On location in the Himalayas 2011
Production Values
We believe in allowing the storyline to unfold organically during the shooting process. This allows us to capture the story without bias from the trenches in the mission environment. With that said, we conduct exhaustive research about the organization, the location of the mission, the population and history of the country, etc... in order to have a solid understanding of the culture we are visiting prior to production.
1. We produce our documentaries in first person narrative format. This means the story is told through the volunteer and or recipient's perspective and voice. We do not use voice-overs or scripted dialogue to tell the story unless absolutely necessary. This keeps the documentary organic and true to the subject matter. On occasion, translations are necessary and we reserve the right to use a voice over for this purpose. Voice-overs also may be utilized in featurettes that may accompany the primary documentary on the DVD.
2. Accuracy and authenticity is critical to our mission. We do not stage or recreate shots. Interviews are impromptu on location. We do not provide review questions or prompt specific answers. This is non-negotiable. We will offer information such as a broad indication of the subject matter we will be discussing, for instance: the history of the country or how the organization came to be. We allow interview subjects to refer to notes if needed, specifically when discussing statistics of sustainability.
We require complete accessto the organization and transparency. We expect to operate without interference. This is non-negotiable.
It will be necessary to confirm the factual accuracy of the script content. CFTWF reserves the right to utilize its own medical, dental, industry and historical experts to confirm factual accuracy of all information obtained.
We ask that if there are specific programs of interest to be photographed, (ie: latrine or water project construction) that your organization make certain there is compelling action to shoot. Shooting only interviews describing these events is not compelling and most likely will not be included in the documentary. With this said, we do not want you to stage or fake an event. Staging is unethical and undermines the credibility of the documentary as well our reputation. To accomplish our goal, we coordinate our travel and shoot schedules to include naturally occurring events.
3. We work independently of the organization. Our documentaries are not egocentric. Our focus is on the MISSION, not on a particular individual, donor or benefactor. We reserve the right to choose volunteer members of your organization or the recipient population to tell the story in a first person narrative. We offer no guarantees of who will appear in the final cut. We avoid individuals who “lobby” for “face time” in our films and will reject pressure from board members, benefactors, or volunteers who attempt to interfere in the editorial or production process. We understand the enthusiam your organization members may have for the story to be told, but please trust us to do our work. We will not hesitate to walk away from a project if interference occurs. Additionally, once the film is completed, no changes will be made unless there is a factual error. Do not ask us to add a donor mention.
CFTWF determines the storyline and the participants. All participants will be required to sign talent releases. Please do not ask us to photograph VIPS for your organization's marketing purposes. Historically, problems have arisen when donors expect to be given special recognition. We do not allow the profile organization or its donors to interfere with our editorial decisions. The purpose of the film is to produce an accurate portrayal of the organization without influence or interference.
4. We remain neutral in our observations of your mission. Our role is not to critique your efforts. CFTWF however, reserves the right to gather information for our research on global humanitarians efforts. The purpose is to gain insight on the “best practices” and “unintended consequences” of a range of humanitarian efforts. We believe networking between organizations is crucial to helping vulnerable populations. We do not share proprietary or other confidential information.
5. We operate in a respectful and unobtrusive manner.
Our primary goal is to support your mission. We do not interfere with your operation. Respecting your volunteers and the people you serve is critical to us. We will only photograph events and individuals with permission. We request a medical professional/team volunteer explain our purpose for shooting. In the event they deny permission, we will respect their wishes.
6. We participate as volunteers. Our crew will actively participate as a volunteer for your organization if there is a role available. In the past, we have been utilized as translators, teachers, medical triage, dentistry, pharmaceutical, driver, set up and tear down, inventory etc…. Wherever you need us, we will assist. We will not however, take on a role in which we feel our skills are inadequate, place our crew or the recipients at risk, or a role that is not part of the mission. When a compelling situation arises in which shooting is necessary, we will transition in a manner that will cause little or no disruption to your mission.
We believe in allowing the storyline to unfold organically during the shooting process. This allows us to capture the story without bias from the trenches in the mission environment. With that said, we conduct exhaustive research about the organization, the location of the mission, the population and history of the country, etc... in order to have a solid understanding of the culture we are visiting prior to production.
1. We produce our documentaries in first person narrative format. This means the story is told through the volunteer and or recipient's perspective and voice. We do not use voice-overs or scripted dialogue to tell the story unless absolutely necessary. This keeps the documentary organic and true to the subject matter. On occasion, translations are necessary and we reserve the right to use a voice over for this purpose. Voice-overs also may be utilized in featurettes that may accompany the primary documentary on the DVD.
2. Accuracy and authenticity is critical to our mission. We do not stage or recreate shots. Interviews are impromptu on location. We do not provide review questions or prompt specific answers. This is non-negotiable. We will offer information such as a broad indication of the subject matter we will be discussing, for instance: the history of the country or how the organization came to be. We allow interview subjects to refer to notes if needed, specifically when discussing statistics of sustainability.
We require complete accessto the organization and transparency. We expect to operate without interference. This is non-negotiable.
It will be necessary to confirm the factual accuracy of the script content. CFTWF reserves the right to utilize its own medical, dental, industry and historical experts to confirm factual accuracy of all information obtained.
We ask that if there are specific programs of interest to be photographed, (ie: latrine or water project construction) that your organization make certain there is compelling action to shoot. Shooting only interviews describing these events is not compelling and most likely will not be included in the documentary. With this said, we do not want you to stage or fake an event. Staging is unethical and undermines the credibility of the documentary as well our reputation. To accomplish our goal, we coordinate our travel and shoot schedules to include naturally occurring events.
3. We work independently of the organization. Our documentaries are not egocentric. Our focus is on the MISSION, not on a particular individual, donor or benefactor. We reserve the right to choose volunteer members of your organization or the recipient population to tell the story in a first person narrative. We offer no guarantees of who will appear in the final cut. We avoid individuals who “lobby” for “face time” in our films and will reject pressure from board members, benefactors, or volunteers who attempt to interfere in the editorial or production process. We understand the enthusiam your organization members may have for the story to be told, but please trust us to do our work. We will not hesitate to walk away from a project if interference occurs. Additionally, once the film is completed, no changes will be made unless there is a factual error. Do not ask us to add a donor mention.
CFTWF determines the storyline and the participants. All participants will be required to sign talent releases. Please do not ask us to photograph VIPS for your organization's marketing purposes. Historically, problems have arisen when donors expect to be given special recognition. We do not allow the profile organization or its donors to interfere with our editorial decisions. The purpose of the film is to produce an accurate portrayal of the organization without influence or interference.
4. We remain neutral in our observations of your mission. Our role is not to critique your efforts. CFTWF however, reserves the right to gather information for our research on global humanitarians efforts. The purpose is to gain insight on the “best practices” and “unintended consequences” of a range of humanitarian efforts. We believe networking between organizations is crucial to helping vulnerable populations. We do not share proprietary or other confidential information.
5. We operate in a respectful and unobtrusive manner.
Our primary goal is to support your mission. We do not interfere with your operation. Respecting your volunteers and the people you serve is critical to us. We will only photograph events and individuals with permission. We request a medical professional/team volunteer explain our purpose for shooting. In the event they deny permission, we will respect their wishes.
6. We participate as volunteers. Our crew will actively participate as a volunteer for your organization if there is a role available. In the past, we have been utilized as translators, teachers, medical triage, dentistry, pharmaceutical, driver, set up and tear down, inventory etc…. Wherever you need us, we will assist. We will not however, take on a role in which we feel our skills are inadequate, place our crew or the recipients at risk, or a role that is not part of the mission. When a compelling situation arises in which shooting is necessary, we will transition in a manner that will cause little or no disruption to your mission.
Yes, we know this sounds way too hard to do. This is why our documentaries rock.