STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR
HOLDING A SCREENING OF
A TRIBE OF HEART FILM
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
1. Setting a date
Check public schedules for community events, holidays, school-breaks, etc., to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Set the date far enough in advance so you can arrange media coverage and public announcements prior to the screening.
Contact Tribe of Heart by email so we can list your screening on our web site event calendar.
Check to see if like-minded individuals or groups might want to help with getting word out and/or holding the event.
2. Finding a Location and Equipment
Libraries, schools, churches and community centers are often available free or at low cost and sometimes have video screening equipment available for use.
Look for these qualities for an ideal space:
- A room that is not too large. It is better to have a crowded room than a half-empty one.
- A room that can be made completely dark.
- One that is quiet and free from interruptions.
- One that is handicap accessible.
If you need to rent equipment to project the video onto a screen, be sure to call ahead for prices and schedule requirements.
Also consider the sound system, since sound has a great impact on the viewing experience. Arrange to use a microphone if the room allows for it.
Locate a table on which you can display information and literature.
3. Publicity Tips
Supply media information to local editors, radio shows. You may offer to give an interview. Some papers accept articles written by community members.
Check with organizations that may have newsletters where you could place an announcement for their members.
Public announcements for community events are often available through local radio and television stations at no-cost.
Post flyers on local bulletin boards.
Contact educators, churches, health groups, environmental groups and co-ops who may be interested in expanding their ideas about compassion and contemporary ethics.
Mailings and phone calls are a great way to make the invitation personal.
4. Preparing Yourself
Review Tribe of Heart’s web site for background information and resources you can download and print for publicity and for handing out at the event. Join our Heart2Heart email discussion forum, where you can ask questions and learn from the experiences of other people who have held screenings. This is also a great place to brainstorm ideas with others who are holding similar events.
Read our Discussion Guide for ideas of how to make the most of your after-film discussion.
Collect literature from compassionate living organizations to have available at the information table. It is good to have literature from a variety of organizations, as different members of your audience may be drawn to different kinds of organizations and approaches to the issues.
After seeing one of our documentaries, people often ask what they can do to help. You will be better able to help them if you prepare in advance a list of constructive suggestions to further the cause for animals, social justice and the environment through activism, educational outreach, and adopting a compassionate lifestyle. You may also want to create a list of local and national contacts for ready reference.
Bring a pad or journal for people to leave their written comments and contact information.
5. Preparing the Space
Arrive early to set up and test the projection equipment, sound and volume. Keep in mind that a "full-house" will alter the acoustics so you may need to increase volume as needed. Experience has shown that the time taken to make sure the audio-visual gear is behaving is time well spent.
Set up the information table.
Be sure to greet people as they arrive. It can be helpful to hand them something to read about the film, while they wait for the room to fill.
6. Introduction
This is your opportunity to offer the audience your respect and your thanks. Your introduction will help them step into the experience in a positive way. Setting a friendly, welcoming tone is one of the most helpful things you can do to make people feel comfortable.
Points to make:
- Who you are.
- Why you invited them.
- Thank the audience for making the effort to be there.
- Background about the film and why you were moved to share its message with them. Even more than the awards, articles and endorsements of the documentary, your personal reasons for wanting to share this experience can provide a very meaningful introduction.
- The filmmakers are the founders of Tribe of Heart. They would remind everyone that the various movements for social justice, animal protection, environmentalism and world peace are interrelated and coherently expressed through compassionate living. It is in the spirit of the Compassionate Living Movement that the Witness was created.
- Respect individual limits regarding some of the images that are hard to watch by noting that people sometimes close their eyes or turn their heads, but encourage them to "stretch" – that choosing to know the truth is the first step toward creating a solution.
- Reassure them that you will be there for comments and questions at the end.
7. During the film
People may laugh and cry during different scenes. Generally, the larger the group, the more packed the house is, and the darker the room, the more people will feel free to express their emotions. Depending on the group and the setting, people may also choose not to express their emotions outwardly, though post-screening surveys show that regardless of the group’s collective behavior, as individuals people are experiencing the film very deeply.
Sometimes an audience member may leave the room during some of the more intense scenes. There is nothing wrong with people setting their own limits. Experience has shown that when the audience is prepared for the fact that the film does include some scenes of animal suffering, and also reassured that these scenes are presented as part of a very inspiring human story, it is rare that an audience member will leave during the screening.
For some, the screening experience creates an awareness of their own participation in the cruelty and may leave them feeling stunned.
8. When the film ends
Turn off video equipment and adjust lighting.
It will take a few moments of silence before people begin to speak.
Most people need to sit quietly in reverence for the animals they have just seen. During these moments you may recognize that the group experience has created a strong sense of community.
Some people will want to comment.
Some will have questions for you. Repeat the questions for the entire audience before you answer.
Remember that watching a Tribe of Heart film is a powerful experience, one that has taken the audience on a very challenging journey. Many people feel shaken up and a little vulnerable afterwards, as well as feeling inspired. More than any specific information you share, what will help people the most at this time is your treating them with respect and kindness.
If someone begins a subject that seems off-topic, ask them to see you afterwards for further discussion. Do not lose the attention of the group as a whole. If someone seems upset, it can be helpful to acknowledge that these are challenging issues that upset many people, that we all have had different life experiences that have led us to our points of view, that the goal of the film is to raise the issues and stimulate positive dialogue, and that it is up to each of us to draw our own conclusions.
Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer to a question. The ethical issues of the human-animal relationship are complex, and the implications and details of how our society exploits animals are vast. No one of us has all the answers, and each of us has an important piece of the solution.
Remind everyone what they can do to help. This will depend on your audience. The general public might be reminded that a simple change in diet will make a great difference, while an audience of activists will benefit from suggestions for taking steps to educate others in society. For everyone, getting a copy of the film and sharing it with others is a simple and powerful way to make a real difference.
Suggest they collect literature from the information table for more ideas.
Let them know how to contact you or local compassionate living groups.
Refer the audience to the Tribe of Heart web site, where there are extensive resources for learning more and community discussion forums for people who have just seen The Witness and for those who wish to take action.
9. After the Screening
Join the Heart2Heart email discussion group and let us know what the experience was like for the audience and for you. We’d love to hear from you, and what you share will be of great value to others. Working together, we can change the world!
Copyright © 2002 Tribe of Heart Ltd. All rights reserved.
-XX-
HOLDING A SCREENING OF
A TRIBE OF HEART FILM
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
1. Setting a date
Check public schedules for community events, holidays, school-breaks, etc., to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Set the date far enough in advance so you can arrange media coverage and public announcements prior to the screening.
Contact Tribe of Heart by email so we can list your screening on our web site event calendar.
Check to see if like-minded individuals or groups might want to help with getting word out and/or holding the event.
2. Finding a Location and Equipment
Libraries, schools, churches and community centers are often available free or at low cost and sometimes have video screening equipment available for use.
Look for these qualities for an ideal space:
- A room that is not too large. It is better to have a crowded room than a half-empty one.
- A room that can be made completely dark.
- One that is quiet and free from interruptions.
- One that is handicap accessible.
If you need to rent equipment to project the video onto a screen, be sure to call ahead for prices and schedule requirements.
Also consider the sound system, since sound has a great impact on the viewing experience. Arrange to use a microphone if the room allows for it.
Locate a table on which you can display information and literature.
3. Publicity Tips
Supply media information to local editors, radio shows. You may offer to give an interview. Some papers accept articles written by community members.
Check with organizations that may have newsletters where you could place an announcement for their members.
Public announcements for community events are often available through local radio and television stations at no-cost.
Post flyers on local bulletin boards.
Contact educators, churches, health groups, environmental groups and co-ops who may be interested in expanding their ideas about compassion and contemporary ethics.
Mailings and phone calls are a great way to make the invitation personal.
4. Preparing Yourself
Review Tribe of Heart’s web site for background information and resources you can download and print for publicity and for handing out at the event. Join our Heart2Heart email discussion forum, where you can ask questions and learn from the experiences of other people who have held screenings. This is also a great place to brainstorm ideas with others who are holding similar events.
Read our Discussion Guide for ideas of how to make the most of your after-film discussion.
Collect literature from compassionate living organizations to have available at the information table. It is good to have literature from a variety of organizations, as different members of your audience may be drawn to different kinds of organizations and approaches to the issues.
After seeing one of our documentaries, people often ask what they can do to help. You will be better able to help them if you prepare in advance a list of constructive suggestions to further the cause for animals, social justice and the environment through activism, educational outreach, and adopting a compassionate lifestyle. You may also want to create a list of local and national contacts for ready reference.
Bring a pad or journal for people to leave their written comments and contact information.
5. Preparing the Space
Arrive early to set up and test the projection equipment, sound and volume. Keep in mind that a "full-house" will alter the acoustics so you may need to increase volume as needed. Experience has shown that the time taken to make sure the audio-visual gear is behaving is time well spent.
Set up the information table.
Be sure to greet people as they arrive. It can be helpful to hand them something to read about the film, while they wait for the room to fill.
6. Introduction
This is your opportunity to offer the audience your respect and your thanks. Your introduction will help them step into the experience in a positive way. Setting a friendly, welcoming tone is one of the most helpful things you can do to make people feel comfortable.
Points to make:
- Who you are.
- Why you invited them.
- Thank the audience for making the effort to be there.
- Background about the film and why you were moved to share its message with them. Even more than the awards, articles and endorsements of the documentary, your personal reasons for wanting to share this experience can provide a very meaningful introduction.
- The filmmakers are the founders of Tribe of Heart. They would remind everyone that the various movements for social justice, animal protection, environmentalism and world peace are interrelated and coherently expressed through compassionate living. It is in the spirit of the Compassionate Living Movement that the Witness was created.
- Respect individual limits regarding some of the images that are hard to watch by noting that people sometimes close their eyes or turn their heads, but encourage them to "stretch" – that choosing to know the truth is the first step toward creating a solution.
- Reassure them that you will be there for comments and questions at the end.
7. During the film
People may laugh and cry during different scenes. Generally, the larger the group, the more packed the house is, and the darker the room, the more people will feel free to express their emotions. Depending on the group and the setting, people may also choose not to express their emotions outwardly, though post-screening surveys show that regardless of the group’s collective behavior, as individuals people are experiencing the film very deeply.
Sometimes an audience member may leave the room during some of the more intense scenes. There is nothing wrong with people setting their own limits. Experience has shown that when the audience is prepared for the fact that the film does include some scenes of animal suffering, and also reassured that these scenes are presented as part of a very inspiring human story, it is rare that an audience member will leave during the screening.
For some, the screening experience creates an awareness of their own participation in the cruelty and may leave them feeling stunned.
8. When the film ends
Turn off video equipment and adjust lighting.
It will take a few moments of silence before people begin to speak.
Most people need to sit quietly in reverence for the animals they have just seen. During these moments you may recognize that the group experience has created a strong sense of community.
Some people will want to comment.
Some will have questions for you. Repeat the questions for the entire audience before you answer.
Remember that watching a Tribe of Heart film is a powerful experience, one that has taken the audience on a very challenging journey. Many people feel shaken up and a little vulnerable afterwards, as well as feeling inspired. More than any specific information you share, what will help people the most at this time is your treating them with respect and kindness.
If someone begins a subject that seems off-topic, ask them to see you afterwards for further discussion. Do not lose the attention of the group as a whole. If someone seems upset, it can be helpful to acknowledge that these are challenging issues that upset many people, that we all have had different life experiences that have led us to our points of view, that the goal of the film is to raise the issues and stimulate positive dialogue, and that it is up to each of us to draw our own conclusions.
Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer to a question. The ethical issues of the human-animal relationship are complex, and the implications and details of how our society exploits animals are vast. No one of us has all the answers, and each of us has an important piece of the solution.
Remind everyone what they can do to help. This will depend on your audience. The general public might be reminded that a simple change in diet will make a great difference, while an audience of activists will benefit from suggestions for taking steps to educate others in society. For everyone, getting a copy of the film and sharing it with others is a simple and powerful way to make a real difference.
Suggest they collect literature from the information table for more ideas.
Let them know how to contact you or local compassionate living groups.
Refer the audience to the Tribe of Heart web site, where there are extensive resources for learning more and community discussion forums for people who have just seen The Witness and for those who wish to take action.
9. After the Screening
Join the Heart2Heart email discussion group and let us know what the experience was like for the audience and for you. We’d love to hear from you, and what you share will be of great value to others. Working together, we can change the world!
Copyright © 2002 Tribe of Heart Ltd. All rights reserved.
-XX-