Camcorders in Activists’ Hands:

Tools for Change

Communication for Change

Activists often do not have the resources or the time to produce, edit, and distribute documentaries. However, they continue to use video cameras in their struggles for change. Activists have found that video can influence behavior and keep the opposition on their toes. They want to demonstrate to their adversaries that they can reach a large audience with powerful video images. Video is a potent tool for advancing campaigns and building social movements. The following examples illustrate how a video camera can be a valuable, non-violent tool.
1) Cameras Protect Activists

Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) (www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo) is an activist organization dedicated to the preservation of America’s last herd of wild buffalo. They send video cameras out with activists on all of their campaigns. Sometimes these activists put themselves in dangerous situations, for example, locking themselves on cattle catchers as a way of impeding law enforcement efforts to capture or kill buffalo. In these heated situations, they find that the cameras help keep the law enforcement officials on their best behavior.

“Cameras help to protect our protesters.” —Pete Leusch of BFC

Pete Leusch reports that their videographers are targets for arrest and that ungrounded seizure of their tapes sometimes occurs during these arrests. To deal with this problem, BFC appoints a “runner”. Once something valuable has been recorded, the runner gets the tape out of the area quickly to avoid confiscation by the police.
2) Video Gives Leverage to Victims of Violence

Aklima Begum lives in a village in Western Bangladesh. She is a member of Banchte Shekha, a community development organization that provides video training, access to credit, and health services. Aklima learned to operate a video camera and document cases of domestic violence and dowry abuse. Her tapes are used to educate and to advocate for just settlements in traditional village hearings. Recently, the threat of making a video about a woman’s case was enough to motivate the woman’s husband to negotiate a settlement. The husband did not want to be embarrassed in front of his neighbors. Banchte Shekha leaders assert that the video campaigns serve as a deterrent to abuse and violence


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