TOOL BOX for activist documentary animation

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Hello! We appreciate that you are taking your time to read this tool box.

With this booklet we would like to share some of our own experiences that we got from organising video workshops in the Western Balkans.

WORK WITH THE FILMS (page 4-9)

The first part of the tool box provides you with different pedagogical suggestions on how to work with films, made by workshop participants, in classrooms and/or in groups.

This booklet presents three different themes: Norm critique: Deconstructing Masculinity (page 4-5), No borders (page 6-7) and Create change: Civil disobedience (page 8-9). Each theme can be used separately. The themes are combined by different value exercises. The ideas from our side is that it should be easy for you to start working in a group with films, using this booklet.

The topics were developed during the workshops that were held in connection to the film festivals Makedox in Macedonia, Dokufest in Kosovo and Pravo Ljudski Film Festival in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

CREATE YOUR OWN DOCUMENTARY ANIMATION WORKSHOPS (page 10-15)

You will also find a short plan and suggestions on how to create your own documentary animation workshops. We have used this plan for one-day workshops and stretching around a week.

SOME MORE GREAT FILMS! ! ! (page 16-17)

In addition to this we want to provide you with links to all the wonderful films that were made during these workshops.

Enjoy and we hope that you will find it useful!

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is a film genre that combines animation and documentary. The usage of documentary elements in the films provide the participants with a unique experience of meeting real people and their stories. By also using animation as a tool for making movies the participants are not limited to the place where the workshops are held, but can freely travel to different parts of the world or even to places that only exists in our minds. Combining real stories with images being created by participants can evolve in rather unusual mixtures of filmic realities and fictions which wouldn’t be possible if we worked only with documentary or animation genres.

While preparing the workshops we usually pre edit the sound that will be used in the upcoming films. Printed photos were also prepared for the workshops with the aim of inspiring the participants and could be used in the films. Additional information with more in depth materials on the selected workshop theme were also provided to the participants in order for them to deepen their knowledge.

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are great tools for holding discussions in a group, to start reflecting and taking part of different opinions on a personal level to bigger spheres around the society, community or organistions. It can be used as an icebreaker or energiser and stimulate ideas. During the workshops we use them to start up discussions.

Under each theme we present three different value exercises; The thermometer, Four corners and The hot chair. When you use value exercises it’s important to tell the participants that there is no right or wrong answer - there are only different opinions!

Norm critique Deconstructing Masculinity During this workshop we worked with the underlying, often invisible, norms that surround us in everyday life. Norms are the notions, ideas and unwritten rules that shape human beings. They are present in all areas of life and limits us in what we choose to agree upon as acceptable behavior. Some norms are of course positive as they provide us guidance on how to behave and act towards one and other. They may for instance discourage us from spitting on another person or from pushing someone on the street. Without thinking much about it, we have a tendency to adapt to most norms. For instance most people know how to shake hands with their right hand and do so without thinking twice about it. It is not until someone breaks the norm that norms become visible. Normes can also be used to control and limit people. In these films we worked with norms related to masculinity.

See YOUR self!

1. Exercise

MORE INFO ABOUT NORMS: We used the definition of norms for the material ‘Break The Norms’. In the material you’ll find more great exercises to visiblies norms and work against them. http://jamstall.nu/en/files/2012/09/BreakTheNorm_0.pdf

Make a circle of chairs in the room.

Ask the members of the group to talk in pairs and discuss, ‘What is a norm?’ After some time you can ask them if they would be willing to share what they talked about with the whole group. Then ask the participants to change chairs and talk to a new person, now next to them. Ask them to talk about ‘How do norms affect us in everyday life?’, let them share their ideas. Ask them to change chairs once again and talk to a new person. This time they can talk about If they believe that there are different norms related to men and women or not?’

2. Watch all films in Deconstructing Masculinity: vimeo.com/53455753 or every film separately; You belong to me, Muscle man, False enemies.

Made by: Stina Magnusson, Frida Brandt, Vidoje Vujatovic, Asja Kljako, Elena Stefanovska, Dimitri Balojani, Kristijan Maric, Iva Colic, Dzenana Bascelija and Samir Beharic

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3. Value exercise: The thermometer

The workshop facilitator makes various statements and asks participants to stand along an imaginary scale / thermometer in relation to how much they agree with the statement or not. For instance one side of the room could mean Yes - absolutely, and the opposite wall would mean: No - definitely not.

Participants can talk for a while on the topic with others who stands close to them. Participants, who wish, may explain why they have chosen that place on the scale. It’s important that you tell the group that there is no right or wrong answer and it is not that important where they stand in this exercise but the discussion after.

Statements that may be used (you can use all or some of them): + I am affected by norms. + Norms are hard to understand. + Norms are exiting. + One person can own another person. + In a relationship, you have the right to know where your partner is at all times. + Violence is always wrong. + It is a male dominated world. + Its right to fight oppression. + Conflicts exist in every relationship. + ‘A real man’ is strong. + Men, as a group, are more violent than women, as a group. + Men are most affected by other men´s violence. + Men need to be tough to be cool. + Being tough is a way of not showing your emotions. + Domestic violence is only a matter of the family. + Masculinity lies within the DNA of men. + Masculinity is a social construction. + We are told in advertising, film, etc what being a man is and how to behave accordingly. + Expensive cars and watches are of particular interest to men. + Being tough is a handicap. + Everybody is equal.

By the end of the exercises you can ask participants to form a circle of chairs again. End the day with the participants talking in pairs. Did I get any new ideas or reflections on norms and masculinity?

No Borders The idea of national borders is a new phenomenon in terms of human history.

Migration has always been a part of human evolution. During this workshop we focused on borders as man made with the possibility to chose something different.

During the last few years many member states of the European Union have made it increasingly difficult to pass their borders. These films are therefore based on stories from people who have crossed these borders in a dream of a better future and with an experience of staying without legal documents within these states. There is also a story from Cuba where it’s difficult to get out of the country and where ‘borders’ exist within the country.

1. Exercise

Make a circle of chairs in the room.

tions a n o N s r e No bord TATIONS R O P E D P STO

For this exercise you need some paper (we used post-its) and some pens.

Ask the members of the group to talk in pairs. ‘What does a border mean to you?’ After some minutes you ask them if they want to share what they talked about to the whole group. Then ask the participants to talk to the person on the other side of them (still in pairs) on the topic; ‘When can I cross a border and when should someone be allowed to stop me?

While they are doing this you put a piece of paper with the text “Freedom of movement and no borders” on the wall. When the participants have talked for some minutes let them take pieces of paper and write down their thoughts (it can be text or pictures) about the theme and stick their thoughts on the wall.

Following this divide them into groups and let them talk about the issue. After a few minutes they can discuss their thoughts with the whole group.

2. Watch all films in No Borders (vimeo.com/32141060) or every film separately; State of transition, Dream of EU, Captured in Cuba.

Made by: Emina Murati, Mascus Eklund, Stefan Savčić, Dragana Seferovic, Dzenana Bascelija, Petar Pavicevic, Tina Palmér, Emily Soljic, Rina Koleci and Uros Pavlovic

3. Value exercise: Four corners

Start by clearing the room to make a space big enough for the whole group.

The workshop leader can stand in the middle of the room. The participants can ideally be standing around the leader. Then you start asking the participants different questions and give them four choices to decide between.

Every participant can only chose one of the answers and shows this by standing in one of the four corners of the room. Prior to this you need to show which corner is connected to which answer. One of the alternatives should always be available for own answers or thoughts.

It’s important that you tell the group that there is no right or wrong answer and it is not that important where they stand in this exercise but the discussion after. Also tell them that the corner ‘your own alternative’ can’t be used to mix the other alternatives.

Statements that may be used (you can use all or some of them): 1.

National borders are used to: a. Stop people moving b. Keep people safe inside their own countries. c. Help people moving d. Your own alternative

2. Who is responsable for existing borders?

a. Every nation state

b. History

c. You and me . d. Your own alternative 3.

Some people can’t move because: a. They are poor b. They don’t have rights c. They have the wrong passport d. Your own alternative

4. How is a nation defined:

a. There should be one group, with same ethnicity, living in the state

b. Within the nation people should speak the same language

c. It’s a geographical area

d. Your own alternative 5. What would happen if there were no borders: a. People would move to places where the best opportunities are being offered b. Crimes would increase c. Peace, love and harmony d. Your own alternative

Bringing change Civil disobedience It is natural for all human beings to work for change. But how do you make it happen? In two blocks of films we provide examples of different situations that have used the method ‘civil disobedience’ as a way to work for change.

Dictionary: Civil disobedience

This is a method for achieving social change. It is a form of activism that openly and without violence breaks a law or refuses to comply with it if the law is seen as immoral.

It requires the activist to be prepared to face the consequences of the action. The purpose of civil disobedience is, besides the direct effect of activism or refusal, to challenge the obedience that allows the oppression.

1. Exercise

Make a circle of chairs in the room.

There are four basic principles of civil disobedience according to Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King: 1. no violence 2. no damage 3. transparency 4. responsibility

Ask the group to discuss in pairs, ´What is a change for you?´. After some minutes you can ask them if they would like to share what they talked about with the whole group.

Give the participants small pieces of papers (stickers) so they can write down what they would like to change. Make sure you provide enough time for this.

When this is done you can let them put the stickers on the wall and give them time to read what others have written down on their pieces of paper.

Ask the group to discuss in smaller groups the topic of “how do you make a change”. After a few minutes you ask them if they want to share what they talked about with the whole group.

2a. Watch all films ‘Civil disobedience’ from Dokufest: vimeo.com/45704692

Made by: Elena Kuzmanov, Dino Nikoloski, Frida Brandt, Pernilla Wiman, Janis Slobodinski, Aurora Mullatahiri, Nita Bukoshi, Filip Jovcic, Erik Landberg, Emily Soljic and Stefan Stojanovic

2b. Watch all films

‘Civil disobedience’ from Makedox: vimeo.com/44457151 or/and Made by: Milena Radojevic, Stefan Savcic, Natalie Greppi, Nikola Lazov, Ana Rodic, Mia Ferro, Fahira Batovac, Rina Hajdari, Rina Koleci and Marcus Eklund

3. Value exercises: hot chair

Make a circle with chairs. If you agree with the statement you stand up and change seats with someone that also stands up. If someone disagrees with the statement this person remains seated.

After some of the statements you can ask the participants what they think; ´why did you stand up/remain seated?´ and ask ´What arguments do you have for/against this statement?´.

It’s important that you tell the group that there are no right or wrong answers in this exercise.

Statements that may be used (you can use all or some of them): + Red is my favorite color (just to warm up) + Every state shall obey and respect the principles of Human Rights + It's important to follow the law + It's important to follow the law even if the law violates the principles of Human Rights + Everyone has the same value where I live + When you are 15 years old you should also have the right to vote + For me it's a Human Right to have food and housing + If you don't have food it's ok to steal food + I feel as if the people in power listen to me + I feel can make an impact in society

Statements (conected to the film Civil disobedience from Dokufest): + If you do something good but it’s against the law, you should still be punished + It is a bigger crime to manufacture weapons then to destroy weapons + Everyone should have access to all music and movies in the world + It’s wrong to download copyright protected materials from the internet + If you don’t have money to buy music you should be able to download it + It’s important that people who have committed crimes during war or within the state get punished for what they did + In Chile the civil society conducted their own trails because the legal system were not able to do it. I think that is a good idea. + I think it’s wrong to make Funas (civil trails) in the homes or working places of the people who have committed torture.

Statements (conected to the film Civil disobedience’ from Makedox): + It's right to divide society by the color of skin. + I would remain seated as Rosa Parks did if I wouldn’t agree with something even if I would get punished for it. + You should pay for your own health care + Everyone has the right to same quality of health care + I think it’s wrong to occupy buildings + I trust promises that politicians make + I would like to be a politician

Create your own documentary animation workshops DIY

During the workshops we try to have a DIY (Do It Yourself) learning approach. This is a hands on technique where participants start doing, instead of talking. Try, try, try and through this process find new ways. If something goes wrong its a way of learning and will help the person when they are in the same position next time. To be able to do your own thing, not wait for someone who is professional, develops knowledge for life and can actively contribute to a richer cultural life. And when you do this together with other people we can do just about anything.

A workshop plan

What will now follow below is a short plan how we did the workshops. Feel free to take parts and change what you want. For our workshops we had two main goals; one, let the participants from the different countries meet and have a great time together and two, in a DIY style make documentary animation films that address important human rights issues and that the films are screened at the end of the workshop.

One very important part of the workshops was to aim for a safe place where all of the participants would feel comfortable to express their own ideas.

The start

The workshops all started with the participants seated in a circle in the middle of the room. Everyone said something about themselves and we talked about the plans, the project and goals for the days ahead. The schedule for all the days was put on the wall. The idea with this is to create a joint feeling of belonging and feeling home in the workshop facility. As all the participants didn’t have the same mother tongue it was important to point out that the workshop would be held in english and that we would continue reminding ourselves about this throughout the workshop.

An even more important was to say that we would treat each other with respect and give ourselves the possibility to try something no matter the outcome. This circle was used at the beginning and the end of every day.

Group dynamic and value exercises Throughout all the workshops we had a lot of group dynamic and value exercises. It is a very good and important instrument to use when you start the day, to create breaks and to end the day.

Normally we started with an exercise called Self Portrait. The participants received a pen and paper and the workshop facilitator would tell them that they have 5 seconds to draw a self portrait. Start counting immediately, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Then they were asked to put the pens down, even if they just made a couple of lines. The drawings were collected and shuffled and handed them out again. Make sure no one gets there own drawing. Ask the participants to interview the person of the portrait they have. Every person should do one interview and get interviewed once. After the interviews ask the participants to tell something about the person that they just interviewed.

Another group exercise we used was The Knot. All the participants stand in a circle, they close their eyes and stretch their arms forward, keeping their arms crossed. All moving slowly towards the center, grabbing someone else's hand, in each hand. When all the participants has one hand in each hand, they can open your eyes. Now the group will try to unravel the knot that has been formed.

This are two of many exercises we used. As part of the exercises you can also use the value exercises described earlier in this booklet.

For more ideas check out the Project of How, a platform for creative methods, where people can store and share methods. You can pick exercises, find out how to generate ideas, work with group dynamics, select ideas and input on how to structure projects. http://projectofhow.com

Introduction to the themes of the workshop

After working with the group to create a nice and safe atmosphere we move to introducing the theme of the workshop. This has been done in many ways, we have used the value exercises described earlier in this booklet. Of course you can use the same themes or make up new ones. At this stage we present the documentary material for the participants. We have also invited activists and experts on LGBTQ rights, gender issues, activism etc to provide inspiration and additional input to the participants.

Introduction to animation

Here we used an animation exercise before we moved to the main films. The groups were divided into pairs. Each pair worked with the theme `I want to change´ and did a short scene on a topic they wanted to change in society.

This scene was then used to teach stop motion animation to the participants.

You can see examples of these exercises between the main films in the block versions.

Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.

Make movies

We estimate that the time needed to make the main films are divided into three parts: - 25% to create the stop motion material - 50% to animate - 25% to sound and video editing Divide the group into smaller production groups. We recommend three people in each group but if needed they can be bigger. Let the participants listen to the documentary materials and make a rough storyline for the film. This can be a storyboard or just some basic text that everybody in the group agrees on.

Start animating and have fun!

It can be a good idea to export the animated material from time to time so the

participants can see how much they have animated. From our experience it’s quite common that a scene that is 20 seconds is only animated to a length of 5 seconds. This can be fixed sometimes by looping the material.

If the participants want to add music we recommend music on webpages such as jamendo.com. A creative commons license was put on all the films created within this project.

Screening

Now to the big moment! The screening! When making social or political films there are two main places to create change, in the filmmaking process and when meeting the audience. For this purpose we distributed all the films on the internet and collaborated with film festivals to disseminate the films. Most of the workshop movies have been screened during the festival as a part of the official program. In some cases they have been screened during the closing ceremony of the festival. At the end of the workshop we also talk about how the participants could distribute the films in their local communities and use the films on the internet.

Evaluation

Give the participants the chance to evaluate the workshop. We often use an anonymous premade evaluation form but this can be done in many ways. This is important in order to be able to improve.

SOME MORE GREAT FILMS!!!

Here is a list and some links to more films that been made so far during this project. Follow the developments of the project and see new films on our channel: vimeo.com/channels/creativeforce

Dokufest 2011:

These three films were made during Dokufest 2011 in Prizren. The workshops lasted for six days and resulted in these short films based on different Human Rights articles.

Work work: vimeo.com/27265193

It’s a film about Article 23 - Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

Made by: Daniel Carlson, Rina Hajdari and Uros Pavlovic

Half time: vimeo.com/27269439

It’s a film about Article 19 - Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Made by: Nita Bukoshi, Armin Stankovic and Petar Pavicevic

Tra la la: vimeo.com/27269875

It’s a film about Article 9 - No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Made by: Dragana Seferovic, Bestar Hoxha and Marcus Eklund

Peja 2011: vimeo.com/20493979 This block of films were made during a two day workshop in Peja 2011. The participants worked with the same Human Right articles as in Prizren 2010 but with 2D animation in the software After Effects.

The block contains the following films:

How do you consume?

Made by: Vincent Grethen, Ellinor Svensson and Natalie Greppi

Freedom of opinion

Made by: Ksenija Vujacic Mirski, Aulona Vezgishi and Aneta Nurkollari

Flying papers

Made by: Andraa Sylqe, Petrit Blaka and Rron Bajri

Prizren 2010: vimeo.com/17305271 This block of films were made during a two day workshop in Prizren 2010.

The participants had prepared, before the workshop, which articles, from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they wanted to work with, in a stop motion animation.

The block contains the films:

Slavery

Made by: Ellinor Svensson and Natalie Greppi

Vote

Made by: Samed Zuzic and Rron Bajri

Freedom of opinion

Made by: Aulona Vezgishi and Aneta Nurkollari

The world is my oyster - freedom of movement Made by: Sonja Rajin, Dusan Sindjic and Vid Rajin

Documentaries made in Jajce 2009 These four documentary films were made in Jajce, Bosnia-Hercegovina, during a workshop that lasted for a week with youth from the town.

Avnoj

Made by: Armin Sljivo and Aldin Habib

Different Taste

Made by: Janis Slobodinski and Elma Duratbegovic

Jajce Brass Orchestra

Made by: Ina Cano and Samir Beharic

Jajce My City

Made by: Enis Hadziabdic

THIS TOOL BOX AND PROJECT WERE MADE THANKS TO...

Film i Halland is a swedish regional centre for film and video with the

task of promoting all aspects of films. Film i Halland work is run in three main fields – Film Education, Screening and Production. This project has been managed and partly financed by Film i Halland. Film i Halland are also the main financial contributor to this booklet. The team that worked with and organized the project is Birgitta Olsson, Sanjin Pejkovic and Peter Mossop.

RåFILM is a collective of filmmakers and a non-profit organization based in Sweden. The collective supports the members and other filmmakers in knowledge sharing and advocacy, with the conviction that the more people who can make their voices heard and participate in shaping the media landscape, the better. RåFILM’s Anna Klara Åhrén and Alex Veitch have been facilitating the workshops and written this Tool box.

Collaboration in the Western Balkans

Media Education Centre based in Belgrade, Serbia, is a NGO with the mission to work with issues of filmmaking and with young people. International Youth Media Summit, IYMS, which started in 2006, is part of the Media Education Centre. Belgrade has hosted IYMS years 2008-2012.

The fact that we have been able to connect the workshops to film festivals in the region has been very important. The film festivals have been a great partner in spreading the work of young people in the region and highlight the importance of regional cooperation, as well as the film's portrayal of force in young people's lives. Our main partners in this have been;

Dokufest is one of Kosovo's largest annual cultural event, it is a International Documentary Film Festival held in Prizren.

Pravo Ljudski is a Human Rights Film Festival held in Sarajevo, BosniaHercegovina, that have been initiated by well-known human rights activists, and highlights difficult issues and injustices in the country.

Makedox is a Documentary Film Festival in Skopje, Macedonia, and is

also organizing a Traveling Cinema Caravan through other municipalities in Macedonia.

Over the years we have received substantial help in many ways not least when finding good participants to the workshops. Several NGOs around the region have helped us with this. Moreover several NGOs have provided excellent support and expertise when making presentations and through that inspiring the young participants.

The Swedish Institute have been financing this project through their initiative “Creative Force - Western Balkans�. This is an initiative that serves to establish dialogue and creative forums for culture aiming at strengthening democracy, human rights and to promote freedom of expression.

...AND ALL THE GREAT PARTICIPANTS WHO GAVE SO MUCH OF themselves DURING ALL OF THE WORKSHOPS!!!

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We hope that this booklet has provided you with some inspiration for future activities. All the films are made with a creative commons license which means that you can organize screenings and spread the films but also the tool box wherever you want to use it. To view a digital version of the tool box and print more copies visit: regionhalland.se/toolbox or rafilm.se/tool-box Please don't hesitate to contact us, should you have any additional questions or ideas.

Film i Halland R책FILM regionhalland.se rafilm.se anna.k.eriksson@regionhalland.se ak@rafilm.se

veitch@rafilm.se

Good luck and hopefully you will find this booklet useful in your future work!