SCREENING GUIDE: Appendix
CORE TEAM ROLES
These are some of the roles you may need to fill. Depending on the size and scope of your screening event, some of these roles can be doubled up or even elimitnated.
Team Leader: Run the meetings, keep track of the big picture, check in with each key person, make sure there are enough volunteers, manage the budget.
Co-Leader, Spirit Lifter, Volunteer Coordinator: Recruit volunteers, make sure enough people are helping with each task, build team spirit, keep everyone motivated.
Tech Person: Reserve and rent the video projector and sound system. Set up, test and run the projector and sound system on the day of the screening.
Special Guest Wrangler: If you are doing a larger event, you may want to have a team member who focuses on personally inviting your local legislators, community leaders and notable people to attend.
Media Hound: Create updated media list with contact names, phone numbers and emails for local and regional print, radio, TV and online media. Get the media calendar listings and deadlines. Send press releases, make follow up calls.
Internet Outreach People: Send e-announcements and post notices online (blogs, message boards, etc.). The more people doing this the better. Internet outreach is one of the most effective ways to spread the word.
Poster and Handbill Captain: Create postering route for your community. Get materials printed. Organize volunteers to plaster the town. Make up a route, assign territories to each volunteer, then make sure they check back at regular intervals to replenish supplies at their designated locations. The more people doing this the better!
Food & Beverage Committee: Organize (vegan) refreshments for after the screening. Seek donations of food, drink, paper plates, cups and utensils from local establishments. Recruit volunteers to prepare food to bring, if needed. Make sure there is a table for refreshments at venue. Oversee clean-up after event.
Literature Coordinator: Obtain the literature that will be offered to audience members who want to learn more about the issues after the screenings (see below for guidelines and suggestions).
Back to Guide
In addition to the materials below, please download and print some Tribe of Heart order forms for people who want to purchase the film after seeing it. Contact us if you are unable to download or print the order form, and we'll be happy to send you what you need.
We also recommend making availabe Tribe of Heart's Resource List for Compassionate Living (pdf download).
In addition to Tribe of Heart materials, here are some suggestions for materials that may be helpful:
THE WITNESS SCREENINGS
The Facts About Fur Trim by HSUS (pdf download)
Helping Feral Cats by Alleycat Allies (pdf download)
The Adoption Option by Best Friends Animal Society (pdf download)
PEACEABLE KINGDOM SCREENINGS
How Free is "Free Range"? by COK (pdf download)
Vegetarian Starter Guide by COK (order copies)
and Why Vegan? pamphlet by Vegan Outreach (order copies)
(Note: If you use COK's Vegetarian Starter Guide, you may not need to use Why Vegan because there is some overlap in photos and content).
A vegetarian shopping/restaurant guide for your community (if available)
OTHER INFO
Guide to Compassionate Shopping by AAVS (order copies)
Guardian Campaign brochure by IDA
Brochures or newsletters from local and regional groups to help connect your audience to nearby opportunities to work for change.
Please include materials from at least one environmental group and one social justice/peace group. Everything is connected, and by reaching out to those working for a better world in different areas, we can all be more educated and effective in our work.
Please adhere to the following requirements when selecting materials to hand out after screenings of Tribe of Heart films:
1. All materials should be factual, education-oriented, and positive in tone.
2. Information should be geared toward people who are new to these issues and therefore not include "insider" language and references.
3. Avoid publications that focus on fundraising, employ judgmental language, criticize individual people or organizations working for change, or encourage any form of violence or illegal activity.
4. Materials promoting "humane farming," "free range," "grass-fed" or "organic" meat, dairy or eggs should not be handed out at screening events, as this runs counter to the spirit of the film's message.
FLYERS & HANDBILLS
Suggestions for Distribution
Health Food Stores
Veg Restaurants
Animal Shelters/SPCA's
Humane Societies
Vet Offices
Pet Supply Stores
Video Stores
Libraries
Bookstores
College Campuses
Student Unions
Coffee Houses
Yoga Centers
Laundromats
Hair Salons
Retail Shops
Theatres
Vitamin Shops
One volunteer was able to get a health food store to toss a handbill into each customer's bag of groceries. Another asked a veggie restaurant to distribute a handbill with each check that was brought to the table at the end of the meal. These are the kind of creative ideas that help catch the attention of folks who would be interested if they only had the information placed into their hands. The handbills also work well as a personal invitation to your circle of friends, family and acquaintances.
After plastering the town, one volunteer who still had hand bills left over decided to leave small stacks at ATM locations, phone booths, and on the counter in public wash rooms.
A student who was holding a screening at her university decided to slide a hand bill under the door of every resident at her dormitory.
Go where the people are! One technique for reaching a lot of people in a short period of time is to show up at places where lots of people are gathered, for example at a farmers market, or outside a rock concert where people are standing in line, or at a community festival. Here, you can distribute a lot of handbills and answer people's questions about the film and the screening. This works especially well if you have someone who is willing to dress up in an outfit that attracts attention (for example, a pig or cow costume), accompanied by one or two or more people handing out the handbills. Another effective attention-getter is to have someone wear "sandwich boards" with a poster of the film on the front, and details of the screening on the back. Contact us if you want to learn more about how to make sandwich boards.
Have any more suggestions? Let us know!
Back to Guide
Most journalists now like to receive press releases via email.
- Send your press release in the body of the email, NOT as an attachment.
- Make sure the subject line of your email contains a phrase that will stand out, as well as the date of the screening. Examples: "Film Dr. Jane Goodall calls 'a masterpiece' screens Oct 24" or "Nov 2 screening of award-winning documentary" or "Ground-breaking film explores human-animal relationship, Feb 10")
- Some journalists still prefer to receive the press release as a fax. When in doubt, send both fax and email.
- Press releases should be no longer than one page!
- Press releases should be sent out 3 weeks before your date. Journalists need time to develop a story. As it gets closer to the event, it becomes less likely that you will receive any in-depth coverage.
- Follow-up phone calls should be made within a day or two after sending the press release. (Don’t wait! Think of your own email in-box… if you wait too long, your press release will be buried or deleted).
- Resend the press releases again as a reminder 10 days before the event and follow up again with phone calls. Resend them one more time 5 days before the event and follow up with phone calls.
- When pitching the story idea, avoid using the "animal rights film" label, as this tends to introduce a preconceived notion that the film is just a compilation of graphic footage. It's more helpful (and more accurate) to describe the film as being about the human-animal connection, and about the incredible potential of people to transform their lives through the power of love and altruistic intentions.
- Believe in what you are doing! Journalists are looking for interesting stories and Tribe of Heart films are inspiring, powerful, award-winning documentaries that their viewers, readers, and listeners would truly enjoy.
- If you are persistent, friendly and understanding of the deadlines that all journalists have, you will have a better chance of getting some media coverage.
Back to Guide
Copyright © 2006 Tribe of Heart Ltd. All rights reserved.
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CORE TEAM ROLES
These are some of the roles you may need to fill. Depending on the size and scope of your screening event, some of these roles can be doubled up or even elimitnated.
Team Leader: Run the meetings, keep track of the big picture, check in with each key person, make sure there are enough volunteers, manage the budget.
Co-Leader, Spirit Lifter, Volunteer Coordinator: Recruit volunteers, make sure enough people are helping with each task, build team spirit, keep everyone motivated.
Tech Person: Reserve and rent the video projector and sound system. Set up, test and run the projector and sound system on the day of the screening.
Special Guest Wrangler: If you are doing a larger event, you may want to have a team member who focuses on personally inviting your local legislators, community leaders and notable people to attend.
Media Hound: Create updated media list with contact names, phone numbers and emails for local and regional print, radio, TV and online media. Get the media calendar listings and deadlines. Send press releases, make follow up calls.
Internet Outreach People: Send e-announcements and post notices online (blogs, message boards, etc.). The more people doing this the better. Internet outreach is one of the most effective ways to spread the word.
Poster and Handbill Captain: Create postering route for your community. Get materials printed. Organize volunteers to plaster the town. Make up a route, assign territories to each volunteer, then make sure they check back at regular intervals to replenish supplies at their designated locations. The more people doing this the better!
Food & Beverage Committee: Organize (vegan) refreshments for after the screening. Seek donations of food, drink, paper plates, cups and utensils from local establishments. Recruit volunteers to prepare food to bring, if needed. Make sure there is a table for refreshments at venue. Oversee clean-up after event.
Literature Coordinator: Obtain the literature that will be offered to audience members who want to learn more about the issues after the screenings (see below for guidelines and suggestions).
Back to Guide
In addition to the materials below, please download and print some Tribe of Heart order forms for people who want to purchase the film after seeing it. Contact us if you are unable to download or print the order form, and we'll be happy to send you what you need.
We also recommend making availabe Tribe of Heart's Resource List for Compassionate Living (pdf download).
In addition to Tribe of Heart materials, here are some suggestions for materials that may be helpful:
THE WITNESS SCREENINGS
The Facts About Fur Trim by HSUS (pdf download)
Helping Feral Cats by Alleycat Allies (pdf download)
The Adoption Option by Best Friends Animal Society (pdf download)
PEACEABLE KINGDOM SCREENINGS
How Free is "Free Range"? by COK (pdf download)
Vegetarian Starter Guide by COK (order copies)
and Why Vegan? pamphlet by Vegan Outreach (order copies)
(Note: If you use COK's Vegetarian Starter Guide, you may not need to use Why Vegan because there is some overlap in photos and content).
A vegetarian shopping/restaurant guide for your community (if available)
OTHER INFO
Guide to Compassionate Shopping by AAVS (order copies)
Guardian Campaign brochure by IDA
Brochures or newsletters from local and regional groups to help connect your audience to nearby opportunities to work for change.
Please include materials from at least one environmental group and one social justice/peace group. Everything is connected, and by reaching out to those working for a better world in different areas, we can all be more educated and effective in our work.
Please adhere to the following requirements when selecting materials to hand out after screenings of Tribe of Heart films:
1. All materials should be factual, education-oriented, and positive in tone.
2. Information should be geared toward people who are new to these issues and therefore not include "insider" language and references.
3. Avoid publications that focus on fundraising, employ judgmental language, criticize individual people or organizations working for change, or encourage any form of violence or illegal activity.
4. Materials promoting "humane farming," "free range," "grass-fed" or "organic" meat, dairy or eggs should not be handed out at screening events, as this runs counter to the spirit of the film's message.
FLYERS & HANDBILLS
Suggestions for Distribution
Health Food Stores Veg Restaurants Animal Shelters/SPCA's Humane Societies Vet Offices Pet Supply Stores Video Stores Libraries Bookstores |
College Campuses Student Unions Coffee Houses Yoga Centers Laundromats Hair Salons Retail Shops Theatres Vitamin Shops |
One volunteer was able to get a health food store to toss a handbill into each customer's bag of groceries. Another asked a veggie restaurant to distribute a handbill with each check that was brought to the table at the end of the meal. These are the kind of creative ideas that help catch the attention of folks who would be interested if they only had the information placed into their hands. The handbills also work well as a personal invitation to your circle of friends, family and acquaintances.
After plastering the town, one volunteer who still had hand bills left over decided to leave small stacks at ATM locations, phone booths, and on the counter in public wash rooms.
A student who was holding a screening at her university decided to slide a hand bill under the door of every resident at her dormitory.
Go where the people are! One technique for reaching a lot of people in a short period of time is to show up at places where lots of people are gathered, for example at a farmers market, or outside a rock concert where people are standing in line, or at a community festival. Here, you can distribute a lot of handbills and answer people's questions about the film and the screening. This works especially well if you have someone who is willing to dress up in an outfit that attracts attention (for example, a pig or cow costume), accompanied by one or two or more people handing out the handbills. Another effective attention-getter is to have someone wear "sandwich boards" with a poster of the film on the front, and details of the screening on the back. Contact us if you want to learn more about how to make sandwich boards.
Have any more suggestions? Let us know!
Back to Guide
Most journalists now like to receive press releases via email.
- Send your press release in the body of the email, NOT as an attachment.
- Make sure the subject line of your email contains a phrase that will stand out, as well as the date of the screening. Examples: "Film Dr. Jane Goodall calls 'a masterpiece' screens Oct 24" or "Nov 2 screening of award-winning documentary" or "Ground-breaking film explores human-animal relationship, Feb 10")
- Some journalists still prefer to receive the press release as a fax. When in doubt, send both fax and email.
- Press releases should be no longer than one page!
- Press releases should be sent out 3 weeks before your date. Journalists need time to develop a story. As it gets closer to the event, it becomes less likely that you will receive any in-depth coverage.
- Follow-up phone calls should be made within a day or two after sending the press release. (Don’t wait! Think of your own email in-box… if you wait too long, your press release will be buried or deleted).
- Resend the press releases again as a reminder 10 days before the event and follow up again with phone calls. Resend them one more time 5 days before the event and follow up with phone calls.
- When pitching the story idea, avoid using the "animal rights film" label, as this tends to introduce a preconceived notion that the film is just a compilation of graphic footage. It's more helpful (and more accurate) to describe the film as being about the human-animal connection, and about the incredible potential of people to transform their lives through the power of love and altruistic intentions.
- Believe in what you are doing! Journalists are looking for interesting stories and Tribe of Heart films are inspiring, powerful, award-winning documentaries that their viewers, readers, and listeners would truly enjoy.
- If you are persistent, friendly and understanding of the deadlines that all journalists have, you will have a better chance of getting some media coverage.
Back to Guide
Copyright © 2006 Tribe of Heart Ltd. All rights reserved.
-XX-