Photofilms

Making photofilms @ ILRI

 * ILRI produces photofilms, which are multimedia forms that combine photographs and audio recordings, to tell stories.
 * Photofilms can be used to document project stories that include the voices and pictures of people and experiences in the field.
 * Useful for showing how research connects with people’s lives.
 * Photofilms range from between 2 and 5 minutes in length.

Required tools - An audio recorder to record high quality audio files of interviews and other sounds. e.g. Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - A DSLR camera to take photographs e.g. Canon 450d - Audio editing software e.g. Adobe Audition, Audacity or Soundtrack Pro - Compute software to organize and add effects to the final pictures and audio files e.g. iMovie (for Mac computers) and Movie Maker (PC's). - Photo editing software e.g. Photoshop (not a strict requirement).

Making a photofilm
 * 1) Start by identifying a possible story to cover.
 * 2) Where possible, set up a team of two to make the Photofilm i.e. in recording interviews and taking pictures.
 * 3) Collect additional sounds and images related to the setting of the interview. e.g traditional music or farm sounds.
 * 4) Using audio editing software, edit audio files to shorted to between 2 and 5 minutes, add background music etc.
 * 5) Select best pictures that compliment and highlight the interview (a Photofilm requires at least 25 good quality photos, more pictures if longer)
 * 6) Combine audio file and pictures in iMovie or Movie Maker.
 * 7) Add appropriate titles and credits to the film
 * 8) Export final compilation as a high quality video file for uploading to different web platforms.

Required information for finalizing a photofilm: See 'required information' guidelines for using YouTube at ILRI):

View a playlist of ILRI photofilms.

More information: To find out more about photofilms at ILRI and how you can use them contact Paul Karaimu, Muthoni Njiru or Apollo Habtamu.