Dissemination
The work that goes into production tends to be the creative centerpiece of any media project. And without thinking through the matters of message determination and appropriate technique, which are key elements of production, no films are produced that are worthy of the name.
But it’s the work of dissemination that really makes the difference. By definition, dissemination is the stage that follows production, but for INCEF, planning for dissemination is the starting point for our projects. Our research trips help us determine how the films can fit within the comprehensive education programs that are designed around the unique characteristics of the communities where they will be seen.
INCEF’s outreach educators have been recruited, in part, on the basis of their experience in the areas where the films will be taken. It is a model that is followed in every project that INCEF undertakes. The educators go into the field in teams of two for several weeks at a time with preliminary schedules that will take them to literally dozens of villages. They freely adapt their schedules to the conditions they encounter, however, so that they can spend enough time in each location to ensure that they reach as many individuals in the most in-depth fashion possible. The films are shown over and over in most villages and it is usually the case that literally 100% of the population have seen them repeatedly and have participated in discussions that follow the screenings; and that a good number of individuals have been involved in the interviews or focus groups that are held for evaluation purposes.
The INCEF philosophy that “dissemination drives production” is useful not only for guiding the original production efforts but also for determining what kinds of changes or additions/subtractions to the film modules are necessary to make the education outreach even more effective.
INCEF has a long-term goal of having dissemination programs working in all of its targeted communities on a year-round basis. This is to provide the message reinforcement and the adaptation to changing conditions that are necessary to keep up the focus on solution thinking by local people that is fundamental to INCEF’s mission.
