Bridging & Bonding

Our last lecture with Jenny raised some interesting theories by Putnam.  The notion of community being dimminshed in society today in comparison to the 1960’s. How finding new members has become the challenge of community survival in the new mellenium.

The concept of ‘bridging’ and ‘bonding’ is interesting.  I felt a connection with this theory as it is evident within my work community.  There is an internal bonding which occurs within the work community whilst a strong bridging practice is evident with the interaction with external stakeholders and our emergency service colleagues.

Thinking this through I have identified a number of ways to demonstrate this practice of bonding and bridging within my work community.

The doco progresses well. 

I sent the following request to all staff re: permission to use images.

22/04/2009 16:17

Afternoon all

As part of my Masters course at uni I am producing a documentary about VICSES (Theme is your office is a community).  I would like to use images from work, office shots, presentations, farewells.  Most images will be group shots and if I use close up head shots I would require a signed release form.

The documentary will be put on my blog as this is part of my assessment . Participation is strictly voluntary.

I am now seeking permission from staff to use images from VICSES events such as farewells, general office images and functions such as Christmas party.

If you would not like your image included in the documentary can you please let me know by 30 April.

Thanks

Allan

Allan Briggs

Manager Media and Public Relations 

Victoria State Emergency Service | 168 Sturt Street Southbank 3006 

ph (03) 9684 6636 | fax (03) 9684 6659 | mob 0400 567 167 | allan.briggs@ses.vic.gov.au 

More progress

My music compilation is coming together GarageBand is great.

Only two staff have request I do not use their images so that’s good.  

I still need to work up the voice over to demonstrate work is a community.  All going well.

New material

Dean has given me positive feedback.  He suggests I incorporate some audio clips of work colleagues to support my theory of work being a community.  I originally did not intend to do this but I can see his point and think it will be a simple yet effective way to validate my theory.

I now need to consider who would be best to interview and get those release forms signed.

Proceeding well

My request to work colleagues to use images from work was well received with only one request not to use their image.  I thought I would get more.  I think most people trust me and know I will not do anything that is inappropriate, or portrays them in a bad light.  I have started taking photos around the office.  Tomorrow I being putting the rough cut together, plan to make some music using Garage Band. At least the crap weather is a good incentive to be inside!

Project approved

I have approval to proceed with my project.  Whilst I didn’t think there would be a problem, the delay did validate that you need to have approval prior to proceeding.  It would be most upsetting to stop well into production.

Whist I will be on a break this week, having a much needed break, with no internet access, I will be able to think over my documentary and make notes and start the story board.

Test doco goes well.

My first test in documentary compilation has gone so well, very happy.   The concept of stills with audio voice over and background music is working well.  I now need to work on the audio script and start file of images.  I have a number of images I think will be excellent.

Importing other mediums into the documentary may be a challenge, facebook and YouTube are the two mediums I want to include and maybe flicker.

What could possibly go wrong?

Just when i thought things were tracking well, I have hit a delay.  Obtaining approval to photograph at work has been delayed.  Probing questions are being asked.  Fear of the unknown appears to be at play.  This has required a further explanation of what my project, blog and documentary project.  Maybe I did not provide enough detail in my initial proposal!

Contract

Documentary.

Content
1. What is the community that you will make your documentary about?
My documentary is about my work community. A group of people brought together for a common cause or belief.

2. What interesting issues about your community identity will you be able to explore in relation to this community?
My work community is created by a dichotomy of choice and no choice. We choose our employer through our self selection of type of employment and who we would like to work for. However those who we work with are not of our choice…in most cases.

There is a rational and logical order of power and position, and a irrational, often illogical power base. Many within the work environment would not view their work as a community.

3. What theorists will you incorporate into your documentary?

I believe Toennies theory of Gemeinschaft fits with my work community.  My work community has beliefs and customs, authority and community will. There is a foundation of love and understanding which molds the community at my work.

Toennies theory of Gesellschaft has some parallels with my work community but they are limited, we do have a common will, we have common property, and common cause.  We work together as a team, everything is not measured and calculated, there is not a ‘value’ placed on everything. 

 4. Why are they relevant / important?

Toennies theory is important as it provides a benchmark to measure elements of my community and define elements within the community.  

5. How are you going to introduce their ideas?

By cross referencing theory to the actual situation.  While some theories may be questioned, I will be able to frame the common themes which are established in my work community.

6. What is the structure of the documentary?
I want the documentary to be powerful and simple. By using powerful still images with a voice over, a steady pace, succinct with a logical sequence, each image demonstrating how my workplace is a community, with all the ingredients to make the social, physical and emotional context of a community.

7. What is the style of the documentary?
I want the audience to reflect on their community at work. To feel the elements of my work community as the story unfolds. They will engage with my work community. The documentary will be simple yet powerful. The audience will be taken on a journey, they will be invited into my wok community. This will be an experience for the audience, an invitation to a unique place.

Technical
8. What type of media will your documentary consist of.
Audio files, still images with links to other media to demonstrate that the community does exist.

9. Given that your documentary will be published on-line, how will you tailor production and post-production to be appropriate.
All images, voice over and references and linkage to other media will be public domain material. Images will be compressed and I will use a legally purchased software program ‘Final Cut Express 4’ to edit my documentary.

10. What are your skills in making this style of media?
I have experience in photography and voice over. I have previously used PowerPoint to produce visual presentations with audio clips embedded into the presentation. I am currently learning how to use Final Cut Express 4 which is interesting and fun.

11. Are you enlisting the help of any crew during the production phase of your documentary?
Yes my daughter will help me with production as she is studying multi-media and my staff will help with the voice over production.

12. Will you need to borrow technical equipment from the Applied Communication techs?
No.

Permissions
13. What talent do you need to get release forms signed for?

I will need talent release forms for staff I interview. I will email a request to all staff in my office seeking permission to use images from the office in the documentary.

14. Are you going to interview minors?
No
15. Do you need permission to shoot on location.
Yes, I am the person who give authority to shoot in the office. Permission granted.

Post- Production

16. What software do you need to edit your documentary?
Final Cut Express 4.

17. Do you ahve sufficient skills to with that software.
Yes, my daughter will be assiting me as she has high skill level in this software.

18. Do you have sufficient access to that software?
Yes

Publication

19. What social software environment will you publish your documentary to?
My blog with links to facebook & twitter, and Linkedin (if I can make the link work).

20. Is the media you are creating appropriate for that environment?
Yes I belive it is.

21. Have you become a member of that environment?
Yes, memeber of all environments I will be using.

22. Have you doen a test publication?
Yes, but images only, not full production.

23. Does the environment stipulate any limits (eg file size, dimensions, file types, copyright, legal issues) that you need to meet?
Facebook needs to be under 1024MB and 20 minutes.

I will be compressing my material to assit in running the documentary. Facebook claim ownership on all material loaded onto the site so I need to be concious of this. I require permissions from people I interview prior to loading onto web. (permission needs to stipulate that the material will be loaded to the World Wide Web).

24. Are there any competitors or other deadlines that the environment impose?
Not to my knowledge. If the site is note activated for more that 12 months it may be closed by the host. Some support material may have contract terms. I have purchased software for this project.

Legal

25. Have you got copyright permission for all the content you use?
Yes as it is original work.

26. Do you have an appropriate credit list that attributes every work and everyone involved?
Yes all credits will be listed at the end of the documentary.

27. There is no defamation or slander?
No. All work is factual and will not pose defamation issues.

28. Any other legal issues?
No

Risk Assessment
29. What are the most likely things that could go wrong with your project?
It will not run properly on my Blog.

30. What is your back-up plan if these things occur?
Load documentary onto my facebook account.

Project management

31. What is the date of your rough-cut showing?
12 May.

32. What is the final due date?

12 June 2009

33. When do you intend to start post-production?
19 April

34. When do you intend to start production?
Started 30 March.

35. Given your production start date, have you already booked any technical equipment you need?
Purchased a Macbook on 14 March.

36. How do these dates work in with assessment dealines from other courses?
My production schedule works in with other classes.

37. If you are using talent, does their availability suit your production schedule?
Yes, talent work at my workplace so it works in well.

A community within the community meet.

Members of a community within the work community met today at the Grand Prix.  A totally different setting, dress code, behaviours, expectations, hierarchy and conversation.

Whilst still part of the work community, another community with very different expectations, rules, trust, and values to the community at work.  The more you look into a community the more levels you discover, peeling back the layers to reveal the soul inside.

Wrapping some thought around my community

Ok…so we all want to document our chosen community.  I feel there are a few realities we need to address with this process.

1. How do we overcome the influence of the director (us) over the production of the documentary?  I have such a clear picture in my head of how this whole process will evolve, yet it is just that, in MY head.  How can I keep perspective in this process?  Maybe by engaging others in my project who do not share my views.  Should I survey my community? 

2.  How can I be sure I have captured the community?  What checks and balances will I incorporate into my process to ensure that the documentary has told the true story.  Even if it is not the true or the full story, that it has captured enough to give my audience sufficient information to make an informed opinion, and make some reasonable assumptions.

3. Will the medium I present the documentary in, influence my audience? Are stills with voice over…boring, or symbolic of the ‘safe’ organisation I work for?