THE POINT BLUE CAMPFIRE

Using short form content as the proverbial campfire.

To gather in community, get inspired, provoke discussion and take action.

The Need for Point Blue

Point Blue are world-recognized conservation experts. But deploying the team’s experience and knowledge to improve the health of our planet requires partnership with land and water managers, fishermen, ranchers, farmers, cities, counties and individual volunteers.

Kontent’s Campfire Initiative is an on-ground recruitment campaign designed to engage and deepen relationships with all the people who manage our land resources, and to recruit an army of Point Blue volunteers to assist on the ground.

THE BACKGROUND

Kontent’s experience with our film Farming While Black shows that film can be used as a focal point for local meetings, using cinemas or community spaces to show the content and bring people together. We have gained valuable experience, not only in producing the content, but also in distribution and activation on the ground. 

Our key learning? The power of gathering in community inspires everyday people to become everyday activists. When people are inspired, they want to act. They passionately want to be useful, but so often don’t know how.

The Campfire Initiative will harness this desire and transform it into real action for Point Blue. In a world where it’s easy to click, The Campfire Initiative aims to deliver a rolling program of signing committed activists to the Point Blue cause.

THE AIM AND PROCESS

We believe that uplifting the success stories of The Roots Program is a prime opportunity to champion Point Blue’s critical conservation mission in a time of cuts to environmental science and research programs.

Our experience shows that there are five steps to activation:

  • Bring people together in person

  • Provide a shared experience of watching a powerful, relevant film

  • Bring along participants and experts

  • Allow time for questions and discussion, for people to explore the subject of the film

  • Show them a way to take action, to get connected with an organization, and each other

Our aim is to involve communities and generate action for Point Blue - both by individuals and also by land management professionals.

THE CONTENT

We propose to produce a series of short documentaries for Point Blue to take them out to local communities for screenings and discussions.

In collaboration with Point Blue, Kontent will produce three short films of approximately 15 minutes each. This “mini documentary” runtime is designed to:

  • Highlight a conservation problem and solution, showing a real-life human story, illustrating how the work is going.

  • Be punchy enough to maintain everyday interest and allow plenty of time for the Q&A and community discussion.

  • Look at PB’s work in their areas of focus: oceans, shorelines, land restoration, water resources

Each film will cover PB’s aims:

  • Reducing emissions

  • Coping with Climate Change

  • Enhancing nature’s benefits

Crucially, each film will explore problems and solutions to these aims using human stories - showing people taking action, supported by Point Blue. The heroes of these stories will also commit to local appearances in support of the fil and to act as an ambassador and evangelist for Point Blue work.

THE CAMPAIGN

We take the films out on a rolling Point Blue Campfire roadshow. Each Campfire Initiative event will consist of:

  • Welcome and introduction by moderator

  • Showing of one of the documentaries appropriate to venue

  • A post screening Q&A and discussion with the participants in the films and from a pool of Point Blue experts

  • A sign-up / data gathering session

Using our experience with FWB Kontent will organize:

  • Local screenings of the films, ensuring suitable venues

  • File conversion to DCP (if needed) and delivery of files to screening managers

  • Management of the Q&A and discussion – microphones, seating etc.

  • Booking the participants and diary management for Point Blue personnel

  • Management of CTA’s and both on-ground and online

We will organize the back end of the campaign, allowing PB to continue their important work. We will collaborate closely with personnel and diaries at PB and report weekly on progress

Of course, the films can live online as well. We will also co-ordinate publicity, CTAs and branding of the events online if required.

RESULTS

  • Measurable recruitment of individual activists and professional partners for Point Blue.

  • A spread of awareness and participation at local level.

  • Internal and external demonstration of Point Blue’s commitment at local level