Fotomedia’s capacity to create compelling content that crosses cultural boundaries is perhaps best exemplified by a commission to produce financial literacy DVDs for distribution in Ghana and Uganda.
The work, for the global charity Opportunity International UK (OIUK), was won on tender by Fotomedia ahead of competing bidders from the UK, the US, Australia and Africa. Funding supplied by Financial Education Fund (FEF) and DfID (Department of International Development UK).
Both 60 minute educational DVDs were produced and directed by Fotomedia and incorporated pieces to camera, vox pops and choreographed drama scenes, in order to communicate basic financial principals to populations with low literacy rates.
Scripts were worked up in English by Fotomedia alongside OIUK project manager Robyn Robertson, then translated into Twi and Lugandan. Clear visual storytelling, designed in consultation with locals, was employed to communicate key messages across dialects.
“We used a lot of metaphor to explain finance, so instead of talking specifically about ‘loans and borrowing’, we used ‘juggling’ to indicate managing a budget,” says Fotomedia executive producer Peter Crossley.
Fotomedia’s crew overcame the complex logistics of transporting all required production equipment from the Gold Coast to Africa and shooting in some very challenging environments, where security and electrical power were uncertain elements.
Detailed post-production strategies were also implemented by Fotomedia, including the full transcription and translation of all interview content and the production of English subtitles.
OIUK’s Robyn Robertson calls Fotomedia ‘the absolute best multimedia company I’ve ever worked with’.
“They ran exactly to budget, they delivered great value-add suggestions – which saved edit time and our money – and turned around both finished products within four weeks,’’ she says. “Fotomedia are as great with guys in Africa as they are with corporates.”
Ghana
► Opportunity International – Savings & Loans
watch the video
Uganda
► Opportunity International – Uganda
watch the video
