A movement is afoot in Houston, Texas to encourage the public to help those less fortunate. Individual citizens are taking up the cause of helping those less fortunate than they, as in the case of educator, Andre Blanchfield.
In cities around the country, homeless people are positioned on street corners asking passersby for help of some kind. These people are referred to by the National Alliance to End Homelessness as those who do not have a regular place of residence.
According to the website of the nonprofit organization, Feeding America whose employees work to feed the hungry, they state, “Although these individuals and families strive to secure adequate income, many are often unable to meet their own most basic needs, let alone find the time, transportation, education, and other resources needed to improve their situation.” (2011)
The numbers of homeless people have increased over the past years due to unemployment, foreclosures, lost wages, underemployment, substance abuse and mental illness. (Bureau of Labor Statistics , 2011)
Homeless people need water too…
This is where you, the public, can help. There is much that you can do. One example would be to buy a case of water and give each homeless person you encounter a bottle of water. There are other alternatives.
The people at the Don’t Almost Give website publish a list of sources that the public can use to be of help throughout the year. Visit their donor website.
Otherwise, take a stand, do something, help the homeless in March.
When I think about releases in the entertainment industry, my thoughts are about agreements between two sides. Each side makes concessions for their own benefit. Ofttimes those benefits are less than obvious.
According to author Fran Harris, “Hollywood is full of procedures, paper trails and protocol. You will be asked to sign releases, non-disclosure agreements, contracts and other legal documents more often than you think. Get used to it. It ain’t personal. If you’re the kind of person to get bent out of shape because someone asks you to sign a confidentiality agreement, don’t pursue Hollywood, you’ll be eaten up the first time out.” (Crashing Hollywood, 2002)
Source: Dominion Films 2011
Based on my own experience as a motion picture producer, the entertainment industry releases, when used as intended, cover most aspects of a project. However, to initiate and execute them with limited liability, it is important to be aware of the terms and requisite elements.
Each release should satisfy the following: a) an offer – this is usually a statement of each side’s willingness to enter into the agreement; an acceptance – this is where both parties consent to the terms of the release (the homeless person would sign the release); legal purpose or objective – the objective of the release or agreement must be for a legal purpose; mutuality – both parties must be in agreement on the final terms, with no counteroffers or changes of what is being agreed to; consideration – this states what will benefit or be a liability to the signer (homeless person); competent parties – this indicates that both parties are of legal age and are competent to enter into a binding agreement.
In the case of minors being captured on camera, as in the video below, the parents or legal guardians must sign a minor release.
Source: Abiiba Howell/Dominion Films, 2011
Unfortunately, some people see the homeless as nameless, faceless people. When asked about her thoughts on the homeless having their pictures taken and placed on the internet without their consent, or knowledge, Dalila Mebane says, “I don’t see that they have the same rights as the general public, and it’s unfortunate.”
According to the protections of rights inherent in the Texas Intrusion law, however, the homeless are entitled to the same rights to their likeness as anyone else. (Citizen Media Law Project. http://www.citmedialaw.org/search/node)
Photographing and posting images online of homeless people without their express permission, preferably in writing via a release, can constitute an invasion of privacy via an intrusion on seclusion claim. To be liable under such a claim, the public or reporter must have:
“Invaded the private affairs of the plaintiff;” “the invasion must be offensive to a reasonable person;” “the matter that the defendant intruded upon must involve a private matter:” and “the intrusion must have caused mental anguish or suffering to the plaintiff.” (http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/elements-intrusion-claim)
According to The Palm Beach News online edition, a Florida pastor has filed a lawsuit against The National Enquirer newspaper for publishing a story implicating him in the death of a missing girl. The pastor has filed a defamation lawsuit because the publication stated that he was “under police investigation” for killing the child “as part of a human sacrifice.” (October 11, 2011).
This further demonstrates the necessity for accuracy of information, as well as the obtaining of releases in every situation where someone is being captured on camera, quoted or recorded in conversations.
Optimize and Maximize the Technology and Audiences
In my last article, I ended it with a question asking readers if they would help a homeless person if one asked them. I received no responses. As I pondered this fact, it soon became clear that had I widely published the article and promoted the fact that it existed, there would have been comments, possibly forwarded links and maybe even tweets or re-tweets about the article.
This highlights the importance of engagement, which implies an emotional involvement or commitment on the part of the article writer and the audience. Without getting the content to the audience, there can be no engagement. In order for the engagement to be fruitful for the audience, there must be content that is both interesting, thought-provoking and visually stimulating. Interactive elements go a long way towards helping to maintain interest.
In the 2008 presidential campaign, Mr. Obama supporters used social media avenues, coupled with requests for supporters to also engage their friends via Facebook, Twitter and their preferred social media. The strategy was overwhelmingly successful and charted a new course for the use of these tools.
Source: Communications Conversations
In publishing and promoting articles, it is important to know and understand key things about the viewers. For my topic of homelessness, I need to utilize various tools to know where my audience is based, where their interests are and what social channels they utilize. In short, engagement also relies on knowing the ways in which audiences communicate and where.
In evaluating resources to help interest more people in helping the homeless, tools such as charts, graphs, videos and other interactive elements go a long way towards attracting and maintaining reader interest.
In determining content for future articles, it is key to utilize tracking tools such as Site Stats by WordPress or Google Analytics that provide website visitor information. This information allows later publications to be tailored to the interests of the audience.
Who knows? You may also get stats about the interest people have in helping the homeless. Clearly, engagement is the way to go.
The world of reporting, as we have known it, has changed tremendously in the past decade. Due to the growth of emerging technology, the use of photos, infographics, videos and interactive elements now provide a more pleasing and comfortable user experience, thereby transplanting the often redundant and wordy paragraphs formerly employed by journalists.
To assist them, writers and reporters are using cellular phones, which have video capabilities, like the iPhone and android (alternative) devices, to capture footage in the field. The iPad and other tablet computers allow greater display sizes and the versatility to speak “face to face” with someone via applications like Skype, in real-time. These capabilities allow for greater speed in relaying information and the opportunity to enhance the story with images and video, while providing a more personal experience.
Source: dan-in-kenya.blogspot.com
According to the people at Mobile Active, mobile technology is a great tool for linking local remote areas with the larger villages in places like Kenya. Because access to computers and satellite towers are not as readily accessible, reporters (journalists) can shoot their video, add text and then upload the story when they leave the dropout areas. The story does not always have to wait.
In the motion picture industry, the uses of mobile technology are vast. Assistant Directors can edit and upload call sheets electronically on their tablets and store the information on a website for crew members to log in and download without having to print the document. They can use their phone devices to text, email and write blogs using applications such as WordPress.
Camera Assistants can load applications to their tablet which would allow them to document the shots, takes and scene numbers, while using a device, such as an iPad, in place of a motion picture standard slate. The job becomes both simplified and more efficient. One example is the iPad-compatible application, Movie Slate, which offers a full display sized movie slate that, when loaded, shows a keyboard for adding needed information.
In the role of Producer and Director, mobile devices can provide viable avenues for the real-time completion of location scouts, casting sessions, script revisions, budget approvals, hiring decisions and much more. Apps such as GPS, calendar planners, text editors and storyboards allow unprecedented flexibility and adaptability than ever before fo0r these roles.
For a motion picture Key Makeup Artist and department head, the timely reading and completion of production paperwork and keen attention to continuity issues are fundamental to maintaining a top-notch makeup department. Tools such as tablets and phone devices allow for quick, on-the go, on-location and on-set documentation that can be transferred easily, thereby enhancing productivity.
When conducting classes to help others in the motion picture industry, emerging technology, such as tools for promotion via mobile devices and tablet devices (iPads and androids) has made it easier to teach, as well as promote the courses via social networking and promotion sites.
Overall, journalists and anyone working closely with the public would do well to include mobile devices in their repertoire of tools and perhaps, pleasantly discover along the way that small packages can provide big delivery, when maximized.
When the Belgians gave control of Rwanda to the Hutus in 1959, they set the stage for resentment, competition and violence between the Hutu, Tutsi and Tsu nations. At that time, the Tutsi’s were banished and forced into exile in neighboring countries.
In 1993 a power-sharing agreement was formed between the Hutu and Tsuti’s, however, because of the years the Tutsi’s were in exile, they began returning, having been educated, more accustomed to a better way of life and sought to assert their rights to power.
During the commission of this tragedy, over 800,000 people were killed as a result of the fighting and criminal acts committed between the Hutus and the Tsutsi nations. According to the CIA Factbook, the nation suffers from a high infant mortality rate, lower population growth rates and a high mortality rate from AIDS.
Amidst rumors and reports of mass killings in outlying areas, things had been relatively agreeable until the plane carrying the President of Rwanda was shot down and he was killed. Within one day 8,000 people were reported to be killed. A girls Catholic school, supposedly off-limits to fighters, was invaded and most of the girls were killed, many raped beforehand.
The month April, 1994 in Kigala, Rwanda holds special meaning for every citizen because of the mass genocide committed during that period which forever changed the lives of generations of Rwandans. The tragedy began in April and lasted for a little more than 100 days.
Told through the eyes of two brothers, the film, which was shot in Rwanda at the actual sites of the killings, rapes and decapitations, took viewers on a gripping journey which chronicled the day by day loss of lives on both sides.
Factored into the equation of the tragedy was the lack of action on the part of the United Nations and the United States. More time was spent
“fact-finding” and defining what constituted the term “genocide” than was spent on dedicating
resources to help.
During the commission of what the film producers depict as genocide, over 800,000 people were killed as a result of the fighting and criminal acts committed between the Hutus and the Tsutsi nations. According to the CIA Factbook, the nation suffers from a high infant mortality rate, lower population growth rates and a high mortality rate from AIDS.
