WHATDOCUMENTARY IDEAS ARE SUITABLE FOR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT?Many documentaries share stories supporting the objectives of grantmakers. The most powerful documentaries show how people’s lives are interwoven with historical, cultural and social issues and how they reflect on how we live, think and interact with each other and our world. Documentary stories match the categories of philanthropic funding. Films that give a voice to the plight of underprivileged young people, indigenous stories, educational initiatives, environmental and cultural exchange programs, stories from rural Australia and the experiences of refugees adapting to their new home, or inspirational arts programs, all fit within the objectives of most philanthropic organisations. Ideas that reach beyond the local community that engage with global issues such as the environment, war, poverty and health epidemics are suitable for philanthropic support. Big ideas are often communicated most effectively through personal stories. Putting a human face on universal problems spreads the impact further than just a written report or a specific program at a local level. Some Australian examples: LANDMINES A LOVE STORY - the political issue of landmines; MAKE IT REAL - HIV/AIDS; OUR BROTHER JAMES - the devastating effect of teenage depression and suicide; MOLLY AND MOBARAK - the plight of refugees; LOSING LAYLA - the universal grief associated with losing a child; HURT– 250 young people from rural areas are given the opportunity to tell their own stories in their own images and words; IN THE COMPANY OF ACTORS – reveals the process of creating theatre and is to be donated to every high school in Australia. Reports and local programs will have an effect, but a documentary carries that impact to a broader audience and inspires action. The life of a documentary also extends over a longer period of time. Documentaries are aimed at local and global audiences. They precipitate and influence change individually and at the grassroots level. Documentaries resonate deeply with people and show results in visible and measurable outcomes. Usually a documentary with a profound local effect will also speak to a wider national audience through television and potentially internationally. In this way, foundations can maximise their gift-giving programs to make a difference to both a targeted and broad audience. Foundations play a leading role in supporting projects that broadcasters are initially reluctant to buy due to uncertainty over projected audience appeal or the documentary not fitting within their designated program slots. Broadcasters, in search of ratings, aim for the broadest possible audience and often fail to recognise the impact a local targeted approach can have. Many recent successes have shown the power of building communities of interest through local screenings and word of mouth, reinforced by internet and educational distribution. Television is increasingly only one aspect of a broadening horizon of possibilities to reach and influence audiences. The following example from the USA demonstrates how foundations and non-profit organisations can support a documentary to reach a targeted audience and greatly leverage their philanthropic donation. 
i) MIGHTY TIMES: THE CHILDREN’S MARCH Synopsis: This documentary by Robert Hudson and Bobby Houston unveils the stories of children’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in the USA. Using word of mouth under a veil of secrecy, more than 4,000 black schoolchildren organised themselves to desert classrooms at exactly 11am on “D Day” May 2 1963, touching off a week of mass demonstrations and rioting that shocked the nation and rocked the world. Police tried to stop them, yet the children prevailed.The documentary focuses on a group of Birmingham citizens, many of them participants in the march when they were children. Funding: The film was funded by the Southern Poverty Law Center in partnership with the Birmingham Pledge Foundation and presented by HBO. Outreach and Impact: MIGHTY TIMES: THE CHILDREN’S MARCH won and Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. The Southern Poverty Law Center, through its magazine and multimedia kits distributed over 12,000 educational kits for the documentary, containing the DVD or video with a teacher’s guide, to educational institutions across the country at no charge. This was made possible by the support of foundations. “This film is empowering” said Richard Cohen, President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “It demonstrates that citizens, including children, can change history by confronting social injustices. It is our hope that THE CHILDREN’S MARCH will inspire youth to take stands on vital human issues affecting their communities and their lives, most especially racism and the devastating impact of discrimination upon our society” Visit full case study of Mighty Times: The Children's March. Documentaries in Australia also aim to bridge the racial cultural divide. The following example of an Australian film illustrates this point. 
ii) CROSSING THE LINE Synopsis: When two young, non-indigenous medical students go to work in a remote Aboriginal community, their professional precepts and personal ideas are deeply challenged. Amy and Paul are non-indigenous 4th year medical students from Tasmania who volunteer for an eight week placement on Mornington island, a remote Aboriginal community in northern Queensland. They’re representative of most of us who may never have had Aboriginal friends, who have never been to a remote community, who think something should be done about indigenous health but aren’t sure what can be done. Funding: Australian Film Commission, the NSW Film & Television Office, Link Enterprises & the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Outreach and Impact: We’re often told by broadcasters that films dealing with complex and difficult issues such as Aboriginal health are plagued by an audience ‘turn-off’ factor.” – Producer Rod Freedman. To counter this argument, director Kaye Harrison deliberately selected two middle-class white students. Amy and Paul are engaging, non-threatening vehicles of discovery for the audience. They make the vexing issues surrounding indigenous health accessible. The power of this film lies in the impact the indigenous community has on the students and thus the impact it will have on the audience. The film has screened in festivals in Australia, the USA, Canada, India and Tahiti. It has been invited to international conferences and won awards, including ‘Best Documentary – Social and Political Issues’ in the Australian Teachers of Media Awards and was a finalist in two other categories. The film continues to have a dynamic life beyond television, having been included in the curricula of many organisations across Australia, used in conferences on Rural and Remote Health Issues and purchased by university and college libraries. The strongest evidence of its resonance with its target audiences is its use by both mainstream and Indigenous organisations to expose black and white students and health professionals to issues of working with Aboriginal people in remote areas. The film triggers lively, complex discussions. An accompanying Study Guide enables teachers and lecturers to easily stimulate activities and further research. See full case study of Crossing the Line It is uncommon in Australia for documentaries to be funded by private donations and there are not many examples of supported outreach. However, many Australian documentaries are potential candidates for philanthropic support. Below is a brief list of titles of some of the documentaries; further details are on the Documentary Australia Foundation website. These stories match many of the current areas of focus for philanthropic foundations and are examples of the kind of documentaries that would have been ideal candidates for foundation support. AGED ARTS COMMUNITY DISABILITY EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT HEALTH/WELLBEING HUMAN RIGHTS INDIGENOUS REFUGEES RURAL SOCIAL JUSTICE SPORT/ADVENTURE WELFARE YOUTH Visit Case Studies for full details of these stories and their impact. |
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