the US government. Is it a film about the actions and ‘necessary evil of the good people’ or is it a film about when the ‘untouchables’ take control? It follows the incredibly brave investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill in his quest to
expose the facts of 21st century war and asks if you approve. Shot beautifully in a style that effortlessly crosses between cinema thriller and factual piece, the film tells the story of innocent people caught in ‘friendly fire’. If you ever feel like throwing in the towel for something you believe in, watch this film and be inspired to soldier on. View at dirtywars.org/watch.
4 End of the Line
This is a powerful film about exhausted fish stocks around the world and the impact this has on the environment and people’s livelihoods, and it suggests we could see fishless oceans by 2048. The film focuses on the ocean’s most efficient predator: man. Watch it and I guarantee you will look at fish sustainability with a different lens; as did major food retailers and manufacturers after seeing the film. The same audience that had been ignoring the conservationists for decades suddenly sat up and listened when the film was released in cinemas across the UK – the public demanded action and got it. Visit endoftheline.com/videos.
5 Girl Rising
A film about nine girls in nine parts of the world. Each girl had her story written by a writer from her country, and all had one strong narrative: getting girls into education can break the cycle of poverty in a single generation but, more importantly, it can break down the societal structures associated with women’s oppression. Wonderfully narrated by the likes of Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep, and portraying beautiful stories of empowerment, the film uses the power of celebrity to give a global voice to those who are voiceless. This is storytelling at its best. If you work in overseas development where education is a key delivery, this film is a must-see because it perfectly demonstrates the life-changing importance of your work. Also use the film if you ever need to inspire
a team on the power of education – or even for a child sponsorship proposition. See it at girlrising.com/screenings.
6 In the Shadow of War
Sorry, but I couldn’t leave our very first documentary off the list now, could I? Working with the incredibly talented sisters Sophia and Georgia Scott – not forgetting Christopher Hird, who was also executive producer on End of the Line and Black Gold – this is a documentary where storytelling around four key individuals evolves to be more engaging the deeper the film travels. Set 20 years after the crisis in Bosnia, it shares the harrowing, deeply saddening and lonely lives of four young people in their late teens. The film asks, “What happens after war has ended?” – a question that has been asked many times since the Bosnian crisis and will undoubtedly be a constant question in the future. But, as we now know to be fact, it is more dangerous to be a woman or child in conflict zones than it is to be a soldier. To view it, email me at peter.muffett@dtvgroup. co.uk. I can either arrange another screening or send a copy of the DVD to you.
7 No Fire Zone
Close to the heart of DTV, this film is one we helped to fund after meeting the directors during its outreach program. Probably the most harrowing film I’ve ever watched, it tells the story of trapped Tamil civilians who were persuaded to move to a no-fire zone by the Sri Lankan government. What ensued in the following few weeks, to which the world turned a blind eye, was utter carnage, and the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council didn’t launch a war crimes investigation until 2014. A recent UN report suggests a death toll of more than 70,000 Sri Lankans. The story is told by individuals using mobile phone footage and is credited with playing a vital part in convincing the UN that war crimes had been committed. Go to nofirezone.org/watch.
Peter ‘Petter’ Muffett Peter is CEO and co-founder of DTV Group, which is based in London and Europe. He is a selfconfessed documentary, direct response television (DRTV) and digital film addict. (‘Petter’ is a typo of Peter, which found its way onto the poster of his first documentary – maybe a Nordic noir director?)
Then drop a line to plain talking, fluent in fundraising DTV. Email info@dtvgroup.asia to speak with Alex, Lauren, Kerri, Derek or Peter. Or find out more at www.dtvgroup.asia
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F&P Magazine | June July 2016
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