One short comment to begin. I don't think an Inconvenient Truth is necessarily the best way to measure the effectiveness or otherwise of film making for a cause. I think these high profile films are really the exception rather than the rule in this area. Hundreds of climate change films, and climate change campaigns, preceded Gore's film, he really just tipped the balance because he has a high profile and good timing. The film is a power-point presentation, it's hardly 'good' due to it's craft work.

More interesting I think in the realm of social change video is it's current democratic mass explosion via the development of online distribution tools and access to cheap consumer devices. I think it might be more helpful to think of social change as a cumulative process where everyone adds a bit, rather than being the result of spectacular actions by a few great men. Not only is such a view more empowering, it says that history isn't something over there that other people create, but I think it's also really happening. Online media is crumbling the age old consumer/producer divide and creating a new type of sharing and participation. Looking at the quality of stuff on YouTube it's obviously still in it's infancy, but this are just the beginning.

As you can see, I'm rather positive about it all. Feel free to poke holes in my optimism.

http://engagemedia.org

as much as I am truly obsessed with documentary, i think that drama can also be used to 'initiate tangible change'. although, since I'm at work and in the middle of an edit - I can't think of an example!
anyone??
maybe American Beauty? Eternal Sunshine?

yup definately agree with everything so far. just to defend my mentioning of Invonvenient Truth at the head- i completely acknowledge that Gore's was not the first climate change film. But i think you'd be hard pressed to argue that it didnt have the biggest cultural and social impact. there are thousands of great other films out there on the issue - but we're looking at the idea of changing peoples minds, and i think both the film and the knock-on press coverage had a huge payoff.

Im curious about our thoughts on DRAMA and how drama can effect soical change - will it always be something intrinsic or incremental or - can drama effect actionable change? and if so, can anyone think of examples?

hi everyone
I am at the airport heading back to Montreal via the Amsterdam airport
so this may lack coherency ...
I believe that documentaries on there own seldom make significant change, Sure every once in awhile there is a superb/huge film that really makes a global impact on the socio-political stage. But with all my films no matter their scale i have witnessed immediate change within the audience how the documentary has helped a person make a realisation that will be life altering.

The more people who have access to the equipment the more pluralised and democratic the voices are that we can access. I love this because it helps break down negative stereotypes. When we hear from people directly we realize how similar we all are, we meet their humanity. They are the experts of their lived experience, and it is nice to see more and more people speaking for themselves or in unison with artists and filmmakers.

I dont really agree that sugar coating films for extra large probably insincere audiences makes any more social impact than a smaller more directed film with an effective distribution strategy ...

Any ways I feel it is all good and the more people who are doing things in their own unique ways the better it is for all of us. I like the AL Gore film my sons have watched it and one of them went out afterwards and bought the book, any interest they have in combatting Global Warming is all good. I have no interest to make a film like that , but it certainly did fill a void and there was a pubic for it. This film is only made stronger when others make different supporting docs on the same global issues.

i think personal change is social change. If a film manages to effect or to inspire even just one person to change their world, then I think that inevitably trickles down. Whether it is changing one person's mind about perhaps thinking twice the next time they are to throw a stereotype around or to seek out other sources of info about the topic at hand and therefore become better informed and thus active members of society, to merely switching off the lights and doing one's part in reducing your global footprint --this is all working towards the project of elevating one's consciousness and therefore collective consciousness. Tying in what Daniel was saying with the above comment by scameron, I think the raising of consciousness that’s happening, regardless of what films are being made, is contributing to audiences being open in the first place to a film like An Inconvenient Truth (for lack of a better example). Five years ago, a film as such would not have been as successful. The film merely echoes what all environmentalists have been saying for the past decade and what numerous independent films such as the 1997 PBS doco, “Affluenza”, the 2002 Bullfrog Films’ “Rising Waters: Global Warming and the Fate of the Pacific Islands” and the 2000 NFB production of “Turning Down The Heat: The New Energy Revolution”, narrated by David Suzuki, have been saying. The difference is that the mainstream has now been primed for a film like Inconvenient Truth. And perhaps in another few years, the mainstream will be ready for a film like S.P.I.T. (big up Daniel!) which depicts the life of homeless youth as seen through their own eyes. But for now it will serve the purpose of raising the profile of the issue, at a more grassroots level while enlightening its viewers and sending them out into the world, with a new outlook--much like tomorrow’s highly anticipated doco, “The Oasis” airing on ABC (Thurs 8:30 Sydney time), which explores the homeless youth predicament in Australia. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”—one heart and one mind at a time.

Sil-Nyin picking up Mark's thread:

"Im curious about our thoughts on DRAMA and how drama can effect soical change - will it always be something intrinsic or incremental or - can drama effect actionable change? and if so, can anyone think of examples?"

and the other discussion re "sugar coating"

Audiences like to be entertained and often documentaries are informative and educational rather than having a specific emphasis on being entertaining (of course there are exceptions).

On the other hand, fiction, as there is no restriction of being rooted in reality, allows the filmmaaker a free range on being as creative and entertaining as talent and budget will allow.

It's said that "laughter is the best medicine" and in film often humour is a very powerful tool for social change.
I think an example of this is Apocalypse Now, an anti-war classic which uses black humour and satire to illustrate the futility and destructiveness of war. Screened during the Vietnam conflict the film had an impact on popular opinion.

In the Sydney Morning Herald today, an example of bigotry is on the front page, "The High Court Judge Michael Kirby faces the wrath of God unless he renounces homosexuality, the rector of St Stephen's Church, Bellevue Hill says."

Bigotry against homosexuality was a theme in a recently made short film using elements of humour to overcome this prejudice. "The Uncertainty Principle" directed by Jackie Schulz and written by Greg Waters is screening in the World of Women - WOW Film Festival which has been touring nationally in 2008. It examines the relationship of two women, one a transexual and the other a middle aged scientist. One theme is how the relationship unleases bigotry and impacts on a child's understanding of Christianity. This film was voted an Audience Choice Winner in the WOW Festival so audiences definitely responded positively to it. Will this film affect a change in attitude in some of its audience?

What a great idea for a forum, so glad I stumbled upon it, if not a bit late.

Social and behavioural change are topics I've been interested in for years. I've worked in social marketing in the environment sector and was fascinated by the complexities of engendering behavioural change. Very interesting stuff, I just couldn't stand writing reports! Which led me to video.

I think the most difficult thing about the topic of social change and film is that "Social Change" is interpreted in a very broad way. Making someone more aware of a particular viewpoint does not, in itself engender social change, it's a change in behaviour that does. Behaviour change can happen by accident, or by a coordinated approach to a campaign. It's also very difficult to quantify change when a film is not directed specifically towards a particular on-ground social change outcome; it also takes a lot of time to evaluate the impact of a film or communications campaign. Millions of dollars have been spent on social change media, yet almost none of that money had been spent on seeing whether that media actually produced any social change.

The fact is that many films could have been far more effective in making real change if they had seen their production as video advocacy and integrated their approach to the work that is undoubtedly already done by other advocacy organisations etc. As the article "Is Social Change Media A Delusion" mentions, if a film aims to make social change then it needs to be made in a way that suits those that really need it not creating a film that people need to re-organise around.

I recommend having a look at the work that WITNESS does: www.witness.org

They use video and online tools to make changes to human rights violations around the world.