For all documentary filmmakers, the decision to take on the feat of creating a documentary (short or feature) requires a great deal of dedication and passion. Many documentarians are driven to make documentaries in an effort to bring increased awareness to a social issue or movement that they feel deserves more attention. 

News cycles and algorithms tailored by our data make it difficult to see what is happening beyond our filtered information bubbles. In a world that is oversaturated with information that can quickly become white noise, filmmaking as a medium of communication is often able to reach beyond the noise and into the hearts and minds of its viewers. 

Cinema is an artistic medium with the capability to communicate social issues by appealing to the emotions of its viewers. This art form possesses the delightful magic of humanizing issues in ways that are often difficult to put into words. While other mediums such as white papers and peer-reviewed studies communicate knowledge, cinema communicates the human experience beyond numbers and stats. 

Films can result in their viewers extending empathy and compassion to strangers simply by focusing on impactful moments of the human experience that bring us all together. 

Many filmmakers are interested in learning how to use their filmmaking skills to amplify the social issues they care about most. Below you’ll find three key areas that every social issue filmmaker should have on their radar to achieve this goal. 

1) Spotlight an existing social movement and/or organization that requires more public visibility through cinema.

Did you recently come across a piece of news that surprised you or enraged you so much that you instantly thought, ‘more people should know/care about this?’

Chances are there are already people working on the front lines of this issue and a little research can lead you to the organizations and communities working to improve this social issue, while also giving you a deeper understanding of the social justice work that is being done at the grassroots level. 

The 2011 Frontline feature documentary film, “The Interrupters” followed the members of the Chicago-based activist group CeaseFire as they embraced non-traditional ways to deescalate gang and street violence through empathy-led conflict resolution. As former gang leaders themselves, Ameena Anderson and Cobe Williams – the “Violence Interrupters” of CeaseFire – know the complexities of gang violence, making them most fitting to address it. 

In the film, audiences have an opportunity to see how Chicago communities take on a Save Ourselves approach as the violence reaches national attention with little government intervention. 

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and received critical reception, but more importantly, the film amplified a program that was once local to just Chicago neighborhoods. As a result of the program’s increased visibility, the program was adopted by other U.S. cities and even had an international influence with a short-lived CeaseFire-style program in Bermuda. 

Filmmaking that spotlights a social issue is most effective when viewers are allowed into the inner worlds of the people behind the organizations leading social movements. Behind every movement and social issue are people fighting and being impacted daily by this social struggle. 

2) Create a compelling story that also increases public awareness by centering on the people that face this issue in their daily lives.

Approaching a social issue through people who may not be at marches or protesting in court halls but are fighting daily to survive can serve as an eye-opener for viewers. 

The 2020 PBS feature-length documentary film, “Through the Night”, directed by Loira Limbal, raised public awareness of the challenges faced by low-income families, working mothers, and the ever-increasing need for accessible and affordable childcare by following the lives of three New York mothers whose lives intersected at a 24-hour daycare center. 

• Through an observational approach, viewers gained access to an intimate portrait of the lives of three women: Deloris, the owner of the 24-hour daycare, Dee’s Tots; Marisol, a working mother whose children have practically grown up at Dee’s Tots as Marisol balances three jobs to support her family; and Shanona, a pediatric ER nurse who depends on the 24-hour daycare to care for her children during her overnight shifts.
• Through this multi-perspective portrait, viewers were able to see real-life case studies of people who survive without social safety nets. 

Rather than a short news story package about declining daycare accessibility, this 76-minute documentary gives audiences an inside look into what goes into running a 24-hour daycare and what makes it such a necessity for the people they serve. We see the toll that running a daycare takes on Deloris’ health and finances, and the sacrifices that all three women have to make for their children, just to provide for their basic needs. 

While none of the characters consider themselves activists working on the frontlines of the accessible daycare movement, each of them informs the issue through the humanization of their personal stories on-screen. The film provides viewers with a deeper understanding of the people behind the numbers that you might find in a news article about economic disenfranchisement and daycare accessibility. 

After watching a film that focuses on the real human beings impacted by social issues, audience members will hopefully call upon this knowledge in future encounters with people like those they have seen represented on screen.

3) Partner with Like-Minded Organizations to Launch a Social Impact Campaign for your film.

Once a film is past festival and broadcast distribution, the opportunities for social impact do not have to stop there. Many filmmakers partner with mission-aligned grassroots organizations, philanthropists, academics, politicians, and social influencers to extend the reach of their films.  

A great starting place for any filmmaker who is interested in creating a social impact strategy for their film is, “The Impact Field Guide & Toolkit” from the Doc Society. The toolkit is available to download free of charge and is currently available in seven languages. 

The 2019 PBS feature-length documentary film, River City Drumbeat, directed by Anne Flatté and Marlon Johnson, followed the members of an afterschool Pan-Africanist drumming program. The film focuses on Mr. White, who co-founded the organization with his late wife, Zambia. After running the organization successfully for 30 years, Mr. White steps down to pursue his deferred photographer and sculptor dreams, vowing to leave the organization once the high school seniors of the group graduate.

Newly appointed director Albert Shumake, an alumnus of the drumming group, takes on the new position while also balancing fatherhood. Viewers witness teaching moments between Mr. White, Albert, and the youth they teach and mentor, and see firsthand what a godsend an identity-affirming afterschool program can be for black youth living in communities where arts education is underfunded.

River City Drumbeat filmmakers Anne Flatté and Marlon Johnson toured the film with after-school arts and music programs around the country. In October 2021, the filmmakers teamed up with the Afterschool Alliance for a special film screening. 

The film was played at the Afterschool Alliance’s 22nd annual Lights On Afterschool, the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs. Lights On Afterschool is held each October to shine a light on after-school programs and the opportunities they provide young people to learn and grow. In a typical year, 8,000+ events draw 1 million Americans.

Summing It All Up

Cinema can transcend beyond polarized political binaries and into human connection. Leading with empathy in the filmmaking process creates endless opportunities for viewers to learn and identify with issues that go beyond their personal experiences. 

If you are new to filmmaking but are interested in using film to communicate social issues you can learn about the Social Justice Filmmaking Workshop by visiting the website!