filming OS event : what impact ?

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, Christine -

 

I facilitated a several-day Open Space conference that was filmed by a
documentary film making crew hired for the job.

They ate with the participants, hung out after hours with them, learned
salsa dance in classes we provided as a group activity before an evening
dance. 

They were documentary folks rather than news folks - so they brought with
them a whole different sensibility and sensitivity about how their presence
can be witness or have an impact.

They were humble and playful humans, as well.

The dynamics could have been huge - the majority of the participants were
immigrant farmers from many countries - but because they ate and played and
danced with everyone during the other hours of the event, everyone saw them
as simply doing their part during the conference days.

We also created a private room for individual interviews, and they made
folks very comfortable and at ease there in the way they spoke and invited
stories.

As in Harrison's event - these guys were invited into the closing circle by
the participants.  So they filmed and also shared in their turn what a great
honor it was to be welcomed into the community.

 

As Harrison mentioned - I too was able to give them a sense of the visuals
that were about to happen, the sound landscape, when it's cool and when it's
not cool to record and film.  They sat in discussion circles - they were
also aware of when / if a participant started 'talking to the camera' and
would withdraw to shift the dynamics back to the participants.

 

The wonderful Girl Scout dialogue team had a documentary film crew as well.
That incredible event that the fabulous Christine Whitney Sanchez wrote
about on the list.  

Once again - people skilled at filming and photographing without intruding,
warm, sensitive individuals with a playful spark, experienced at documenting
and inviting the story rather than affecting the story.

 

Very different experience than a mix of journalists you have not met yet.  

When I have this situation I ask one key person on our team be the contact
person, meet them each in person, hand them and tell them some tips and
guidelines and a description of opportunities for visuals and sound, and
keep an eye out.

They are mostly wonderful, appreciating this information, wanting to do well
in a positive way. Sometimes they do not know when they shift the dynamics
(in which case our point-person takes them aside to explain when they see
that).  For example one of our tips is that you cannot pull someone away for
an interview when they are actually supposed to be doing their work (in a
group discussion) - but we sometimes pre-invite some thoughtful individuals
who might like to be available for interviews and make a separate space for
that.

 

Thanks for inviting the question,

Lisa

 

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

O p e n i n g  S p a c e

 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net

 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net 

 


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