Masterclasses
Masterclasses at #SMEX17 will give attendees the chance to create their own personal multi-media training day. Lead by top experts who will share their insight and knowledge.
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Harnessing social media
...to tell your charity's story
How can you amplify your charities stories using social media? Nathan Murray will share his insights from working in the RNLI’s digital team and now at RNIB. He’ll explore their recent digital storytelling campaign supporting the BBC One Series Saving Lives At Sea which put a spotlight on the work of RNLI volunteers. Nathan will demonstrate the digital tools used and ideas that can be applied to organisations of all sizes. You’ll leave this session confident about how to amplify your work through social media exploring a range of digital channels to engage with new audiences.
What you’ll get out of it:
• An understanding of low-cost tools which can help with storytelling on social media, including live streaming
• Ideas and inspiration on how you can package your charities story for social media
• Confidence in setting clear objectives for social media activity
• A grasp of social media analytics and how to use them effectively. -
Transforming Tough Topics
How RightsInfo have transformed the story of Human Rights
RightsInfo’s mission is to make human rights interesting, relevant and accessible to a wide audience. They translate complex cases and issues into eye-catching infographics, animations and though-provoking articles via their digital platform. Adam Wagner and Yoav Segal will share their insights into how to make complex subjects digestible, engaging and shareable, giving practical examples of how we can disseminate information accurately in an attractive way.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn how to translate difficult concepts into simple, engaging digital resources
• Get tips on how to exploit social media platforms and evolve with the media landscape
• Learn how build communities of volunteers, supporters and influencers
• Discover how a responsive, evidence-based approach can lead to real world impact -
Crowdsourcing Content
How Cancer Research UK is using their community to tell their stories
Discover how to engage your communities and the people you support to produce great user generated content that champions authentic storytelling. Cancer Research UK’s campaign #CancerRightNow put real people at the heart of their campaign. They’ve amplified the impact of their work by encouraging their communities to become storytellers creating and sharing powerful first-hand stories. Find out how User Generated Content can be incorporated into your organisation in this dynamic session.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Be able to spot great opportunities for UGC
• Be able to identify what type of ‘asks’ your audience respond to
• Understand how to use simple (free!) tools to create great UGC -
The Power of Sound
How can charities harness audio storytelling
It’s surprising what you hear when you listen. Audio is an amazing storytelling technique but seems to be underused within the charity sector. So how can organisations use audio in their work and what steps do they need to get started. In this interactive and practical session Jude Habib will share her passion for audio storytelling and will provide tips and insights into the role it can play in your organisation.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn different audio storytelling techniques from vox pops to audio diaries to podcasts.
• Learn interview techniques and about working with sensitive material
• Get ideas about where sound can work be used within your work.
• Learn how to use your phone to gather audio stories. -
Get Blogging
Become a master blogger and tell authentic stories to a wider audience
Done right, blogging is a powerful tool. But how can you make sure your blog stands out from the crowd and has maximum impact? And what are journalists looking for in guest blogs? This interactive and engaging session will show you how to make your blog work for your organisation and other channels, whether you want to change perceptions, engage a wider group of people, empower your service users or all of the above.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Understand the essential dos and don’ts of blogging
• Inject life into your blog and be inspired to come up with fresh ideas
• Get insights into blogging for other channels including news outlets like the Guardian -
Video Storytelling
Do you need some inspiration and fresh ideas to help you develop your organisation’s video storytelling
strategy? In this session you’ll get an insight into how to the make the most of video to help your stories
come alive. Focusing on video capturing and editing on mobile devices you will be taken through a
whistle-stop tour through the production process exploring basic shooting tips, learning about structuring
video and getting an overview of editing.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn mobile phone video shooting tips
• Learn how to shoot interviews
• Come away with confidence to create and share video stories -
Creative Smartphone Photography
Tips on creative photography, shooting, editing and sharing with your Smartphone
Award winning iPhone photographer and co-author of the book “The Art of iPhone Photography – Creating great photos with your iPhone” Nicki Fitz-Gerald will be sharing with us all the best aspects of shooting, editing and sharing with an iPhone. Anyone who has a smartphone in their pocket can become a photographer and you don’t need the latest model to create great photos. You’ll learn how take more creative photos that have impact and will get your pictures noticed. We’ll also explore some of the best editing apps out there for giving your photos the edge and adding text.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn some photography fundamentals including focus, exposure, light and composition
• Discover some great features for action shots
• Have confidence to use a mobile device for creating professional photos
• Learn about different apps for editing your photos
• Tips for getting creative with your photographyPlease note that this session will mainly cover iPhones, but apps suitable for all devices will be included.
Recommended apps for the session although we may not get time to go through all of these:
Quick (for adding text) FREE or (OVER app for the paid much better version)
optional
Procamera (for shooting), Snapseed (Great all round editor) FREE, Retouch (Removing unwanted elements) £1.99 -
Telling Difficult Stories
The perspective of a documentary maker
With documentaries to her credit including The Hunt for Britain’s Sex Gangs and Behind Closed Doors multi-award winning filmmaker Anna Hall has built a reputation for taking challenging and thought-provoking stories and telling them in a dynamic way. Her work gives an authentic voice to the subjects of her programmes – many speaking out for the first time. In this interactive workshop Anna will share insights into her work, how she has put a spotlight on difficult issues, how she gains trust and access and consent for her and balancing the needs of a filmmaker with those of the case studies involved.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn what makes a good story on TV
• Understand how documentary makers work with charities and how these relationships work.
• Learn what broadcasters are looking for in terms of access and consent
You will leave with more confidence about working with a production company on your stories. -
Crowdfunding for your Cause
Come in for funding, leave with so much more.
Crowdfunding isn’t only an efficient way to raise money for your project, it’s also an extremely good way to share your message, reach new audiences, market your organisation, gain new advocates and develop social validation.
In this masterclass, you will learn what the 6 key steps to crowdfunding are, which platforms are best for you, and get invaluable advice in how to use your stories to create solid and emotive content that gets results. There will also be the chance brainstorm ideas you might have in development and take a look at previous successful campaigns.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn what makes a successful crowdfunding campaign
• Know how to use good storytelling to craft a compelling crowdfunding campaign
• Get the skills to effectively promote a campaign
• Learn how to keep supporters engaged after the campaign -
Giving a Voice to the People you Support
Amplify your organisation's impact through firsthand storytelling
Nothing will show your organisation’s impact more powerfully than the authentic, well-told stories of the people you support. But how can you work together to build trust and nurture firsthand storytellers to make a real impact? What are the most effective digital channels to use? Come to this workshop to find out how to harness the power of storytelling for your cause, and give the people you are there to support a platform to tell their stories.
Hear firsthand from people who are using their experiences to change perceptions in the media and wider systems within society.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Discover how a range of charities of all sizes are telling authentic stories by giving a platform to the people they support
• Explore the barriers that charities might face to working in the way and get solutions
• Top tips to getting started
• Share ideas and experiences with other SMEX17 delegates -
Getting to Grips with Immersive Storytelling
VR and 360 video are fast emerging as exciting yet realistic formats to communicate with your audience. It’s now not uncommon for 360 videos hosted on Facebook and YouTube to achieve millions of views. This type of media can be a great driver for good – it can build empathy, draw new audiences and even help raise funds. In this session, Catherine will help organisations explore the opportunities that 360 can bring, demonstrate successful case studies, and give her top tips for what makes a great 360 concept.
What you’ll get out of it:
- An introduction to immersive experiences
- An understanding of the VR/360 video landscape and how it can be of value to charities & other organisations
- Find inspiration for 360 videos or VR to take back to the office
- Gain a basic understanding of the 360 video production process