Videography as a means of change

Reel Change wasn’t your typical program. Imagine the energy of a movie set: busy, sometimes tiring, but ultimately rewarding! That’s what this youth exchange was all about. We explored how short films and clever storytelling can be powerful tools for sharing important messages and inspiring action. The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals provided real-world inspiration for our projects, showing how video can tackle serious issues in engaging ways.

Before getting behind the cameras and hitting record, the participants’ first day was reserved for them to get to know each other. From throwing a ball around and saying interesting facts about themselves, telling truths and lies to guessing each other’s favourite movies, the participants dipped their feet in what would be their week. In the afternoon they enjoyed a stroll through Rzeszow, accompanied by Adrian, INPRO’s long-term volunteer historian, learning about Poland’s history and visiting some of Rzeszow’s landmarks.

“We have to learn to walk before we can run”, on the second day Francisco, INPRO’s long-term volunteer videographer, talked about his video experience, even showing some of his old projects. After that began the introduction of videography, talking about the stages of video making, the different roles in a film crew, and the different genres of videos all through an interactive and dynamic format.

The third day was filming day, the participants had the chance to film around the beautiful and quaint city of Rzeszow or use INPRO’s establishments to make their ideas come to life, the participants had full creative freedom to create any style of video they would like. 

Before the results were shown on the big screen the participants went to visit Rzeszow’s past, through a museum visit and a scavenger hunt through the city, which connected Polish cinema and the city with the topic of videography as a means of impacting people.

The big day arrived! Each group proudly stood before their classmates to present their completed video projects. The variety was impressive – a music video, a commercial, a vlog, and even a short film – each with its own unique style. One used a cool “single-take” approach, while another explored different points of view. It was clear everyone had learned the basics of framing and perspective, making their visuals engaging.

Every video showed creativity and tackled the assigned theme thoughtfully. Some groups focused on specific aspects of the topic, while others captured the bigger picture. After the presentations, an insightful discussion unfolded, further exploring the theme and the exciting world of videography. It was a day to remember!

As the program neared its end, one day remained for goodbyes. In a heartwarming activity, participants wrote personal messages on each other’s backs – a unique way to acknowledge their newfound connections, despite meeting just days ago. They shared reflections on the shared experiences that had brought them closer.

Just as they expressed their feelings, we too want to share some thoughts in this final paragraph…

First,    we’d like to thank all the participants for their willingness to be a part of this youth exchange, by the end of the first day, in a program that involved people from 4 different countries, it seemed like everyone had known each other for years, everyone was committed to the program as we could see from the results of every exercise. In the end, I hope you continue to use your voice and creativity to express yourselves and with all hope implement some real change.

The project is financed by Erasmus+. If you want to learn more about INPRO’s programs, follow our social media channels or check our website constantly: https://www.goinpro.org/.