Challenges and Adaptions
Challenges:
Facilitators should be prepared for a range of challenges and be responsive to the diverse needs of the group. For example:
- Some participants may require additional support with technical aspects such as using cameras, sound equipment, or editing tools.
- Narratives may evolve in unexpected directions; facilitators should remain open to this, recognising that unplanned stories can often be the most powerful.
- Time constraints or external pressures may mean not all ideas can be explored in full. In these cases, it can be useful to collectively prioritise key themes while ensuring the process remains inclusive.
- Safety concerns may arise if filming takes place in unsuitable locations, focuses on inappropriate subjects or events, or occurs at times that could put people at risk. Providing clear guidance can help ensure filming remains safe and respectful for everyone involved.
In this video Geraldine Brown discusses why it is important to take great care when using Participatory Filmmaking and reflects on some of the challenges involved in applying the method:
Adaptations:
1. Story-led participatory editing
Rather than starting with filming, participants begin by sharing stories, selecting themes collectively, and then selecting pre-recorded or archive footage (their own or shared). This method can be helpful where time, technical confidence, or consent to film are limited.
2. Mobile micro filmmaking
Participants use smartphones and basic apps to shoot, edit, and share very short films (e.g. under 3 minutes). This approach lowers technical barriers, encourages experimentation, and works well in time-constrained or informal settings, particularly with younger participants or in contexts with limited equipment.
3. Collaborative essay film
Participants develop voiceovers or commentary that reflect critically on visual materials, such as personal photos, drawings, or collaboratively captured scenes. The emphasis is on reflective narration and meaning-making.
4. Facilitated co-direction
Instead of each participant making their own film, the group co-directs a single piece through shared decision-making processes. Roles can be rotated or assigned by interest (e.g. camera, sound, interviewing, scripting). This encourages collective responsibility and dialogue around representation, this adaption might be more time-consuming but could be combined with the Participatory Theatre Method.
5. Participatory animation or stop-motion
Where live-action filming may not be appropriate or accessible, animation offers a powerful medium. Participants can draw, model, or collage frames that are then animated, allowing for symbolic storytelling, creative abstraction, and safer ways to explore sensitive themes.
6. Video postcards
Each participant creates a 30–60 second film 'postcard' to someone or something (a place, future self, decision-maker). These are personal, reflective, and easy to produce individually or in small groups.
7. Participatory and Professional
Combine participatory and professional filmmaking by inviting participants to contribute material on whatever inspires them about biodiversity and their relationship with nature. A professional filmmaker then brings these contributions together into a single film, with participants involved in reviewing and providing feedback along the way. This approach can make the process more manageable for those with limited time.
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Impact Potential
Understanding the potential impacts of participatory film can help anticipate the kinds of changes it may support and help plan for how these can be recognised and strengthened over time. Impacts can occur at multiple levels, from individual awareness to shifts in policy or institutional practice.
Intrapersonal change takes place within an individual, involving shifts in knowledge, attitudes, emotions, or skills.
- Self-reflection and personal growth: Storytelling through film can prompt participants to reflect on their values, experiences, and connections with nature. In biodiversity-focused projects, this might involve learning about endangered species, recognising the causes of habitat loss, or forming a deeper relationship with specific landscapes or species. Such reflection can lead to greater confidence, a willingness to speak publicly, or the adoption of new practices such as observing biodiversity more closely or sharing conservation messages with others.
- Motivation for action: Filmmaking can inspire participants to start conversations, join local environmental activities, or change how they interact with green spaces.
Interpersonal change occurs between people, who influence and learn from one another through collaboration and dialogue.
- Collaboration and shared purpose: Co-creating video content can build trust and foster a sense of shared inquiry, especially when participants plan, film, and review material together.
- Exchange of perspectives: Working as a group offers opportunities to learn from each other’s knowledge and experiences, which can lead to new ideas for collective action or mutual support networks.
Community-level change involves shifts in the practices, norms, or structures of a group, organisation, or place-based network.
- Strengthening networks and identity: Participatory video can help shape a shared identity, especially when films focus on local places and practices. This can lead to new initiatives such as community gardens, joint events, or collaborative campaigns.
- Catalysing group action: Relationships formed through the process may continue beyond the project, supporting ongoing collaborations or new alliances.
Wider societal and institutional change happens when the influence of participatory video extends beyond the immediate group.
- Raising visibility and challenging narratives: Screenings can bring overlooked perspectives into public view, challenging assumptions and prompting dialogue on biodiversity and nature–society relations.
- Informing decision-making: When shared in policy or institutional spaces, films can influence planning, organisational practices, or advocacy strategies by amplifying community voices.
- Building lasting connections: The relationships forged through the process, including with NGOs, or researchers, can continue to shape dialogue and collaboration long after the project ends.
Ways to Measure Impact:
For more detailed guidance on measuring change, see the Impact Module. Three techniques that may work well include:
- Participant reflection tools – Invite participants to keep process journals, audio diaries, or video logs during the project to capture changes in their knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
- Post-project co-reflection workshops – Bring participants together after filming to discuss what they learned, relationships formed, and any actions taken as a result of the process.
- Audience feedback – Use comment walls, QR-linked surveys, or short interviews during or after screenings to gauge viewer responses and identify potential follow-up actions.
In this video Geraldine Brown reflects on some of the impacts of Participatory Filmmaking in PLANET4B:
Reflection and Next Steps
Key Learnings from the Process
As the participatory filming project draws to a close, it's important to reflect collectively on what the process has involved. Questions might include:
- What aspects of the process worked well, and why?
- What challenges emerged, and how were they navigated?
- What would participants do differently in future projects?
- What does success look like, and who defines it?
These reflections can inform future participatory projects and help build critical literacy around the politics of storytelling and representation.
In this video Geraldine Brown reflects on some of the key learnings that emerged from using Participatory Filmmaking in the PLANET4B project:
Encouraging Ongoing Engagement
Participatory filmmaking should not be treated as a one-off intervention. Facilitators can support ongoing engagement by:
- Creating opportunities for participants to continue using film as a medium for expression, dialogue, or activism – whether through further training, peer-to-peer projects, or community archiving
- Supporting access to equipment, platforms, or networks that allow participants to sustain creative work beyond the life of the project
- Following up on the dissemination process, supporting participants to assess longer-term impacts and possibilities for further influence or collaboration
Sustaining the impact of participatory film means treating it not just as a method, but as part of a wider process of social transformation, rooted in relationships of care, appreciation and collective agency.
