Letting Your Viewers Have Ownership

Since joining the Dave Ramsey production team and immediately being thrown into a leadership roll, I’ve been making it a priority to be observant with more of a critical eye. And I don’t mean critical like “oh, that sucks!” or anything like that. I’m talking about really looking at the piece, not only with my knowledge of film and video production, but also as a viewer. “How does this piece impact me… what am I feeling about this… how should I respond?” When posing questions like this, I’m forced to be truthful and honest about my opinions. I’m getting to the point that if I’m not honest about my response to what I’m watching, I can’t be honest in what I create.

Taking on this perspective, I realize more and more that even though it seems like video pieces are choosing to go more of the story route to promote and expose an idea, product or service, it’s not necessarily allowing the viewer to feel like they are able to take part in the story. I believe if you want someone to act upon seeing something you create, you have to allow the viewer tot take ownership in what they are watching.

What do I mean by this? Say you are being hired with the task in promoting an organization that works with orphans. You may first think that showing the need through the eyes of the volunteers working at the orphanage may bring the most impact. Maybe you would think doing a day in-the-life piece to show how the desperate need for funding so the organization can care for these children would definitely bring a tear to the eyes of the viewer. But there are two problems with these scenarios. 1. (and I’m speaking from an American viewer’s pov) We as a country have too often been desensitized to hungry, needy children, thus simply showing hopelessness and dire need doesn’t necessarily work anymore. Unfortunately these images often cause people to either turn away or downplay the tragedy of other communities and countries in need. 2. Trying to just make the viewer feel compassion doesn’t give the viewer a chance to implement their own idea of how they can respond. They may feel forced and sometimes manipulated by the intentional emotion presented by the images and accompanying music. Instead, I would suggest trying to present the hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. For example, maybe there is a story of a contributor connecting personally with a child and they’re union has brought something very valuable emotionally or spiritually for each of them. Or maybe one of the orphans has a powerful story of how their lives have been changed dramatically since coming to the orphanage. Using those types of stories shows hope in difficult situations and may lend the viewer opportunities of their own initiatives on how to respond and not feel forced.

These are just some quick examples but no matter what kind of project you are working on, when implementing a story, look beyond the surface and see the hope and joy that your viewers can be drawn in to. If you’re wanting a response, your viewers will feel a sense of ownership to how they can be a part of your project and you will find they respond in the same way in which your story is presented… maybe with hope, joy, gladness… it’s up to you.

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