"Recognising that PV projects have their pitfalls, the authors call on facilitators of PV to require knowledge and experience of personal and group development processes and to be sensible to the challenges and issues facing vulnerable and marginalized people. Lack of transparency and follow-up, and ... broken or unreasonable promises will foster disillusionment. The authors argue that PV is a powerful means of documenting local people's experiences, needs and hopes from their own perspective. It initiates a process of analysis and change that celebrates local knowledge and practice, while also stimulating local and regional creativity. The authors emphasise the importance of granting all community members equal access to the process, so that all voices are expressed and heard. An outline of the PV process offered by the authors includes: participants are taught how to use the video equipment through games and exercises; using PRA tools and PV techniques, facilitators help the group to identify and analyse important community issues; short video messages are directed and filmed by the participants; footage is shown to the wider community at daily screenings; a dynamic process of community-led learning, sharing and exchange is set in motion; complete films can be used to promote awareness of the various groups; this process helps strengthen both horizontal and vertical communication. The authors recognise that possible bottlenecks include: limited recognition of the value of PV by home organisation, staff, and funders; empowerment and participation of target group may not be the aim of the organisation and/or funder; the organisation may be unaware of the importance of participatory forms of communication; lack of equipment or technical problems; lack of time and skill to edit footage and implement the pilot project; lack of (facilitation) skills to implement the PV pilot project; being lost when training is over or the handbook does not offer adequate guidance; limited budget for equipment or for spending necessary time on PV." (ELDIS) more

"Indigenous knowledge and local initiatives are usually documented and disseminated by outsiders, who make their own interpretations in the process. Participatory Video (PV) provides an opportunity for rural people to document their own knowledge and experiences and to express their wants and hopes ... from their own perspectives. The process of PV The process of PV is, in essence, extremely simple, and the equipment required is increasingly widely available and affordable. This is the way the process works: The rural people rapidly learn how to use video equipment through games and exercises facilitated by outsiders; The facilitators help local groups to identify and analyze important issues in their community and to plan how to show this on video; The video messages are directed and filmed by the local groups; The footage is shown to the wider community at daily screenings, setting in motion a dynamic exchange of ideas and perceptions." (Page 1) more