Below are the responses to TOTO Challenge #2 (60 second video on how technology can help fight poverty) from our Project TOTO shortlist.
To help ActionAid judge these clips, please post a comment at the bottom of this post telling us which video you liked most and why.
Remember what we’re looking for is:
- Quality of content: Does the video blog provide interesting ideas or examples of how technology can be used in the fight against poverty?
- Entertainment value: Is the video blog entertaining to watch? It doesn’t have to be funny or heavy on special effects, but it does need to be engaging enough that people would watch the video from beginning to end – and potentially pass it on to friends to watch.
- Video views and star ratings: How many people watch the video and how popular is it? This is both a test of the quality of the video (a more interesting video will be more popular) and your ability to distribute content to people who are interested (seeded in the right networks, the video will get more views).
Now check out the clips…
Don’t forget to leave a comment telling us which video you liked most and why?
Tags: challenge, poverty, technology, video blog
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TOTO update: responses to Challenge #2 (60 sec video on technology and poverty) LIVE on the TOTO Blog: http://bit.ly/4xHQo8
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
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Not sure whether this is an indication of success or not, but Joel Katz’s submission above was the only one to actually make me *feel* something…
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I thought Emily French’s video was absolutely stunning. It provided perfect case studies of how technology has been able to have a positive impact on poverty and prioritised the human element of this experience. I found her choice of music beautiful too as it didn’t distract the viewer from the words on the screen – it really complimented the message she set out to convey and I was very moved by it. I liked the fact that she linked Marie-Claire’s success as a businesswoman through technology to the positive impact this had on the local perception of HIV/AIDS. That was a really wonderful, original example that stood out from the other videos.
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Ok the videos for project TOTO now posted… this is where I need your comments *please* http://tinyurl.com/y8ge9zg
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
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Check out the TOTO videos on using technology to fight poverty: http://bit.ly/4xHQo8 Let us know which one you like most
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
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Renee Barnes video made the biggest impact on me because I didn’t realise how foreign the concept of technology in these communities was to me until I saw a multiplicity of images of technology being used within these communities. I was surprised by my reaction. It’s not foreign to them, it’s just inaccessible… as they will continue to be if the bridge of technology is not delivered to them. Well done. Loved it…. point made!
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Emily French’s video was a wonderfully engaging examination of how technology can be used to help the fight against poverty. She used the work of other anti-poverty organisations to beautifully illustrate her point and this reflected that she had obviously researched the issue very well. The rich content of the video did not compromise the way it was delivered and it did not feel rushed as some other videos did. I particularly enjoyed the end, where Emily reflected on the fact that technology was being considered in Geneva as the means to fight poverty but stated that it is only with pressure from us that these methods will be realised. Emily showed us that we have a responsibility to help those in need but without ever preaching or alienating the viewer. Really terrific video.
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(1) Joel Matz – the use of words and images was very well done to convey a simple but effective message that was easy to follow and remember, and was entertaining as wel.
(2) Father Dave – the personal touch of an interview with someone ‘representing’ a community always hits home, the messae was simple.
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Renee’s video got some important facts across clearly and memorably.
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I particularly felt that Emily French’s video really held my attention and It’s simplicity meant that the message was clear and to the point which is what I think the viewer really needs, especially the reference to our responsibility at the end. Good use of emotive music and very memorable.
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I thought that the submission by Emily was brilliant. It explained exactly how technology could help, following the story through until I was absolutely convinced. Loved the music too. All in all, a very direct video message. And another example of how technology can help to get the message across. Perfect.
(I also thought Sharnas song was rather amusing!!) -
Emily’s video was excellent – nice and simple, the music was good. And the message was very clear.
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Fighting Father is a must to see because I didn’t know before that technology is a part of tools to fight poverty . Poverty is like a shame in rich society where we live for our comfort alone neglecting the need around us . Technology like the media , internet ,
or any other tools as such is a great linkage between us and ( the one who have and the the other who have not ). So father David Good on you .-
I agree with Aki. The need for communication has always been important, especially between indigenous and non-indigenous people. Communication tools such as the mobile phone and what the computer can encourage and develop have incredible potential as intimated in this 60-second grab. Great stuff!
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Sharna’s video was an eye opener. I love it that her focus is on sanitation. She is so right that we take our sanitation facilities for granted. The facts that she has shown in this video have made me truly think about the lives of those poor people in third world countries. Well done Sharna, and love the song!!!!
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hey sharna, what a great video!!
Some people dont actually realise how bad toilets and sanitation are in third world countries. Its not until you experience it first hand that you realise how much we take for granted. Your video gives some good examples along with some interesting facts.
Keep up the good work!!
Leahp.s. Love the choice of song!!!
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Emily French’s video was definitely the standout for me!
It was clear, simple and didn’t use flashy effects that took away from her message about technology and poverty. She also took the time to let you read her slides, which I felt was a problem with some of the other videos. This meant it continued to flow and, along with the brilliant choice of music, was really able to engage the viewer. It definitely made me consider how technology is able to help those living in poverty and made me see that it should not be solely a privilege for the developed world. Great job Emily! -
of the videos I felt Emily French’s was the best. It stuck clearly to the issue, made a number of valid points, was well presented and well thought out. it felt neither rushed, as if it were an effort to forcibly condense to a minute, nor shallow, as if having only a minute to speak left it unable to convey any real message. of all the videos i felt that Emily’s best trod the line between these two pitfalls.
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I really agree with Chris, Emily French managed to strike a perfect balance between superb content while still presenting her video at a lovely pace with great style. It clearly addressed the question that ActionAid asked as part of the challenge and definitely made me consider technology in a new way. And what beautiful music…it gave me goosebumps!
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Clearly for song alone, Sharna Bremner’s submission beats out the rest.
Song aside, the heart of it shines through loud and clear. Proper Basic sanitation is simply something we don’t even think about. Yet, it is linked to so many facets of our society, as evidenced in the video, from education to disease and preventable death.
What better way to tackle this stigmatized topic than through technology, hard hitting facts and humour (read: comical songs).
Fantastic job Sharna, can’t wait to see more from you!
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Well done to everyone who has submitted a video. I found it incredibly interesting to see the different ways each person tackled the task and targetted the problem. Among my favourites were Emily French’s, and Joel Katz’s. Emily, I was impressed with the facts that you were able to produce which clearly show the need for technology to aid helathcare and education to name but a few factors. The pace of your slides was perfect – I could read them all in time. Though I sense you are new to producing videos of this sort I think you hit the basic requirements perfectly. As with your first task response I feel informed and moved to support what you are promoting. The music was great. Well done
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OK…one thing I think ActionAid needs to start taking seriously is people’s grammar and spelling. I am pretty shocked that the winner of the last challenge, as well as one of the runner-ups, both had clear errors throughout their work. Mistakes such as these really do undermine the overall piece and detract from the message the writer is attempting to convey. Obviously, it is important that the work is coherent to the average reader but it is equally important that it is academic enough to be taken seriously. At the end of the day, mispellings and a disregard for grammar are a pain to trawl through.
Anyway…my favourite videos are Emily French’s and Joel Katz’s. Interestingly, their articles for the previous challenge were also what I considered to be the best of the lot. They both seem to have an awareness of how to move and inspire people and can rely on their talent to attract support without turning these boards into a popularity contest.
Their grammar also happens to be immaculate… -
Check out Dave Rooney’s belated response to TOTO Challenge #2 – it’s… different: http://bit.ly/4xHQo8 (video at bottom of page)
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
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Thought I’d add a couple of comments about the video/animation I created:
One of the aims of this challenge was to show how technology could help to fight poverty. I thought one of the best examples (and goes to the heart of what the Toto challenge is all about at the end of the day) was the way in which technology can give a voice to those most affected by poverty when they have the tools at their disposal. In this case, utilising a free online video animation creation tool, a young main in Kenya can create something fun and engaging that can be viewed by anyone in the world. Given the number of really creative individuals I met while there, who knows what wonderful things they could create using this tool that could communicate in their own words – but with a fun, engaging twist – different ideas and messages.
All about teaching a man (or woman) how to fish…
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Sharna, what a fantastic video to promote the understanding and awareness of such an over-looked issue…. The more I follow your blogs and challenges, the more I acknowldge how important this issue is, and how with the cooperation of others, it can be a problem solved, making such a large difference to so many peoples lives.
I found the content of your video most definitely shows the importantce of the issue, and with the use of statistics and research, as a reader, I was able to grasp the enourmity of the problem..Thankyou again for another informative (and entertaining) insight into yet another luxury of life that is so much taken for granted by so many around the world.
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My favorite video would definitely have to be JOEL KATZ’S. He seems to be the only one who has actual live footage rather than presenting a slide show … and footage that actually carries a story … a story that is very entertaining and interesting to watch.
I enjoyed being pulled into another culture and having a sneak peak into a little boy’s life. It felt like I was walking with “him” through the streets of the Philippines.
It really felt like a mini movie to me. A real story! Most of the other videos seemed like powerpoint presentations – although effective – I didn’t find them as powerful.
A big plus to Joel’s video is all the smiling faces! It shows that there’s hope and happiness even in the poorest places… and this is speaking through family experience. I love how you’ve given power back to the disadvantaged communities and shown that they CAN have a voice through social media.
Also, Joel – was that you playing guitar? If so, it was awesome! Even though there are all these smiling faces … mixed with the background music, it still made me want to cry. Well done Joel!
Just a quick note: I agree with Simon’s comment above – Joel Katz’s blog for the first challenge was by far one of the best. I honestly believe ActionAid has overlooked a better candidate.
Goodluck with the competition everyone!
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Have you commented on our shortlist’s response to the TOTO video challenge yet? http://bit.ly/4xHQo8 Who’s done the best job?
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
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Well done to all of the contestants on this challenge!
I particularly enjoyed those videos of Sharna Bremner & Joel Katz.
Sharna’s video highlights a crucial barrier on the road to development, providing an articulate, yet humourous view of how technology can improve the lives of so many. Once again, Sharna has managed to present her blog in a manner that everyday people can relate to and understand without using technical dialogue but without being condescending. I loved the song & hope to see more from you soon! Congratulations on winning the first challenge too Sharna. Well deserved!
Joel’s video was also highly enjoyable! The smiles of the people made this one enjoyable!
As for those who seem to be criticising both the candidates and ActionAid, please remember that this is an extra-curricular activity for the candidates who, as you can see from their profiles, are all either working or studying and are also extremely involved in their communities. This is just one more thing in a long list of things they are involved with and until you can produce several flawless pieces of work, please keep your opinions to yourself. If you think you could do better, perhaps you should consider nominating yourself in the future and find out for yourself that it’s not quite as easy as it seems.
Good luck to the remaining candidates!
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Well Done Sharna Bremner,
Your piece was not only amusing but most informative to watch and on a subject most of us may not have given any thought to otherwise.
Very nice work!!
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I love Sharna Bremner’s ability to convey very important issues so simply yet powerfully. Your use of images and facts work effectively together to really get the message across that sanitation can impact humans so heavily.. interfering with children’s (particularly females) learning and education etc. and in some cases even death. Your music choice tied it all together and allowed your video to be suitable and educational for people of all ages.
Well done, Sharna!
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Vote #1 for Emily, Sharna and Joel!!!
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I definitely felt that Emily French made the best submission for the second TOTO challenge. Emily clearly shows in this video (as in her first article) her ability to back up her contentions with comprehensive research and examples – she does not make grand statements or generalisations that have no basis in fact. Emily’s video immediately showed her intention to address the set question and supplied some truly wonderful examples of how technology has benefited those suffering in poverty. She kept the human element of the fight at the forefront of her video and I found her choice of music complimented it perfectly. It was wonderfully well-paced, moving and informative. Well done Emily!
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The standout video for me here was Emily French’s. I felt it fulfilled ActionAid’s criteria perfectly. It had some fantastic, diverse content – whereas most people only used one example, Emily had a real variety of examples. Although it was visually simple, it meant that it did not distract the viewer from the message it was delivering and the music was wonderful. It was thoroughly engaging and immediately set out to address the challenge’s question. I have already shared it with a few friends via facebook!
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What a fantastic project to be involved with!
I enjoyed each of the videos but the one that stood out for me was Sharna Bremners. I never thought of toilets being a technology that could save lives. The other videos were great but I found that the one about toilets made the greatest impact. Who would’ve thought that something so simple and something we take for granted could potentially save millions of lives? I certainly never considered it. Mobile phones, computers etc are all great but toilets seem to be a fundamental human right. Plus, the fact that Sharna could find a song to use about toilets means she’s an automatic winner in my book!
Good luck to all the candidates!
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I really felt that Emily French’s response was the best of the bunch. Her video was simple and elegant, with a well-researched response that really hit the important topics to do with poverty. Her response was also beautifully laid out with the small window of time, neither feeling rushed or lacking in content, and the beautiful choice of music was very appropriate.
Sharna’s video had some interesting content but really failed to deliver it in my eyes. There where multiple slides that even paused were a struggle to read. This was disappointing due to the good content she could have delivered she had made a more efficient plan with her time constraints.
Joel Katz’s was by comparison beautifully laid out, as was his response to challenge one and I was expecting nothing less. However I felt that in this case his content didn’t address the issue from any interesting new angle or with particularly informed research.
Of Father Dave’s video I felt that although he had gone to a lot of effort to get an interview for insight into our own country, it didn’t come across with any particular content or important message that others did.
Laurel’s response was an interesting new angle but it unfortunately didn’t engage me from a visual standpoint in any way. Maybe it was personal preference on presentation.
I’m disappointed to see various participants haven’t produced even though they were accepted into the shortlist from a large contingent. I think there would be plenty of willing participates that would have loved to be part of the opportunity that actionaid is providing.
Of the responses Emily French’s definitely struck me as the most informed, the best laid out and most engaging of the videos presented for challenge #2. Good luck to her and well done to the rest of the participants as well.
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I think that all of the 1minute videos were great – loved the toilet one with the accompanying vocals. But the video that Emily French submitted really captured my attention – it was superb – an engaging story to follow – easy to read – great backing music + and a take away action for the reader at the end.
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For music alone my vote goes to Sharna! Classic video! Humerous, yet informative. Sharna makes it easy for people with little knowledge of development to learn!
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Pingback from Project TOTO · TOTO Challenge #2 – The Winner! on 07/01/2010 at 3:39 pm
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