7 TIPS FOR PARTICIPATORY VIDEO IN A SOCIALLY DISTANT WORLD
Previously clients have asked us to decode, interpret and convey culture for them. Whether observing how automated processes have affected the lives of hospital workers in New Zealand, or filming farming practices in Kenya, one staple of our video ethnographic methods is the immersion of the researcher in the rich detail of lived experience. These methodologies traditionally rest on the physical presence of the researcher but through widespread lockdown measures this has been an issue - so how have we continued to work during the pandemic?
The last year has presented us with the challenge of planning and conducting research and filmmaking remotely. This has been a good opportunity to open new conversations and invite fresh, diverse and, in some cases, untested expertise into our network. We wanted to write something for those wondering what is possible vis-a-vis a remote research approach. Below are some ideas and tools that we’ve been getting excited about.
1 - LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS
Whether your focus area is domestic or abroad, enlist the help of professional local contributors. We’d argue the upsides of using local professionals can far outweigh the possible issues you might encounter. Upsides include (but are not limited too):
Proficiency in local language/dialect
Invaluable local knowledge
The ability to understand and navigate cultural codes
Increased likelihood of a comparable sociocultural background to your participant(s)
Recruiting the right people to create an exciting cohesive team takes time. At Habitus we like to draw on our own network of contacts but we’re also happy to go through the big social networking sites (ie. Linkedin, Talent Manager, Instagram and Facebook) when this is not possible.
We teamed up with the moderators of an East African Facebook group for a project in Kenya on digital farming. The moderators joined us for the research and filming at 10 different locations all over Kenya. In every instance they called ahead and secured filming permission as well as managed the expectations of our participants which enabled us to work smoothly and efficiently and produce great results. Their status as trusted moderators undoubtedly played a key part in this.
2 - PARTICIPANTS TO FILMMAKERS
Faced with a global pandemic there’s a need to understand people in context without travelling. With this comes a far greater emphasis on filmmaking skills on the user end. We suggest upskilling the participants into capable videographers; trained to capture the right moments. This method is also known as participatory video, and through simple but effective techniques borrowed from documentary, we can start to tell engaging stories without being there.
There will definitely be downsides to handing the camera to your participants but with some well thought out workshops and training you can have them showing what they find important in their worlds, through their eyes - a truly anthropological approach! This can also add a layer of motivation (in addition to any monetary reimbursement) by building trust, teaching a new and interesting skill, and creating a feeling of inclusion. Using film in this way has had good response and has generally improved engagement as well as giving participants a meaningful sense of control and ownership within the process.
3 - GOING PRO
Besides more standard camera technology, how else can you empower your participants? Our next tip is to experiment with wearable cameras and other tech that gives a first person perspective. When used in the right way, there is no better form of immersion for transporting the viewer right to the heart of the action. This equipment is particularly powerful for capturing any sort of journey, activity or sport.
A recent project saw a member of our team follow a TV presenter as they attempted to get from the UK to Chile without using fossil fuels. To help capture the journey and story we relied heavily on GoPro’s and Pocket Osmo’s which are light weight with excellent quality video. The full three part documentary is coming soon but in the meantime you can check out the trailer below.
This tech is particularly exciting, as its possibilities and true potential are still under-explored. As technology makes leaps and bounds with stabilisation, and with picture quality constantly improving, it is easier and easier to join for the ride.
4. SMARTPHONES TO THE RESCUE
Connecting with participants through their phones by getting them to take photos, video and voice recordings is getting more and more powerful as the world becomes more technologically literate and connected. For many the phone is simply an extension of the body and eyes, a tool which has been assimilated into everyday life. People film each other and themselves increasingly, to share with loved ones, for social media and to store memories of experiences, spaces, places and special times. Joining participants on these journeys with some pointed research questions must now be a key consideration in visual data collection from the field.
One of the most surprising tools we’ve come across is the power of a voice note, we’ve found that participants are able to relax without worrying about filming or all the self-conscious feelings that arise on video. We have found the ‘stream of consciousness’ that you get on a voice note can give deeper insight into their emotional state and get you closer to the participant’s personal story. This can then later be used as voiceover to accompany b-roll from their day.
Other benefits include being able to share edited clips via Vimeo/YouTube easily over WhatsApp - this improves rapport, enables trust to grow and gives that true iterative feel to a project as well as letting the participant spend time in the driving seat. It also helps participants better understand the project and general research motivations.
5 - GOGGLEBOX-ING
This method is fairly intrusive as methods go, but with the right ethical considerations and consent, using fly on the wall observational filming techniques can deliver very compelling and insightful footage. We advocate the ‘big brother’ style form of observation however we prefer to call it ‘gogglebox-ing’.
Whether it’s sticking a camera on top of the TV and watching people reacting to content or mounting cameras next to the bathroom mirror to observe shaving habits, this method of observational video is powerful when trying to capture daily routines, people interacting with social media or other online behaviours.
6 - FIND THE RIGHT PLATFORM TO MANAGE YOUR PROJECT
Software tools: Software to be used for recording, uploading and managing video and digital content.
Every project has different needs, and there’s now a great range of platforms available out there.
We found this article by Becky Hillcoat gives a really detailed breakdown of what each platform is geared towards.
7 - SOCIALLY DISTANT CONNECTION
Many of us working on research projects unrelated to the pandemic are being made to adapt from face-to-face research to more digital ways of connecting, via phone or online.
The single most important ingredient in human-centered qualitative research is rapport, connection and having the ability to help participants feel comfortable and in control.
There are some pretty nifty apps out there which can help us access/enter the lives of our participants in new and meaningful ways (Eg. Indeemo). There is also a lot to be said for using apps and platforms that your participants are already comfortable with. By now many people will have had some experience with the likes of WhatsApp, Skype or Zoom.
LASTLY...
Getting close to people and travelling isn’t going to be possible like it was for sometime to come. We think that many of these participatory video research methods will become more commonplace in research. We hope our tips provide some value and insight into some established, some new and some emerging ways of conducting research remotely. We think that many of the methods we’ve touched on boost the participatory nature of telling your participants' story. It is part of many companies' ethos to be agile, local and representative, however we feel that there’s always room for growth and improvement when tailoring a team and approach to match the research question, the context and participants' needs as much as possible.
To get in touch you can email hello@habitusinsight.com