HCLU Video Advocacy Training 2012 – Call for Applications

Since 2007 the HCLU produces short online advocacy videos that translate often complicated issues of human rights, drug policy reform and harm reduction into easily understandable and interesting video pieces that not only inform, but motivate and mobilize for direct action for change. The HCLU is said to be the “Chronicler of Harm Reduction” as we feature the most important harm reduction development issues from all around the world on our website Drugreporter. The HCLU successfully uses video in its every day advocacy work, multiplying the audience of its messages not only in drug policy but in all fields of its work, such as HIV/AIDS, patients’ rights and rights of people living with disabilities, the rights of Romani people, political freedoms (freedom of speech, freedom of assembly) and freedom of information. The videos are entirely produced by HCLU staff, the program directors make the interviews and they edit the films themselves. These videos appear on our websites, on social media sites and they are frequently featured on major Hungarian online news portals, achieving 5-10-25-70 thousand views per film. Sometimes our films are broadcasted on television. It is our experience that producing good quality videos by activists is possible, and if used in an active advocacy environment, it can be very useful. It is now our strategic goal to train and enable other NGOs in doing what we try to do: to effectively communicate in the language of film to influence people’s thinking and public policies to build vibrant and tolerant communities that value human rights.

The HCLU is ready to train 10 members of non-governmental organizations from Central-Eastern Europe and Central-Asia and that wish to use video in their harm reduction and drug policy reform advocacy work.  The applying organization must work in the field of harm reduction and drug policy reform advocacy and the person applying on behalf of the organization must be dedicated to use the gained skills of video advocacy at his/her organization upon return. It is crucial that we use our limited resources to train those who guarantee that they become actively engaged in video production.

The training is 5 days long. During the training, participants will learn:

1. Pre production: What is video advocacy and how to plan and prepare for your videos. You will study examples of the HCLU’s and other NGO’s work, the definition of video advocacy, its strengths and weaknesses, how to build your video advocacy strategy and planning your budget and fundraising, storytelling, what to pay attention to with security and consent, etc.)

2. Production: What is the necessary equipment, how to operate your camera, how to make interviews and record your story. You will have hands on training with video cameras and you can practice in real interview situations.

3. Post-Production: How to edit your own film on Adobe Premiere Pro and get it out to your target audience. You will learn all the necessary basic editing skills to put together your edited story.

4. International drug policy developments and trends, dealing with the media and how to cooperate with each other and the HCLU in our harm reduction development and drug policy reform activities. We will talk about how to prepare campaigns together and work together for drug policy change

The training will be held in Budapest. All logistics, including travel and visa costs will be organized and financed by the HCLU. During the training we will make travel arrangements, provide accommodation and meals for the participants.

Language issues:

We strongly recommend that applying organizations send someone to the training who speaks English. You may apply if you don’t speak English, but you must speak Russian, as we can only provide Russian translation. The reason why we would prefer to train activists who speak English is that the language of editing and graphic software, and the most useful online resources that are important for future development are in English.

Download and fill out this document and send it to the email address provided in the document until 19 March 2012.

You can download the application form here

HCLU
20 February 2012