chapter 7
Project Stages
1/ Research
Research is the stage whose significance in applied projects is often underestimated, and it is not given the attention it deserves. Indeed, this part of the project often remains invisible and is like the unnoticed parts of engines in a large ship. Why is research necessary, and what do its results provide?
Research is similar to the foundation of a project and defines its core.
Research is similar to the foundation of a project and defines its core.
RESEARCH ALLOWS YOU
TO SOLVE THE FOLLOWING
TO SOLVE THE FOLLOWING
TASKS:
1
Understand the context of the project’s future life.
2
Avoid repeating existing projects.
3
Analyze effective and ineffective methods of working on a specific topic.
4
Gain important source materials for creating a concept.
5
Find effective and unconventional solutions for the project’s tasks.
6
Determine additional and indirect sources of content.
7
Clarify the goals and effects of the project.
1
Understand the context of the project’s future life.
2
Avoid repeating existing projects.
3
Analyze effective and ineffective methods of working on a specific topic.
4
Gain important source materials for creating a concept.
5
Find effective and unconventional solutions for the project’s tasks.
6
Determine additional and indirect sources of content.
7
Clarify the goals and effects of the project.
External Research:
STUDYING ANALOGUES
Before starting any design work, it is crucial to understand everything that exists in your topic and around it in the media space. It is important to look at analogs not only in the narrow field of multimedia storytelling projects but also in other formats and genres: TV series, articles, theater plays, books, social media campaigns, public events, educational programs. This will give you a detailed understanding of how the topic has already been covered, allowing you to analyze the pros and cons of specific approaches to covering the topic and using content.
STUDYING THE TOPIC
When creating a project on a sensitive topic, it is essential to understand the entire infrastructure surrounding the issue you are working with. You need to study all layers of this ecosystem — from legislation and statistics to practical cases, ending with feedback from psychological support and rehabilitation services.
This broadens your understanding of the topic and, most importantly, can provide you with important meanings, images, materials, and even subjects for the project.
Before starting any design work, it is crucial to understand everything that exists in your topic and around it in the media space. It is important to look at analogs not only in the narrow field of multimedia storytelling projects but also in other formats and genres: TV series, articles, theater plays, books, social media campaigns, public events, educational programs. This will give you a detailed understanding of how the topic has already been covered, allowing you to analyze the pros and cons of specific approaches to covering the topic and using content.
STUDYING THE TOPIC
When creating a project on a sensitive topic, it is essential to understand the entire infrastructure surrounding the issue you are working with. You need to study all layers of this ecosystem — from legislation and statistics to practical cases, ending with feedback from psychological support and rehabilitation services.
This broadens your understanding of the topic and, most importantly, can provide you with important meanings, images, materials, and even subjects for the project.
Internal Research:
Internal research is the part of project work when you are not yet collecting content but gaining an understanding of how to work with specific material, subjects, locations, events, or phenomena.
Imagine that you have already found your subject. Before interviewing them, filming the story, or even taking a photo, it is crucial to understand exactly how it should be done and, most importantly, how it should not be done. There can be different scenarios for content development, and sometimes we only have one opportunity to meet the subject. In a healthy project flow, we use the first encounters with content to feel, understand, and structure it, rather than immediately collecting and using it. This is internal research and understanding of the project’s content. What kind of person are we working with, in what environment do they live, what makes them feel constrained or annoyed, where is it comfortable for them to talk, and what should we avoid asking about?
All these questions help to uncover the subtle structure of the content. Even if it’s not about a person but a village, organization, festival, hospital, nature reserve, or craft workshop — the same rules of internal research apply: first understand the content thoroughly and only then begin to gather it.
Imagine that you have already found your subject. Before interviewing them, filming the story, or even taking a photo, it is crucial to understand exactly how it should be done and, most importantly, how it should not be done. There can be different scenarios for content development, and sometimes we only have one opportunity to meet the subject. In a healthy project flow, we use the first encounters with content to feel, understand, and structure it, rather than immediately collecting and using it. This is internal research and understanding of the project’s content. What kind of person are we working with, in what environment do they live, what makes them feel constrained or annoyed, where is it comfortable for them to talk, and what should we avoid asking about?
All these questions help to uncover the subtle structure of the content. Even if it’s not about a person but a village, organization, festival, hospital, nature reserve, or craft workshop — the same rules of internal research apply: first understand the content thoroughly and only then begin to gather it.
CONTENT GATHERING
IS NOT THE SAME AS DOCUMENTATION
This means that if we want to tell the story of a war conflict victim, it is not necessary for the content to be an interview in which a person, against the background of ruins, tells us the story of tragic events. Research and concept, which we will discuss in the next section, will help you find dozens of different ways to tell the story and choose the most ethical and expressive one among them.
Thus, at the research stage, we gain a comprehensive understanding of the content of the topic, all the nuances of the material’s nature that we will work with, and the approach we should use in working on the project.
IS NOT THE SAME AS DOCUMENTATION
This means that if we want to tell the story of a war conflict victim, it is not necessary for the content to be an interview in which a person, against the background of ruins, tells us the story of tragic events. Research and concept, which we will discuss in the next section, will help you find dozens of different ways to tell the story and choose the most ethical and expressive one among them.
Thus, at the research stage, we gain a comprehensive understanding of the content of the topic, all the nuances of the material’s nature that we will work with, and the approach we should use in working on the project.
CONTENT GATHERING
IS NOT THE SAME AS DOCUMENTATION
This means that if we want to tell the story of a war conflict victim, it is not necessary for the content to be an interview in which a person, against the background of ruins, tells us the story of tragic events. Research and concept, which we will discuss in the next section, will help you find dozens of different ways to tell the story and choose the most ethical and expressive one among them.
Thus, at the research stage, we gain a comprehensive understanding of the content of the topic, all the nuances of the material’s nature that we will work with, and the approach we should use in working on the project.
IS NOT THE SAME AS DOCUMENTATION
This means that if we want to tell the story of a war conflict victim, it is not necessary for the content to be an interview in which a person, against the background of ruins, tells us the story of tragic events. Research and concept, which we will discuss in the next section, will help you find dozens of different ways to tell the story and choose the most ethical and expressive one among them.
Thus, at the research stage, we gain a comprehensive understanding of the content of the topic, all the nuances of the material’s nature that we will work with, and the approach we should use in working on the project.
Slavery Footprint is a multimedia project presented in the form of an online survey that asks the question, "How many slaves work for you?" and provides answers to it. Users input data about their consumption habits, and the survey then calculates their participation in modern slavery. The creators of the project researched the supply chains of 400 consumer goods to determine the likely number of slaves required to produce each of these items. The goal of the survey is to raise awareness about forced and child labor and to encourage the public to take action against it.
2/ Concept
The results of the research form the main foundation for creating the concept.
Why is the concept necessary? The concept is the key through which we unlock the topic. By forming this special approach to presenting the topic, we avoid directly describing tragic events or the traumatic personal experiences associated with them and, instead, create a mechanism for deeper audience engagement.
Why is the concept necessary? The concept is the key through which we unlock the topic. By forming this special approach to presenting the topic, we avoid directly describing tragic events or the traumatic personal experiences associated with them and, instead, create a mechanism for deeper audience engagement.
IN THE CASE OF SENSITIVE TOPICS
A CONCEPTUAL
APPROACH ALLOWS US TO:
APPROACH ALLOWS US TO:
1
Create additional layers in the narrative that lead the viewer to empathy and understanding of sensitive topics not linearly
but through multiple potential pathways. This becomes especially important when the project’s topic is new or unfamiliar to the viewer.
2
Avoid documentation and create a new reality, bypassing the format of listing typical cases or forms of transmitting acute social issues.
1
Create additional layers in the narrative that lead the viewer to empathy and understanding of sensitive topics not linearly
but through multiple potential pathways. This becomes especially important when the project’s topic is new or unfamiliar to the viewer.
2
Avoid documentation and create a new reality, bypassing the format of listing typical cases or forms of transmitting acute social issues.
A well-developed concept answers most questions that arise during production and content collection: where to go, who and what to ask, how to visualize the material, and what the form of the project should be. If there were no concepts, all projects would turn into identical reports with typical questions and answers illustrated with similar photos. Thus, the concept dictates our approach to the topic and how exactly we present it to the viewer.
A formulated concept does not imply the absence of improvisation in the field or during production but rather sets a direction in which we understand what and why we are doing.
A formulated concept does not imply the absence of improvisation in the field or during production but rather sets a direction in which we understand what and why we are doing.
THE CONCEPT PROVIDES
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
SUCH AS:
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
SUCH AS:
1
What is the core idea of the project?
2
Where to go, and whom or what to ask?
3
How to visualize the material?
4
What form can the project take?
5
How to promote the project?
1
What is the core idea of the project?
2
Where to go, and whom or what to ask?
3
How to visualize the material?
4
What form can the project take?
5
How to promote the project?
The implementation of the project “Suspects” began in one of the correctional institutions for girls. Seven girls were selected and informed that their portraits would be anonymously exhibited alongside
the portraits of seven other girls from Moscow schools. Those who agreed were photographed against a neutral background that did not carry any atmosphere of a correctional institution. Moreover, they were offered to present themselves in the most attractive way they see fit (hairstyle, makeup, and beautiful clothing).
There were 14 portraits of girls of the same age (7 murderers and 7 innocent). The viewer was asked: “Who is the murderer?” They unwittingly assumed the role of a witness, called to identify the criminals
by barely perceptible signs. At the exhibition’s opening, there was a performance involving a 10-12-year-old girl dressed in a red dress, gloves, and shoes, distributing lottery tickets among the visitors. The exhibition attendee who guessed the seven murderers correctly received a prize.
Spoiler: this is almost impossible, and for 22 years, the authors have still not revealed their secrets.
the portraits of seven other girls from Moscow schools. Those who agreed were photographed against a neutral background that did not carry any atmosphere of a correctional institution. Moreover, they were offered to present themselves in the most attractive way they see fit (hairstyle, makeup, and beautiful clothing).
There were 14 portraits of girls of the same age (7 murderers and 7 innocent). The viewer was asked: “Who is the murderer?” They unwittingly assumed the role of a witness, called to identify the criminals
by barely perceptible signs. At the exhibition’s opening, there was a performance involving a 10-12-year-old girl dressed in a red dress, gloves, and shoes, distributing lottery tickets among the visitors. The exhibition attendee who guessed the seven murderers correctly received a prize.
Spoiler: this is almost impossible, and for 22 years, the authors have still not revealed their secrets.
3/ Storyboard
At the concept stage, we create a sketch of the material that will be collected during fieldwork. To test the viability of this sketch and ensure that we have not missed anything or overcomplicated the story, a storyboard is developed.
Storyboard is a set of key points along the main narrative line. At this stage, we test the narrative for logic and coherence, defining the entry and exit points—in other words, we test the path the viewer will take. You can compare it to cinema and say that the storyboard is a conditional sketch of the future project.
Storyboard is a set of key points along the main narrative line. At this stage, we test the narrative for logic and coherence, defining the entry and exit points—in other words, we test the path the viewer will take. You can compare it to cinema and say that the storyboard is a conditional sketch of the future project.
4/ Content
You may have formed the impression that the previous three stages are excessive, consume many resources, and yield no tangible result.
Yes, indeed, the result of these stages is words on paper, diagrams, sketches, piles of drafts, and mind maps*. Looking at them, it may seem that the project will never begin. But it can be stated with confidence that no successful and effective project has been created without this multi-layered preparatory work, which, in turn, saves a lot of resources and significantly reduces risks at all subsequent stages.
*Mind map is one of the tools for applied research on a topic or object. At the center of a piece of paper or board, the object of research is placed (e.g., the conflict in the Balkans). From the center, we develop a tree structure of associations from general to specific, answering the question “What is the conflict in the Balkans?”
Yes, indeed, the result of these stages is words on paper, diagrams, sketches, piles of drafts, and mind maps*. Looking at them, it may seem that the project will never begin. But it can be stated with confidence that no successful and effective project has been created without this multi-layered preparatory work, which, in turn, saves a lot of resources and significantly reduces risks at all subsequent stages.
*Mind map is one of the tools for applied research on a topic or object. At the center of a piece of paper or board, the object of research is placed (e.g., the conflict in the Balkans). From the center, we develop a tree structure of associations from general to specific, answering the question “What is the conflict in the Balkans?”
The French team conducted extensive work on the content of the web documentary La Cité des Mortes, which focuses on Ciudad Juarez, a city on the US-Mexico border (considered one of the most dangerous cities on earth). Since 1993, over 400 women have been killed, and most of the crimes remain unsolved or not even investigated. The project tells the stories of activists and investigators fighting for justice, including documentary photographs, dossiers, and Google Earth imagery.
5/ Production
For an in-depth overview of all project development stages, we move on to the next dedicated chapter, which is focused entirely on this topic.
Chapter 6
MULTIMEDIA
Chapter 8
PRODUCTION