Project details
July 2024 Fotonow CIC was commissioned by a group of Plymouth based, young people trained as peer researchers on the Belong in Plymouth project, one of five projects nationwide, supported by the Kings’ Fund to explore new ways to tackle complex health inequalities.
The brief was to make a participatory documentary film to facilitate the group of 12 young people to explore their central research question, What makes you feel like you belong in Plymouth? Young people’s initial research had found a lack of belonging and experiences of multiple barriers to accessing services in Plymouth, among young people in Plymouth. The vision for the documentary film was to amplify these voices and create a tool for advocacy influencing local and national decision makers, this involved the young people facilitating a series of local workshops and a visit to Parliament to share the film.
Why film, why collaboration?
The group, trained as researchers in the Community Conversations method, was tasked with collecting up to 30 interviews. Early in this process young people identified they found conducting these conversations challenging, for a variety of reasons. Making a collaborative documentary film was proposed as a solution, with additional scope for learning new skills, working creatively and sharing their findings more widely to influence change.
One of the most empowering steps of the project was selecting our own filmmakers. After interviewing several professionals, we chose Fotonow to help bring our vision to life. This decision was made entirely by us, the young people involved, and it set the tone for the rest of the project. We were trusted, respected, and given the creative reins. We learned how to use filmmaking equipment, conducted conversations, and took charge of the narrative. This experience was both educational and liberating for us. Gabby, Belong In Plymouth peer researcher.
The filmmaking and research process:
The project took place over nine months and included seven weeks of media skills workshops, filming of interviews on location and discussion sessions, all supporting practical collaboration and Belong in Plymouth’s co-production approach.
One of Fotonow’s film practitioners worked with the group for the duration of the project as skills trainer and facilitator – engaging the group in different aspects of the film production process, and as a filmmaker – overseeing the production and quality of the final output.
The workshops at Fotonow on sound and editing became a part of the regular weekly youth meetups and the making of the film became integral to the research process. As the group conducted one to one interviews or conversations on camera, the process of collecting and reviewing and making sense of this data using the medium of film, worked as an iterative process.
The group gained skills in operating the professional film kit, and the planning involved in realising a tangible end product. This process helped to build trusted relationships between the young people and the delivery team and ensured a shared understanding of the documentary filmmaking brief, the research process, and the work needed to produce a high quality media outcome which could influence the target audience.
I believe the production of the documentary pushed the young people into some unfamiliar territory and learning situations they might not come across in their day to day. The final celebration event and film launch at the Everyman Cinema required the young people to discuss and present the film in front of an audience, which they did with confidence. Ross Sinclair, Fotonow Filmmaker
Outcomes
Themes which emerged repeatedly during the filming and research process were education, SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), Social Life, Finance, and Mental Health, pillars of a young person’s wellbeing and development. Young people’s analysis of the consistency of these topics across all interviews led them to conclude these are systemic issues, requiring attention.
In terms of the final impact for audiences, the film worked very effectively as a conversation starter at the local events, quickly getting the ball-rolling on big topics and themes, the film provided a general overview of this whilst giving the young people a chance to dive deeper into conversation was very effective.
The culmination of our efforts led us to London, where we met with Members of Parliament and presented our documentary, at a time when the government is seeking input for the process of shaping a new youth strategy. Gabby, Belong In Plymouth peer researcher.
For Fotonow, the film was a great opportunity to collaborate with an amazing group of young people on a long-form piece of work, which thanks to the young people’s research skills, lived experience and passion for change, speaks powerfully to live issues impacting young people in Plymouth. The support of the Healthy Communities Together, King’s Fund and National Lottery, was crucial to allowing scope for the young people to really lead and to ‘do things differently’ and paying them appropriately to do so.
Belong In Plymouth Youth Participatory Documentary
