Educator/Curriculum

"Whatever we are going to do has to be their own idea," Arthur Pratt, mentor and manager, WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone

"WeOwnTV" roughly translates into Sierra Leone's native language, Krio, as "Our Own TV." Personal and community ownership are the core pillars for creating the filmmaking workshop curriculum and ongoing training programs facilitated by WeOwnTV. Encouraging young people in Sierra Leone to take the lead in their own development and creative exploration is paramount to building a culture of creativity and professionalism from inside the country itself. It is on this foundation that WeOwnTV will ultimately grow into a sustainable, locally-run organization.

Our Approach: The curriculum balances intensive film production and computer skills training with classes on storytelling and creative self-expression. Technical lessons include: preproduction scripting, storyboard planning, interview techniques, basic camera training, audio recording, visual storytelling, lighting and basic editing skills; while creative and conceptual aspects focus on self-expression through documentary and fiction story development, screenwriting and acting. Once initial filmmaking skills are developed WeOwnTV instructs students on distribution, promotion and online social-engagement techniques.

Our Students: WeOwnTV targets young adults because film and media arts education provides both a unique skill set for professional development as well as an important therapeutic outlet. Women and girls, who were specifically victimized during the war, are still at a severe disadvantage in Sierra Leone. WeOwnTV is committed to maintaining at least a 50 percent ratio of women in its programs in a supportive effort to propel this sector of the society forward. Literacy is not a requirement for participation and those who are not able to read and write are paired with WeOwnTV staff to complete their applications.

The "Classroom": During initial month-long "Introduction to Filmmaking" workshop students take part in the production of a variety of short films and the development of individual work-both documentary and fiction-with their newly acquired personal video cameras.

Personalizing Stories: Each student produces a series of "video diaries" where in they are challenged to look within themselves to express experiences and feelings based on themes given to them by workshop mentors. These video diaries eventually form the basis for films collaboratively scripted and produced with their peers.

Experiential Learning: Skills are honed and put to practice via hands-on production exercises, group field trips and participation in collaborative team productions. Students learn to work together on a production team-respecting the contributions that each brings to the process-producing documentary work, journalistic pieces, creative works and narrative films.

The "follow on" workshops and education programs focus on collaborative, narrative and documentary productions, mentor training and post-production training. The students work closely with instructors and are involved in every aspect of the filmmaking process during the productions. This is an extraordinary opportunity for the young filmmakers to apply and build on their newfound skills and to work together towards shared goals.


Paying it Forward: WeOwnTV youth filmmakers are encouraged to share their work with their families and communities and are given DVD copies of work created to facilitate "home audience" screenings. Understanding that the talented youth who participate in WeOwnTV workshops are valuable to the livelihood of their families, stipends are distributed to the young filmmaker's family for the time spent away from their homes developing skills.

From the faculty to the students, a new community is created under the umbrella of WeOwnTV and each individual collaborator is expected to pass their skills on to group projects, mentorship and to maintaining the shared creative space at the Media Center in Freetown. WeOwnTV supports the development of mentors through "train the "trainer" instruction facilitated through specific workshops and individual development.