Article about participatory video at The Valley Trust published in the Sunday Tribune on 15 July 2007
Water is a top priority in every community, so when people living near the small tea estate in Inanda C saw water pipes being laid in October 2004, they were overjoyed.
MAKHESWA Mthiyane tells trainee Sbo Mthembu about
her concerns over the lack of clean water
Standing pipes would soon be spouting water, they were told … but they waited in vain. As a result, when they were handed a video camera by a member of Insight – a British organisation which helped them master the intricacies of filming and then asked them to tell their stories on camera - they all agreed this should be the focus of their short film.
Talking about the participatory video project, specialist video editor Michelle Leibbrandt, who works for The Valley Trust in the Valley of 1000 Hills, said participants had made seven films in just seven days. They then gathered at the Trust to view their “masterpieces”.
Thami Mthembu (trainee) with Simphiwe Mthiyane (cameraman at TVT)
Among them was Thami Mthembu from Inanda, who wielded the video on behalf of his community. One of those he filmed was MaKkeswa Mthiyane, an elderly woman who spoke about the community’s concern about their only source of drinking water - a tiny spring. While it looked clear as it flowed over the rocks, everyone was worried it might be contaminated, especially as people did their washing just below it. Mthembu said they had approached their ward councilor, who had promised to look into the matter. According to Leibbrandt, the intention is to keep reminding the councilor about his commitment.
Another video, focused on Youth in Action, a group of unemployed women who meet regularly to sing. Clad in traditional attire, they make for a bright splash of colour and choir member Nelisiwe Ngcobo spoke about how singing had changed her life.
Cameraman Mdu Sibiya asks Nelisiwe Ngcobo about her singing group
The Zimangweni Feeding Scheme in Inanda grows vegetables which they give to elderly women in the community who cook healthy meals for the poor and needy. On camera they tell how they pack lunch boxes for the old and frail.
In another video, a group of unemployed young men mention that because they sit on the streets all day they are often accused of being thieves. “But all we are doing is smoking dagga and talking about soccer. We are not stealing,” they tell the probing eye of the camera.
The video of young gumboot dancers who use dance to tell of issues faced by communities so impressed members of The Valley Trust that they hope to invite them and the Youth in Action group to perform at the Trust’s AGM next month.
Yet another video tells of the scourge of HIV and AIDS. In it, one HIV-positive woman tells how she wants to reach out to young people to tell them that being unemployed it is no excuse not to be careful in their selection of partners.
Another woman shares her experience of being raped and how her grandmother had done a virginity test on her. She tried to keep the incident to herself, but opened up during filming.
Describing what he had learnt, Mthembu said, “When we came here we didn’t know about cutaways and fades. It is great that we have learned to shoot and edit a movie with no previous schooling.”
Leibbrandt said participatory videos were the brainchild of Chris and Nick Lunch of Insight. Chris, a former anthropologist, first had the idea of using videos while working among the shepherds of Kazakhstan. He felt it would pack a much more powerful punch if the shepherds were able to do the filming themselves.
They, in turn, showed their efforts to the community who gave input into what they felt was relevant; literally editing the video clips themselves.
Lunch stressed that the videos should not be viewed so much as films but as a facilitation process which enabled people to tell their stories and discuss the issues affecting their daily lives.
“In many cases the people have the solutions and the messages are far more acceptable coming from within the community than coming from an outsider,” said Lunch.
Leibbrandt, who invited Lunch to South Africa on behalf of the Trust, said she had never seen work like this done in the field. “Usually a producer decides on a story and together with a cameraman this is then filmed. From there a script is written. Participatory video turns all that on its head.” She said if everything goes according to plan, the Trust would be able to network with organizations receiving similar training around the world.
Some community members laugh in delight as they see themselves on video
View the videos! |
