October 17, 2014
Media Making Change
I spent my summer in the wonderful world of Portland, Oregon, where I held a Fellowship position with the Media Institute for Social Change, which is a non-profit organization that supports the power of grassroots media to generate global social change. My program began with learning the basics of storytelling, which quickly evolved into radio production and, finally, video production and marketing. By the end of my program, I produced a radio documentary and a film documentary, which were both presented at a film screening that I planned with the other media Fellows in my program. Not only did my Fellowship teach me how to craft a strong, persuasive narrative with creative aesthetic, but it also emphasized the importance of marketing and networking when releasing a socially-conscious film or radio piece to the public. In the professional sense, my Fellowship showed me how to take charge of my career by making opportunities for myself, as opposed to waiting around for my “big break.” In a world filled with information overload and a competitive job market, it is important to have a firm grasp of all aspects of media production, from the early stages of brainstorming and writing all the way to editing and marketing.
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