One of our goals in continuing the partnership between The Modern Story and Communities Rising is to train staff to carry out the same type of workshop that we conduct to teach students to use the cameras and brainstorm, write, shoot and produce their own short video narratives. In the spirit of creating a sustainable, long-term digital story-telling program, we conducted staff training with all of the Communities Rising teachers and walked them through the process of producing a short film, so that they might replicate that process in the classroom with students.

Srilekha's group planning their video on the effects of media on children.

We began with the brainstorming process where we had each staff member share out an idea for a video topic and then conducted a blind vote to select the top three ideas. Each TMS teacher directed a group in producing a short film on the three winning topics:
• Child Labor
• Differences in Schooling Between The City and The Village
• Effects of Technology and Media on Children

We planned the format and sequence of our videos in our first meeting and made arrangements to carry out those plans at the three hour staff training the following Saturday. When the time came, we quickly introduced those teachers to the camera who did not have experience. There was a wide disparity in the technological knowledge of the group. Some teachers came to the group with a clear-cut vision of what the video would look like and a plan to shoot and edit advanced scenes and sequences. Others had never taken photographs or video with either camera and had a vague, yet eager, sense of what we were trying to produce.

Teachers practicing with the flip and digital cameras.

Each group gelled in its own unique way as leaders emerged to complete each task and less experienced teachers asked questions and contributed their ideas. The grounds at SAMSSS were transformed into an impromptu studio as members of all three groups ran around planning, shooting, directing large groups of school children, and speeding off to shoot scenes on location. It was a very exciting and inspiring atmosphere, and extremely productive when you consider the fact that we were able to shoot all the necessary video footage and introduce editing in only 3 hours.

Vikram posing at the brick factory.

My own group worked on a video about child labor. In our planning session, we decided it would be most powerful if we could tell the story of a child who had been directly affected and pulled out of school to work. A teacher knew one boy and promised to bring him along to the training the following week. Sure enough, she showed up with Vikram and he was a great sport and brave young man for showing us around a brick factory similar to the one he had worked in, and answering questions to help raise awareness about the issue of child labor. Although he was in fourth grade, Vikram looked more like a seven year old to me, and it broke my heart to see footage of him hauling clay for bricks at the factory, knowing that he had been forced by circumstances to grow up so fast. The good news is that Vikram is back in school and with the help of his teachers and their film, raising awareness about the problem of child labor in India.

Seenu and Vikram setting up the tripod on site at the brick factory.

As our two week stay at CR wraps up after today, it is sad to go, but I know that we are leaving a very competent and committed organization behind that will pick up where we left off in our digital media curriculum. I look forward to seeing the finished product of the Analadi Hostel boys’ “Discipline” video that Shiva will work on shooting and editing with them when they return from the break.

Communities Rising Staff: Child Labor from The Modern Story on Vimeo.