Social Impact Entertainment - 101
Getting Started
August 13, 2020
Beyond Inclusion is researched and written by Sahar Driver, PhD. It outlines the relationship between documentary and social change, provides a critical overview of nonfiction film organizations led by and serving communities of color in the US, their impact in shaping a more equitable documentary sector, and how they advance non-fiction social justice filmmaking. It makes recommendations to funders and stakeholders on why and how these efforts should be resourced at this time.
August 9, 2020
Active Voice started an initiative called "How Do We Know" to connect impact work with evidence. As part of this, the organization has compiled a curated, working list of practical measurement resources developed by Active Voice Lab and other organizations, including their new Ask the Evaluators! series, which explores real-world assessment of recent media projects.
August 7, 2020
Active Voice launched a multi-year initiative called “Beyond the Choir” (BTC) to systematically explore how it could help filmmakers connect with new audiences. Active Voice’s experience suggests that if filmmakers, advocates and policy shapers connected earlier in the creative process, documentaries could be more vibrant tools for addressing social issues and public policy in ways that audiences outside the “Sundance Belt” can hear. Specifically, filmmakers could get expert input on the issues their films treat, and policy advocates could get powerful stories that are connected to the change they’re trying to make. This report uses the case study of “Welcome to Shelbyville” to illustrate the approach.