2_Collecting History Guideline.md

Finding a History

1.Does the History match BA´s values?

When looking for a History to tell, make sure that...

Human Rights are all thoes "inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status".

Human Rights Activism is the constant search of a common good in this unequal world. Is the capacity to detect injustice and decide to take action on it.

a Human Right Activist is every person how, individually or as part of a community, fights for a common good in an independent way. Excluding people how directliy represent govermental and military organizations.

2.Who is the person beyond it?

Collecting this basic information can help you get to know the person better before you contact them.

        Is an activist in....

        You consider her/him an activist because...

        Where does the person activism takes place...(Location, Organization-Institution...)

        Is the person in danger? If so can you ensure a safe meeting? under which conditions?

3.Contact the History

Present the project: you can either Use [The Intro video] or use the [Text]

Explain the reason why you believe it is important to publish her/his history.

How the material will be used

How long the interview will take.

                    If you don´t receive an answer we encourage you to keep on trying. 
                    It doesn´t mean they don´t want to do it but they probably have lot 
                    of stuff on the table.  

Historytelling Guideline

1.Key principles to get a Fair History

• Human Centered Research: hve a nice and respectfull conversation, create a EMPATHIC enviroment. If they tell something you see it is important for them, keep diging on that. Ask them about their fellings and thoughts. Rembember to ask what is worthfull for them to be asked.

• Co-Working:

• Open Source: Our project is thought as a open network of collaborators where they can work, give ideas, make improvements, take decisions, and so on. Working on such a comuity gives you the oportunity to find support any time you need. So don´t hessitate on conntact others. Ask for their opinions and clear up your doubts with other. Remember that learning from others expiriences is one of our milestones.

2.Prepare yourself

1.Location: If possible do it on a place the person proposed, that will help her/him fell more comfortable. Also take into account your surroundings Light, which time is it better. Do you need any extra equipment (lights, reflectors,...) Can you go there before? or get any idea of how it is? Get familiar with the place, even make a short testing?

2.Person: Can we show the person? If not, what chances do we have to represent her/him on the video/photos?

3.Photo/Video: details or cutaways, to combine them is also an option! Is there any atmosphere location near by that can help on the video?

4.Is there any Material from the person you would like to add? (fotos, videos,text...) Take it into account by the moment of writing your script.

3.History Content Guideline

COMMENTS: WE STILL NEED TO DEFINE THE SECTIONS OF THE INTERVIEW. WE NEED TO SET UP A MIN/MAX NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WE SHOULD REVIEW SOME OF THE SUBTHEMES --> DO THEY REALLY MACH OUR GOALS?

INTRODUCTION

We consider very important to set up a transparent and trustable environment. That is why we recommend to start with an introduction about our methodologies:

• collect the history

• upload the material on the platform

• pass through the data checking team

• pass through the design team

• be send to the person to check the content and storytelling

• possible corrections

• publish it on www.beyondactivismo.org

           Don´t forget to give the person the space to ask us as many as wants!!!
  

OPENING

In order to set up a connection between all the histories we established a basic opening we'd like to ask you to follow:

• Who you are?
• What do you do?
• What cause/s are you pursuing?

BODY

As we believe on your contribution and creativity, it is important that you feel free to design you own storytelling. We give you a guide of the topics we consider you should approach in order to make a connection between all histories. Here are two tools that can be helpfully by writing your story-guide

User-Centered Research Guidelines
Tool to help you prepare your questions

A. How they see Activism

1. If they consider themselves activists.
2. What does it mean for them to be an activist and to do activism.
3. How they define their way to do activism.

Examples:

• Do you consider yourself an activist?
• What is the positive side to be an activist? What is the negative?
• How do you define your way to make activism?

B. Their motivations

1. Why and how they become activists.
2. What motivates them every day to continue working.
3. What are the positive and negative aspects in the life of an activist.

Examples:

• What motivated you to become an activist?
• When you decided to become an activist?
• What motivates you to fight every day for your cause?

C.Know their struggles, defeats and victories

1. Which are the major problems when achieving their goals and how they overcome them.
2. Is their life in risk?
3. What have been their joys or greatest victories fighting for their cause.
4. What did they learn about how to increase the impact on their causes.
5. Which changes have they made in society or are they willing for (Real Examples).

Examples:

• What has been the most difficult part in your daily struggle?
• Have you ever been in danger?
• Have you ever been threaten? Can you tell us about?

D.Who supports them

1. Who (group of persons/authority/ organization/ etc) support they at the beginning (human and monetary resources).
2. How is the collaboration and help from other civil society organizations.
3. How do they encourage people to collaborate with them?
4. Criticism regarding support for human rights activists.
5. How do they create impact.

Examples:

• Who support you at the beginning? Do they still support you?
• How do you build up continuity with your supporters?
• How do you encourage people to collaborate with you?
• How is the collaboration/help from other civil society organizations?
• Do you have any comments about cooperation between different human rights organizations in your field?

CLOSING

On this last stage our purpose is try to connect the Activist with our community.

• Do you have some message for the people who wants to participate in activism?

• How can our readers get in contact, support or collaborate with you?

• To what authority would you send a message and what would it be?

• Which activist would you recommend for the next interview? Is there anything you always wanted to know about her/him?

                                     THANK THE PERSON!!!
  

Setting

(People who do not have previous experiences.)

(see if we can do it in an interactive/merge way for different ‘levels’ of experience, E.g BBC cooking manual)

E.g Of organization

Attitude/ Behavior: be calm and friendly. Respect the time of others. It is not an interview to confront somebody but to understand and lend a voice to them.

Technical setting:

• micro: -What about ambient noise levels? Traffic/machine noise/wind? -is it a controlled or uncontrolled environment?
• camera:
  • check white balance, settings, iris etc.

    • follow composition guidelines (rule of thirds, headroom, looking space, etc)

    • no 'crossing the line' - imagine the camera is a theatre audience, your subjects are on stage – the camera should stay in the audience and not cross to the other side of the speakers.

    • camera at eye level (or maybe slightly above)

    • subject should look at interviewer, just off camera

                         Before starting double check everything!!!
      

If you have questions or want to give us feedback do not hesitage to contact us!

Twitter: @beyondactivismo
Github: @beyondactivismo
E-mail: contact@beyondactivismo.org / PGP Fingerprint 04EE 9A7C 31B7 7C92 3C34 F1D5 867F 4D89 D61F 8F72
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