Vikram Singh Chadha asked:
Creative Public Service Announcement (PSA) Workshop
Open Space, which strengthens civil society by encouraging debate, discussion and citizens’ action on social justice issues, has been working over the last three years with media students, enabling them to engage with development issues using innovative communication media.
In February they organised a 3-day intensive Public Service Announcement (PSA) workshop conducted by two accomplished young filmmakers — Shivraj Santhakumar, winner of MTV India’s Best Music Video Director award in 2004 and director of over 90 music videos and 40 television commercials over the past 10 years, and Aparna Wilder Santhakumar, who has also worked in journalism and in the development sector.
College students and working professionals participated in the workshop.
The workshop equipped the participants with a basic understanding of the making/production of PSAs and enable them to develop perspectives and approaches to effectively communicate their message through the medium.
Workshop Description
The workshop took place over three days and each day was divided into two interactive sections: lecture and discussion based on readings, films, and the previous day’s experience; and a group project.
Objective of the workshop was to make the participants, understand the production of a public service announcement; and
Connect lessons learned in the classroom with a group project to create a concept, script, budget, storyboard, and technical brief for a PSA on a relevant social topic.
Structure
Day 1: Pre-production
Purpose behind a PSA (the message, medium, and target audience)
Including the client (vision, budget, expectations)
Conceptualising the film (brainstorming and critical analysis)
Day 2: Production
Production (referencing, styling, scripting, casting, blocking)
Technical aspects of filmmaking (equipment, camera angles, shot sequence)
The magic of creating a mood through lighting
Day 3: Post-production
Editing the final film
Client approval
The group project was held to enable participants to experience the reality of PSA filmmaking by taking the topics they study during the workshop into their group projects. Groups will be presented with a theme, and will work amongst themselves to create a concept, detailed storyboard, budget, and technical brief. Groups will get feedback from the entire class and have an opportunity for client-filmmaker role-play. At the end of the workshop, participants will discuss ways to take these films forward.
WORKSHOP FACILITATORS:
Shivraj Santhakumar is a Mumbai based filmmaker. He won MTV India’s Best Music Video Director award in 2004 and has directed over 90 music videos and 40 television commercials over the past 10 years.
Aparna Wilder Santhakumar holds a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University and Bachelors from the University of Pennsylvania, she has worked with several NGOs and also as a journalist. Together Shivraj and Aparna run two companies, global rickshaw and wildkumar inc.
global rickshaw designs, directs, and produces entertaining television commercials, short films, and music videos to encourage awareness about important social issues. wildkumar inc. makes television commercials and music videos for the benefit of artists, musicians, and superstars (www.wildkumar.com).