Intensive Production 2.0

I think it is good time in this project to reflect on the work I have been undertaking during the last month. Firstly before talking about Activism I want to breakdown how I have been able to work with Extinction Rebellion as it has been challenging to find explain my position as someone trying to capture the events that are happening. I first began by getting in contact with other photographers who had images published by XR on there social media platforms. I emailed the photographers and a women called Ruth was happy to speak to me over the phone, when chatting with Ruth I explained my intentions and a rough idea of how I wanted to work with XR. She seemed positive in the direction I was going and happily gave me advice and forwarded my email and number to the media XR national media team. After the positive feedback from Ruth I decided to also look into the Bristol XR and try and work alongside them in some form, before explaining my project I attended two meet ups to show my face and understand the best way to approach this in regards to capturing content for XR Bristol and myself. I got in contact with some members of the community to try and see if they could advise me about whether it was possible to capture content and there meetings as an observer, unfortunately as of yet I am unsure this will be possible as I have really struggles to get a yes or no answer. For the time being I am just going to be working around events that I believe could benefit me work.

One event I recently attended was called The Blood of Our Children, it was a protest to support young people in calling for a climate emergency, many activists chucked blood on the ground outside Downing Street including families with children, spilled more than 200 litres of red paint to make the severity of climate change “viscerally clear” , it was a hard hitting and disturbing protest that saw fake blood scattered across the floor with many activist crying in the sake of the climate emergency and the length they are having to go for climate change to be taken seriously. The blood was meant to symbolise the death of children in the next generations. So after being part of this group for the time of this project I want to talk about Activism and my own thoughts on Extinction Rebellion.

The work Extinction Rebellion are doing is undoubtably brilliant for society, the uncovering the momentus issue that for so long has been threatening but enough action has never been taken. They are beginning to construct a large community where people have a voice and have it heard. In responses, a question I have been asking myself from the start is weather any of this works, if the demands that Extinction Rebellion have backed are going to be taken into consideration for policy change, if the non-violent actions people are taking are enough for government to change there own views on how to avoid the detrimental threat climate change posses. In a journal called The Politics of Climate Activism in the UK: A Social Movement Analysis it mentions the approach that emerged from Alberto Melucci:

From Alberto Melucci’s work on social movement identities suggests social movements need to take strategic decisions around whether (a) to attempt to change policy, or change cultural codes, or choose ways of thinking about or naming contentious issues; (b) by framing themselves as `respectable’, to try to be included in elite circles in order to influence policy making, or accept marginalisation by elites, and (c) taking a decision either to focus on constructing arguments that will persuade large numbers of people of the validity of their case, and, if their arguments are not persuasive, not changing them, but accepting marginalisation as a positive development and focusing on constructing radical knowledges and technologies for change that are accepted by existing group members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

The Guardian (2019) Extinction Rebellion activists throw ‘blood’ outside Downing Street. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/mar/09/extinction-rebellion-activists-arrested-over-scottish-oil-protest [Accessed 10/03/2019]

North, P. (2011) The politics of climate activism in the UK. School of Environmental Sciences [online] 43. [Accessed 10/03/2019]

As a first time user on Klynt I have began using the platform mostly to understand how it works so later in the semester I can feel a little bit more confident. I am still in the experimental stage, where I do not know how I’m going to present my work but think Klynt could be a good direction to go. One thing I have realised early on when using Klynt is how the mechanics works, it is slightly fidgety in regards to the layouts and think this could cause me trouble. But overall I like the idea of presenting my work in the form of an interactive document as it is pretty effective for the users to navigate across the work I have produced.

The flow it posses it something that has attracted me, considering I am currently shooting with still images and audio Klynt allows me to combine these two forms and interconnect them with sequences. As my prototype below I attempted to create the idea a presented on my storyboard that lets the user click different location across the UK and look into events that happen in that specific city. I was really pleased with the outcome mostly because it matched how I imagined it looking when I first drew the storyboard, although I only did the home page it shows specifically how I want it to look if I don’t make this my finalised idea. I did this by following a beginners tutorial uploaded onto Youtube by Klynt. The video did a very good job of breaking down the program and explaining what each sections on the interface is used for.

Looking into the future I am going to keep on using Klynt for experimental purposes to find the most effective way to present my work. By using Klynt for the first time it has already helped clear some thoughts of what can and can’t work. One idea I am thinking for the future is using photos and audio throughout my work instead of capturing everything on video. The main reasons why I want to work in this format as it brings a new dynamic for the viewer, they wouldn’t necessarily be guided through my work which I feel video could do. By just capturing stills I hope the audio could compliment my images and make the viewer think more about engaging with my photos rather than a video showing the one perception captured in one particular moment. Photo’s can give me the freedom to capture so much more content at events, it provides opportunities to photograph in more than one space at a time I believe my work can be more fluid and have a interesting flow that I don’t think I am able to capture on video.

Going back to using Klynt the images above show the issues I came across first using the program. Through more practice I’m I can find solutions for this problem but Klynt does have some cliches and this is one. The format in the editing to seeing the previews do not align, I did not find a way round this obstacle so I am in need of more time to understand how to use Klynt confidently.

Since attending the meeting I have involved myself with the media team by working out ways I can provide content for XR and contribute to the movement. By doing this I feel we can build a working relationship where they feel comfortable with me working with them. Over a week there were two big events that happened in Bristol that they needed photographing for the press and there social media accounts. In the meeting I told the group I was happy being one of the photographers and the images I captured they could use for there own good as well as mine. On top of this I am also now part of the XR national media team were I am invited to upload whatever material I get to there HQ that get published on there website etc. I two events I attended were the Youth Strike 4 Climate Change and Stokes Croft Street party which both took place on the same weekend.

Youth Strike 4 Climate Change 

I first event was the Youth Strike. This took place on College Green, Bristol. The protest brought hundreds of youths out from the school to protest against climate change and help call for a climate emergency. As this was the first event I have attended for this project it was a chance to practice capturing stills at demonstrations as it is something I have never done before. I found this occasion very fun as it really wasn’t difficult to find something to take a picture of, hundreds of youths aged around 13-17 years old were waving banners and passionately chanting about an issues that seemed very important to them.

These were the best shots I got on the day, I was happy how they came out, they demonstrate a message I was trying to portray that is passion. For my first attempted at this type of photography I can see I have regarded photography techniques when capturing them, for every image I really tried to concentrate on composition and framing using the rule of thirds to constructed the photos. I also used the manual settings as to get the best shots on the day it is crucial I understand how to point and shoot in any conditions and lighting, auto is brilliant for quick and easy shots but to really portray a certain feel to an image therefor getting the setting specifically to how I imagine the photo to look in the final outcome is hugely important.

Stokes Croft Street Party

The street party to place a day after the Youth Strike, this had a little more importance in relation to my project as it was solely to do with Extinction Rebellion. The meetings I was going to were mostly focussing on the street party as it was a big occasion for the Bristol XR team to put together such a big event. The event happened on a busy Saturday between 1-3 pm, they blocked Stokes Croft for this time and held a street party were food was supplied, live music, a speech about the climate crisis and a small DJ set to get a party atmosphere for all to join. My role in this was try and document as much as a could by capturing stills.

These are my nine final photos from the street party. I’m very pleased with the outcome I feel the Youth Strike was a trial that led up to capturing these shots. They all possess certain emotions I was trying to capture such as community, cohesion, fun and most of all happiness in a position of great threat. Although Extinction Rebellion was set up to rebel against the British government they are also trying to bring back the importance of public community in cities. They feel if everyone gets on and works in the same direction for the same cause the potential to change patterns in the governmental system can come from the citizens who live by there policies.  

Both these shoots were edited on Adobe Photoshop, I have not put the screenshots of the edits as they were edited on the days of the event as XR wanted the photos as soon as possible to publish online. I didn’t change much from the original photos as I captured them all on manual mode so I all I needed to change was certain lighting issues and contrast bring out more of the colours. As I have said I am happy with the outcome of the all and I will show all the photos at the bottom of the blog. 

The Outcome

After the two events I credited my photos and sent the best one to XR for them to use for social media and there website. My photos from the street party were used, on Facebook they were published by Extinction Rebellion Bristol on the day of the event to show Facebook users how the day went as it was a big event for Bristol XR due to the organisation that went into crafting a day of rebellion.  

One of the photos was also published on the official XR website in an article bringing all the events that happened in the week together. This article was sent to all registered to XR by email so it was good experience and publicity. 

Over the past two weeks I have been trying to find ways to work with Extinction Rebellion. I want to be able to document there growth through any form of medium from video, photography and audio but want to do this with the movement on my side and understanding the content I am wanting to capture. For me to do this I have been attending weekly meet ups Extinction Rebellion have to coordinate future plans and use the time to socialise with each other and understand ways to combat the climate emergency.

I was slightly cautious attending the meetings as I have mentioned before I do not necessarily want to join the movement rather be an observer and work with them to create content for myself but also for their benefit. The first one I attended was most definitely an eye opener for me, I didn’t really know what to except as I have never been part of an Activist group before. I was surprised by many parts of the social and it made  the whole event feel much different than what I was excepting. The first meeting was held at the Trinity Centre, when I first went into the room I was shocked to see the age bracket between the group, it seemed very diverse were people from all ages came to discuss what really matters to them. After a big group discussion that went on for roughly an hour new members were asked to separate from the main group and have an induction. This was very relaxed and two members guided me through the history of XR (Extinction Rebellion) and what they want from the Government and reason they have been created. The list of ten below is the pointers that define who they are, we were given these in the induction meeting. 

1. WE HAVE A SHARED VISION OF CHANGE
   Creating a world that is fit for generations to come.
2. WE SET OUR MISSION ON WHAT IS NECESSARY
   Mobilising 3.5% of the population to achieve system change – using ideas such as “Momentum-driven organising” to achieve this.
3. WE NEED A REGENERATIVE CULTURE
   Creating a culture which is healthy, resilient and adaptable.
4. WE OPENLY CHALLENGE OURSELVES AND THIS TOXIC SYSTEM
   Leaving our comfort zones to take action for change.
5. WE VALUE REFLECTING AND LEARNING
   Following a cycle of action, reflection, learning, and planning for more action. Learning from other movements and contexts as well as our own experiences.
6. WE WELCOME EVERYONE AND EVERY PART OF EVERYONE
   Working actively to create safer and more accessible spaces.
7. WE ACTIVELY MITIGATE FOR POWER
   Breaking down hierarchies of power for more equitable participation.
8. WE AVOID BLAMING AND SHAMING
   We live in a toxic system, but no one individual is to blame.
9. WE ARE A NON-VIOLENT NETWORK
   Using non-violent strategy and tactics as the most effective way to bring about change.
10. WE ARE BASED ON AUTONOMY AND DECENTRALISATION
    We collectively create the structures we need to challenge power. Anyone who follows these core principles and values can take action in the name of RisingUp!

And my first meeting I also had to sign a declaration agreeing that I would like to be part of the movement in some way. To what level I wanted to take this was up to me, there was the option to take more extreme actions by getting arrested etc. I agreed to join the movement but only that, I did not say to what level I am committed. I decided to sign up as I believe it is the best possible way to embed myself with the movement and work with the people trying to make the changes that are most definitely needed going forward nationally. 

Since attending the first meeting I have been to two other and got a lot out of them. I am still trying to find ways of working with them in the meetings as the weekly meet ups are a huge part of the movement. It is an environment where people from all ages come together and have the opportunity to voice there opinion on such a global issue, it was very calm in the room and everyone has the chance to speak with hand signal to keep the flow of the socials and a sense of community cohesion that is hard to find in big cities across the UK. I would really like to find a way to document these meetings but in the mean time I am still capture content a bit of audio when I can and capture film and photography and some events I have attended over the past week. If I am not allowed to get content in the meetings I will find other ways to document XR as I believe it’s a fascinating movement and one that keeps growing.     

 

Bibliography

Extinction Rebellion (2018) Who we are. Available from: https://rebellion.earth/who-we-are/. [Accessed 21/02/2019]

My presentation consisted of a brief overview that helps portray my topic and medium for this project. I created the presentation very basic and to the point as I spoke more regarding my work rather than powerpoint slides. My project might change throughout this semester but I am going to be keeping on the same idea which is working in some sense with Extinction Rebellion. At the minute I have put together in this presentation my initial I-Doc plan that contemplates working with the three mediums of video, photography and audio. This might change over time due to my response from Extinction Rebellion Bristol, I am currently in talks with the group and also attending the weekly meetings to find a way to document these meetings from the inside. I hope to come to a conclusion regrading if I am able to capture content in these meetings in the next weeks but for now I am using photography to practice portraits in action from protests. Over the the next week I will be attending Youth Strike 4 Climate Change and Stokes Croft Street Party both involved with Extinction Rebellion, both for my own work but also for the group to have still images to possibly published. 

Project Proposal 

Page

We are living during a time of much unrest surrounding climate change issues. For some individuals time seems to be running out for social change in our society and as a result action needs to be taken for the greater good of our planet. In November 2018 a non-violent activist group called Extinction Rebellion blocked five bridges in London demonstrating a resistance against the government. Eighty five people were arrested whilst thousands joined the demonstration in agreement with the rebellion against the British Government for its crimes against humanity. The Guardian stated ‘one of the biggest acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the UK in decades’ (The Guardian, 2018). The emergence of Extinction Rebellion has provoked thousands to join the movement, this does not directly mean getting arrested but understanding the threatening time we are living through and pushing a message globally for others to follow. Extinction Rebellion is my focus for this project, they provide a foundation to reflect the views of many living in the UK by speaking to participants who over the past three months have decided to join an activists group and understanding what changes are believed to be needed for humanities existence for future generations.

Over the past weeks I have been attempting to organise innovative ideas to present this project, Extinction Rebellion are growing rapidly and there growth is catching the public eye. My current idea is to capture video, audio and photography to present in an Interactive Documentary, by attending various protests across the UK I will bring all the content into one collective presented as a map with the cities I choose to go. The user would have the opportunity to click on the location and understand further why participants are protesting, individual views on climate change and the outcome that is wanted. This will come in the form of video and photography. My decision to create an I-Doc was influenced by I-Docs and documentary traditions in this book Kate Nash refers to documentaries as social functions and its connection to social participation and citizenship, journalistic investigation and the exploration of alternative perspectives. Kate also considers how i-docs could expand documentary media’s civic role beyond the prevision of public knowledge and the potential for i-docs to create productive connections between the private spaces of media consumption and the public sphere (Ashton, et al, 2017). By using Klynt I hope to create a well documented project on Extinction Rebellion and embed myself as an journalist/observer to examine how the group works from the inside.

Paragraph

By capturing protest over video, audio and photography I hope to explore how peaceful protests can create change in society by coming together for one common issue, climate change. By working closely with Extinction Rebellion I want to understand the changes they are doing for the good of our planet. I am not going to part of the group instead embed myself as a observer/journalist by working closely with them I hope to bring this all together in the form of a documentary.

Sentence

Working closely with peaceful-protest group to understand how the group works and how the participation might grow as they get more popular for a threat that invloves everyone on planet earth.

 

Bibliography

The Guardian (2018) Dozens arrested after climate protest blocks five London bridges. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/17/thousands-gather-to-block-london-bridges-in-climate-rebellion [Accessed 11/02/2018]

J, Ashton., S, Gaudenzi., M Rose. (2017) I-Docs and the Documentary Tradition. New York City: Wallflower Press.

My understanding of this module has changed since last semester, I feel the module is trying to questions ways media production has been done in the past and finding solutions to create new innovative projects that challenge the old methods. After thinking over the past few days how to create something new in relation to Extinction Rebellion I am starting to believe that incorporating interactivity with my audience could be more affective that only Photography. 

Documentary as a genre of video serves as a source of public knowledge that serves to inform political and social participation, this is exactly what Extinction Rebellion main outcome is, citizens to be formally aware of the changes they want to happen in our society. After reading I-Docs and the Documentary Traditions it has influenced my thinking in regards to how I tackle my creativity for this project, In the chapter Exploring Questions of Citizenship Kate Nash introduced a breakdown to ways I-Docs interacts differently to the traditional framework of documentary. The motive of documentary that first made video so needed in society was to inform citizens of issue that could spark political action Jane Gain regards this as moving viewers to want to act…. to do something instead of nothing in relation to the political situation represented on screen. Most people are familiar with documentary through old media practices film and television. As audiences we sit, watch, and listen as documentaries carefully compose narratives and arguments for us. But new media brings ‘open space’ features such as the possibility for us the audience members to potentially become collaborators by recording these narratives and arguments, a great example of a I-Doc that does specifically use this format is Question Bridge: Black Males, I will further analyse this I-Doc in a future blog post. The view can now engage personally with a documentary and instead rendered through user acts, such as clicks icons, documentary can longer be static but fluid. 

I’ve found it very interesting understanding the role of media for citizens to digest and believe constructs of interaction between a media and participator is very important especially when a topic revolves around current social issues that a creator wants the audience to relate to. In essence I-Docs are extremely important in relation to public sphere, people might feel confident to participate in the public sphere through I-Docs as they offer spaces in which collective identities, civic values and communication skills can be developed. 

In conclusion an interactive documentary is an area of research I am definitely contemplating going down, the opportunity to create a fluid, interactive and relatable project for the participator to use in whichever form they may choose excites me. This form of new media is likely to raise more question surrounding Extinction Rebellion with the engagement hopefully expressing alternative perspective that Extinction Rebellion are undergoing for political and social change.      

 

Bibliography

Aston, J. Gaudenzi, S. Rose, M (2017) I-Docs: The Evolving Practices of Interactive Documentary. New York: Wallflower Press.

Deborah Willis (2012) Question Bridge: Black Lives Matter. Available from: http://questionbridge.com/ [Accessed 01/02/2019]

Realising I want to use photography for my project I have been researching current cultural issues I could follow over the next semester by taking on the role as a Photojournalist. Since Extinction Rebellion began in October 2018 I’ve followed there movements across the UK. Extinction Rebellion is an international social movement that aims to drive radical change, through nonviolent resistance, in order to avert climate breakdown and minimise the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse. This resistance against the establishment is what I am going to base my project on, in November 2018 they constructed there biggest protest to date by blocking five bridges across London. Since this protest the movement has been massively growing with more and more peaceful protest marches taking place all over the UK, I am going into this semester at the perfect time to capture the rebellion that is taking place and only growing in numbers.

Extinction Rebellion are rightly protesting against the government for its crimes against humanity, these are:

• For 30 years scientists have been telling governments climate change will kill us
• During this time emissions have been allowed to increase by 60% and they are still going up
• The forests are burning, the temperatures are soaring, the ecosystem is dying.
• The lives of the younger generation are in the balance
• Finding courage and power through connecting with others, this is how things will change
• Because we are so very nearly out of time.

The three Demands Extinction Rebellion want from the Government:

• The Government must tell the truth about the climate and wider ecological emergency, reverse inconsistent policies and work alongside the media to communicate with citizens.
• The Government must enact legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and to reduce consumption levels.
• A national Citizen’s Assembly to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.

These are the main reasons for Extinction Rebellions existence and the outcome that is wanted. They are fully committed to pushing these demands through and as a journalist and minor supporter I am really intrigued to develop this project further and portray a message for the viewer to take a message from and understand the power of community and connection of every day working people who are pulling together to construct a brighter future for generations to come. I am not in any means committing myself fully to the movement but instead acting as an observer/journalist for the group, although I do agree with individuals taking action for the good of our planet I would like to marginally disconnect myself from the activism approach to the movement and instead concentrating on publicising the action that are taking place.

In regards to my theoretical research for this project I am will attempted to deconstruct some areas closely related to Extinction Rebellion:

• Activism
• Non-violent protesting
• Anthropocene
• Democracy
• Citizens Assembly

To put in context the actions Extinction Rebellion are taking The Guardian published a very intimate short documentary following the movement before taking the five bridges across the River Thames. They also followed one of the biggest influencer that helped the protest happen in such an organised and assertive manner.

 

Bibliography

YouTube (2018) Life Inside Extinction Rebellion. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAH3IQwHKag [30/01/2019]

Before starting the second semester a time of reflection is needed, by understanding what topic I want to primarily focus on and in what form in the following semester. I thoroughly enjoyed video last semester and learnt many new skills using video, using this form in the next semester could be hugely beneficial, I have the camera and editing techniques firmly in my head and understand what needs doing to improve my creative skills. I also really enjoyed the area I was researching, I had a grasp on the environmental issues as it’s a topic I have a passion to express. I do not think I will be working on sustainable housing but I may decide to use the environmental avenue in this semester as it’s very relatable and rewarding to create. In this first blog post I am going to break down rough ‘ideas’ that I may take further as a starting point going into my final semester.

Photography

Focusing on the environmental topic I am interested in using the form of photography to create a project displaying renewable energy, I came to this idea after looking at the work of Joan Sullivan. One project this undertook followed engineers in Canada constructing wind carbines. The outcomes of her images are great as she captures these individuals getting on with there day to day lives, which sometimes consists of climbing up huge poles putting there lives on the line to put together these massive wind carbines.

These images would be very difficult and ambitious to recreate for my own project but one concept a can unearth from her photos is capturing the rawness, candid style to her photography. Whilst writing this first blog post I am beginning to find a grasp for ideas that I am passionate the explore over the next semester.

Working with photography is an idea I am swaying towards, although I really enjoyed working with video last semester a change could bring new ideas and motivations to created unique projects. After looking at Joan Sullivan I have decided to possibly take up the role as a Photojournalist by focusing on a certain area or person that has a story to tell through documentary photography. I am still unsure where and what this might possibly be but understanding my ideas before I begin the semester should put me in good position going into the lecture.