Community Video
As well as its own independent productions, Frameworks Films also specialises in community based films. This involves working with communities, both geographical communities and communities of interest, to produce films on issues relating to that community.
The approach is one of working in close collaboration with the community and ensuring a real sense of ownership in the final production. The staff of Frameworks have developed a unique approach to community filmmaking, combining their technical and creative filmmaking skills with a community development approach.
Community Video Projects
Cork WideScreen (2004)
Cork WideScreen - 12 Short Films is a collaboration between Frameworks Films and 12 Cork community and voluntary groups on the production of a series of short issue-based films. The films embrace all aspects of culture and provide an opportunity for a wide and diverse group of people to express views on their lives in Cork, past, present and future. The films celebrate Cork’s people in a creative and thought-provoking way and challenge us to reflect on ourselves as citizens of Cork – who we are and what we can do to become a truly inclusive, progressive and equitable society.
Every month in 2005, one of the short films will be screened locally. On 4th June 2005 six films will be screened at a Gala Night in Cork City Hall. A second Gala Night will screen the other six films in December 2005 when a compilation DVD will also be launched as a permanent record of these unique productions.
The groups participating in the project are the Community Women’s Education Initiative, Gurranabraher/Churchfield Outreach Project, The Traveller Visibility Group, Mahon Community Development Project, Brothers of Charity Caritas Training Centre & Cope Foundation Mallow, Cork Anti-War Campaign, Mayfield Employment Action Project, Cork Gay Community Development Company, NASC (Irish Immigrant Support Centre), Northside Folklore Project, Togher Family Centre and The Social Housing Development Company.
Listen! The Voices and Visions of Older Women (2002)
Frameworks was approached by the Cork Older Women's Network and the Ballyphehane/Togher Community Development Project, based in Cork City, about making a short video on ageism as experienced by older people. The group were tired of being misrepresented in the media and wished to portray their views on what it means to be an older person. Frameworks collaborated closely with the group to develop the content of the film and they were also actively involved in all stages of production.
Horse Mad (2001)
The idea for this video was initially to encourage a group of young boys in the Farranree/Fairhill Youth Project in Cork city to learn how to work together and to develop group work skills by being part of a film production crew. The boys chose the subject for the film and following some initial training, shot the entire film themselves, facilitated by Frameworks. The result was an award-winning documentary, which was followed by a sequel later that year.
Go for it! Volunteering in the Avondhu Area (2001)
Produced in collaboration with the Avondhu Development Group to mark the United Nations Year of the Volunteer, this is a sixty minute documentary on voluntary work carried out in a region of North Cork. The local community felt a video was an effective way of highlighting the amount of voluntary work already done, whilst also allowing for some reflection on the nature of voluntary work. Finally they also wanted to use the video in communities and schools to encourage others to get involved.
Coping with the Euro (2001)
Produced in collaboration with the Cope Foundation, this is an educational video on the changeover to the Euro currency, made by people with learning disabilities for people with learning disabilities. Clients from the Cope Foundation wrote the script, acted in the film and helped out on the production. They were determined to try and help others understand the implications of the changeover to the Euro, from their point of view.
What's Your Cover? (2001)
This video shows a group of women from the Togher Drama Group in Cork City reflecting back on a drama project they had been involved in 5 years previously and assessing the impact of the project on their lives today. In the drama project they acted out scenes based on real-life situations, regarding health, housing and other social issues that members of their community were experiencing.
Why Community Video?
In keeping with the essence of Community Arts, we believe that everybody should have access to the arts, in this case filmmaking, and be able to participate in it.
Film is a very powerful tool for communicating information, for sending messages and for forming opinions through the news, films and television programmes. However very few people have access to making these films and programmes. This is a situation that can and should be challenged through Community Media Initiatives.
Community Development is a term used to describe a process and activity whereby people within a community become actively involved in shaping their own community. The very process of working on a film, the necessary collaboration it entails and the group work skills that filmmaking requires, can effectively encourage community development.
Community Tv
Community Television is essentially Television that is owned and controlled by the community and is a tool for Community Development. The principle objectives of Community Television are:
- Empowerment – it enables communities to achieve their social, economic and cultural objectives and to use media to organise for positive social change
- Participation – it encourages individuals and community groups to participate in all aspects of the channel from programme making to running the channel
- Diversity – it extends the range of programmes and celebrates the rich diversity of Cork’s communities and cultures
Background Information The Broadcasting Act 2001 legislates for the first time for Community Television under its ‘Community Content Contracts’. This is the result of much development and lobbying work by various groups in Ireland but particularly by Community Media Network (CMN) based in Dublin. In November 2002 Frameworks Films submitted an Expression of Interest to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) on behalf of Cork Communities to develop Community Television in Cork. Since then Frameworks has been engaged in a consultation process with the BCI and other groups around Ireland to develop policy for Community Television in Ireland. This process is almost complete and it is hoped that the application process will commence in 2004.
Pilot Week of Community Television in 2005
Cork has been designated European Capital of Culture in 2005. Frameworks Films, in partnership with Cork 2005 (the company set up to manage the year), is developing a project to broadcast a pilot week of Community Television in October/November 2005. The purpose of the Pilot Week of Community TV will be:
- To showcase what Community Television is and what kind of programmes can be made for Community Television
- To explore how Community Television can best serve the people of Cork
- To generate interest and support to develop Community Television beyond 2005
Some of the programmes that will be broadcast exist in an archive of community based films. Others will be made specifically for the Pilot Week. Our News section will provide updates on the progress of this Pilot Week Project. If your group or organisation is interested in screening or making content for the Pilot Week, please contact Frameworks.The Pilot Week of Community Television in 2005 provides an opportunity to build capacity for a sustainable Community Television Channel in Cork. It will also allow funders an opportunity to see how Community Television can work and the enormous potential it has to build a truly participative and democratic civic society in the long-term.
Community TV Development
The Pilot Week of Community Television in 2005 is seen as the launch pad for the long-term development of Community Television in Cork. However broadcasting for a week and broadcasting on a longer-term basis are two very different projects. For Community Television to really become established in Cork, adequate facilities need to be put in place regarding equipment, resources, training, supports etc. This can be achieved through the establishment of a Community Media and Television Centre which would consist of:
- A transmission centre which will look after signal distribution and scheduling and
- A Community Media Centre which will provide training, equipment, studios and production support for communities
- Affordable training in video and television production in a range of areas from community video and television production to media literacy courses
- Affordable access to production and post-production facilities
- Free access to transmission for programmes produced and selected by the community
- The opportunity to participate in all areas of activity
Community Production Groups
For Community Television to really flourish, community organisations need to be in a position to produce content on a regular basis. This may mean that different community organisations or interest groups would form community production units. These groups will either have their own production equipment or will hire it from the Community Media and Television Centre and will undergo training in community television production. Several groups in Cork have already purchased some equipment and have completed some training and productions with Frameworks. The aim would be for many more groups to follow this route and eventually for there to be several production units within Cork city and county, potentially developing their own community media centres.
Cork Community Television
Working Group A Cork Community Media Forum was established in Cork in 2003. This followed a presentation by Frameworks and others to the Cork Community Forum (developed through the Cork City Partnership) and a follow up Community Media Seminar held in Connolly Hall in May 2003. The purpose of the Cork Community Media Forum will be to develop an overall strategy for Community Media in Cork and it is comprised of three Working Groups (Community Television, Community Radio and Community Print/Internet).
Frameworks is a lead actor in the Community Television Working Group and is holding ongoing meetings to develop this group. The aim of the Community Television Working Group is to establish Community Television in Cork for the long term. If you or your organisation is interested in joining the Cork Community Television Working Group, please contact Frameworks.