Be The Media

To compliment the efforts of the media team and plug any gaps left by mainstream coverage, campers are invited to tell their own stories under the banner 'Be The Media'. Hopefully making the camp documentation group redundant, our grassroots media acts a counter-measure to the often simplistic and conflict-based accounts presented in the mainstream. The true story of climate camp is a rich and diverse exploration of positive action on climate change, and it doesn't get told enough!

All activists who want to document the camp for any reason, be it legal, inspirational or artistic are positively encouraged to do so - write a daily blog, publish your photos or get involved with collaborative radio or video projects. During the day of action, please phone in reports so that the camp media team and websites can be kept up to date. You can also send photos in via e-mailed MMS (see reporting line details coming soon).

Aspects of the camp that often goes undocumented is the informative and intelligent workshops and plenary sessions which take place during the camp, along with the collective processes and infrastructure that make the whole thing possible. Help ensure that all this amazing work on site is well documented but don't people's right to privacy in the process.

Always get the consent of those who will be clearly identifiable in your pictures. Make sure you get the consent of anyone you record and if you want to record or film in workshops please ask the facilitator if it is okay. In public spaces, please only film or record between 11am and 1pm, or join the camp documentation group.

The 'Be The Media' space provides opportunities to met up with others to collaborate on coverage of the camp and action day and is open to everybody who wants to be involved in grassroots media production and documentation of the camp. As well as internet access, there will be a photo desk to help you get the images off your camera, a space for those working on video, and a studio where the camp radio team will produce a daily show.

There will also be a series of training session and discussions (see workshop program on cc website) along with plenty of other opportunities to learn from each other how to publish reports and photos, or work with digital audio and video. When you go home, don't forget to continue to 'Be The Media', adding your experiences into global conversations on the most important issues of our times.

Provision includes an open access internet suite, space and facilities for audio and video editing, photo desk, reporting lines, camp radio, collection of daily newspapers etc.

Reception Area

In an attempt to address concern about previous years, there will be a reception area with somebody there on rota to greet people, find out what they want and advise them who to see, where to go or when to come back. This reception applies equally to the mainstream journalists on site needing help arranging interviews, people involved in alt media projects or individuals looking to check something online or upload photos.

'Staffed' Photo Desk

Located near reception, a dedicated computer will be set up and staffed at specific times to ensure quick and efficient processing of people photos (although in theory it is possible for people to use the thin clients terminals to do this). The photo desk will be equipped with a card reader, bluetooth and other usb adapters to connect to mobile phones etc. Photos will be stored centrally (see network attached storage) and metadata/details taken from the contributor to ensure things credit and licensing conditions are retained with the images. Throughout the day, somebody will check contributions and select some suitable for uploading.

Open Access Internet Suite

Something like eight computers will be set up for general web access use. Although this is a thin client system designed to consume relatively low power, it will still be necessary to restrict opening times to specific time slots depending on the power situation. Times will be advertised on a notice by the entrance. The space is intended for people writing reports and other uses will be discouraged if necessary.

Studio Spaces

Camp Radio

There will be a radio studio producing daily live and recorded content, streamed on the internet and played throughout the camp so that people in neighborhoods can stay informed. The camp radio will operate from a separate tent adjacent to the main media tent. It will be used for live shows, editing and as a space for people to record audio interviews at other times.

Video Studio

The video studio will also be a separate tent close to the main media tent. It will be used for interviews to camera and perhaps also by people doing video editing at other times. The plan is to run three cameras through a video mixing desk with the output captured directly onto hard drive. The aim will be a fast throughput of people being interviewed throughout the day and the use of real-time mixing between cameras will reduce the need to edit with just topping and tailing left to do.