Have you ever carried a heavy load and wondered just how long it was possible to continue moving forward, without falling backward? And at that point have you ever had someone come up and offer to take a great deal of that load on to their own shoulders, and even more so, say that the good Lord brought it to their attention to lend a hand to you? If not, you can imagine what an incredible blessing that would be.
Such is the case with Aaron, who is now lending his talents with administrative (and a whole lot more) to Emote360. With recent publications highlighting what Emote has done and hopes to do in the future as we continue to build our infrastructure, having someone like Aaron on board is imperative, and thankfully, the good Lord knew that. Everyone needs a Pratt. Thanks Pratt.

ENOUGH FINAL ENTRY from emote360 on Vimeo.

Composed for the ENOUGH PROJECT VIDEO ENTRY: http://www.enoughproject.org/

WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? from emote360 on Vimeo.

Client: WR/NEXT

Production: emote360

Music Credits: Above the Golden State

Elizabeth and I are in Seattle on a layover awaiting our trans continental flight that will eventually take us into Kigali, Rwanda.  We’ll be staying a few days with the very dear Mama Naomi, building our relationship with her and documenting the amazing work she is doing with orphans.  From there we’ll hit Congo, head back to Rwanda, and finish in Burundi.  We’ll be gathering media material for World Relief and World Relief NEXT.

Part of Emote’s mission is to equip organizations with media that speaks to the current generation.  Elizabeth will be shooting HD footage that captures the essence of what World Relief is doing on ground to aid those in need.  I’ll be shooting stills and a bit of HD B roll, expermimenting with new HD options in Digital SLR cameras.    If that didn’t make any sense, just know this:  We’ll do justice visually to what World Relief are doing for the hearts, minds and souls of those in need.

Don’t forget to keep checking back, we’ll be updating our blog as much as possible.

Blessings,

–Benjamin

emote360 will join a team heading into the Dominican Republic of Congo next week. Exciting, but also kinda scary. Congo is extremely unstable right now. We’ll keep you posted, and document all the action with HD Video, Photography and Audio to retell the story to the public. A big THANK YOU to Nikon for sponsoring emote360 with amazing gear for this documentary trip. BELOW you will find a video that explains the situation in Congo, Beth from emote360 produced it for one of our partners “World Relief NEXT” - who is leading this team to the Congo. Ben & Beth will also stop by Rwanda to visit Mamma Naomi (a dear friend of emote360) and the thousands of kids that she provides for.

DR CONGO from emote360 on Vimeo.

Here at emote360 we’ve been doing some research and putting together case studies about non-profits and the ways they utilize (or neglect) multimedia to advocate for their cause. Here’s what we’ve found:

A Nonprofit’s use of media to successfully capture the attention of their target audience can actually make the difference between their success and failure…even more than their cause, effectiveness, or quality of work. (www.philanthropyjournal.org, 2007) (www.nptimes.com, 2008)
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The target audience for nonprofits is getting younger… “Generation Y” will judge your organization (and decide whether or not they will support you or get involved with your cause) by your website, media, communication and how engaged they feel by your organization. (Momentum: Igniting Social change in the Connected Age, Allison H. Fine, Jossey-Bass, 2006)
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One study of nonprofit leaders aimed at learning about their use of technology found that “participants felt a ‘common struggle’ in understanding which tools are critically important to their work. ‘I’m in a perpetual state of anxiety about which tools I’m supposed to be paying attention to.’ Most of the attendees were at a loss as to where and how to get help for selecting and using new social media tools.” (Overbrook Foundation Web 2.0 Assessment, 2007)
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That same study found that Overall, the grantees are firmly entrenched in the Web 1.0 world, meaning that grantees use the web largely as a source of information rather than interactivity. However, none of the participants dismissed the need for communications technology as an essential part of the way that they work. (Overbrook Foundation Web 2.0 Assessment, 2007)
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Financially successful nonprofits are the ones with excellent media, outstanding communication about their work, and opportunities for their supporters/donors to interact with them. (www.philanthropyjournal.org, 2007)

Most nonprofit’s reason for bad marketing and media is “lack of funds”… however we believe that the real reason is lack of education regarding the importance of media, and therefore a failure to prioritize funds for the strategic and effective use of media.

According to the study referenced above “The focus groups expressed almost universal exhaustion, fear and competition for funds. Organizations are frantically raising money and do not feel that they have time to stop and think about how they work, how they engage their constituents, and what the most appropriate approaches to social media are for them. This leads to a culture of pushing the new tools away because the groups don’t know enough about them, don’t have the staff to explore and learn about them, and are working in environments that are often on the wrong side of the digital divide.” (Overbrook Foundation Web 2.0 Assessment, 2007)

OUR RESPONSE?

We MUST help non-profits, especially in these trying times when donors dollars aren’t that accessible. NPOs need a strategic media solution at a cost they can afford… that’s the tough part - the finances.

It’s crazy how many media folks are “giving-back” as we take a look around the west coast - even in our little city of good ole Bend, Oregon. It really is inspiring, however, there are still countless non-profit organizations in communities all over the nation that still need lots-o-help! So, we want to challenge other artists out there to give-back locally and globally. Here in the next few weeks we will start our campaign To Inspire. We will be featuring various artists who are volunteering for awesome causes, we’ll be showing their work and telling their story TO INSPIRE other artists to do the same. Life is too short, it should be meaningful.

FGM involves cutting off a young girl’s clitoris. FGM is seen in some countries as a way to ensure virginity and to make a woman marriageable. In Africa, about three million girls are at risk of FGM each year, according to the UN.

Here at emote360 we’re passionate about A LOT of human rights issues, one in particular is to stop a practice called FGM (female genital mutilation) in Uganda. We were part of team who went to Uganda last Feb & March to make a documentary film called “One Girl” to expose the practice that is still happening in Uganda. It’s a complex issue, but it’s awesome to see things moving forward in parts of Uganda. There’s no doubt that there is still work to be done in other countries and more minds to change still in Uganda. But nonetheless, it’s good news to our ears! Check out the article HERE.

In two weeks Lauren and I will be taking a small team of people to visit Mamma Naomi in Eastern Rwanda.

We are blessed to have with us Kevin Kubota, internationally known photographer and educator, his wife Clare Kubota and three of their wonderful employees, Amber, Lindsey and Eryn. We will also have with us Tracey Harper who recently was named Canadian Photographer of the year.

Through generous donations from Kubota Image Tools as well as others who have given, we will be able to take part in projects that will truly be life changing for the roughly 500 children that Naomi oversees.

The photography and video we capture will come home not only help Naomi and the orphans, but will be used to demonstrate to others how they can get involved and use their gifts both locally and abroad.

We thank you for any help you can provide Naomi, the children and Emote360.
Blessings,
–Benjamin

Thank you Doug Goron for getting the word out about our work in Africa!

Doug is a phenomenal photographer and educator who speaks all over the world. You can see what Doug has to say about giving back on his blog, here.

Our thanks to Bill Moore at SilverBack Imaging and Design for getting the word out about Emote360 and our work in Africa. Hear what Bill has to say in the “Giving Back” section of his blog.

I had a chance to spend some time with Bill over the past few days and count myself blessed for having had the chance.

If you are a photographer looking for a chance to get your shooting life back, don’t hesitate to hand your processing over to Bill and his team.

Kevin Kubota (www.kubotaactionhero.com/) has been helping us raise awareness and build up funds on behalf of our efforts in Rwanda. He and a team will be traveling with Ben Edwards to Rwanda in July. People like Kevin have been huge advocates for emotes cause. Thanks so much Kevin for all you have done to change the world - quite literally! We hope to raise funds for this trip and many more like it. Will you help us?

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Donate to emote360 (click here)

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In 2006, we embarked upon a life changing trip to Uganda, Africa with JZEI.
There we were able to see first hand how a small group of people can make a difference in the lives of those in need, people like Christine. More about Christine soon…

We saw the dedication of a newly installed bore hole (water well,) the donation of seed and farming equipment to an entire village, many of it’s citizens returning from being displaced by the LRA. Many traveled to medical clinics hosted by Open Arms International while pastors in the area were given bicycles to better be able to reach their congregation and those in need.

My wife, Lauren, came in contact with a young woman, Christine, who had three children. Christine’s obvious limp sparked a question to which we learned a worm had made its home in her leg and was eating her flesh. This type of worm is often ingested through the consumption of unsanitary drinking water and can lead to the loss of limbs and possibly death. Through donations from church members back home for medicine and a hospital stay, Christine’s leg remains today. She is now healthy enough to provide for her children as a telephone switchboard operator. Christine thanks God that her story made its way to people who cared enough to help.

Stories like this prompted the creation of Emote360. Emote360 is a global non-profit organization established to equip, empower and educate people through the creation of multi-media materials that evoke a positive and eternal change in the hearts and minds of a hurting world.

February 20-March 4th, 2008. Uganda and Rwanda.
This February, Elizabeth Fischer, videographer and producer, and I will be accompanying Antioch Church based out of Bend, Oregon and Sisters Community Church from Sisters, Oregon, back to Uganda. Antioch has been lead to adopt a village in the Bukwa Region, a remote area at the foot of Mt. Elgon and near the Kenyan border. We’ll be documenting the relationship building process for those back home as well as the installation of a water project. We’ll also be documenting a very disturbing and little talked about procedure called FGM, Female Genital Mutilation. You can read more about this process at the World Health Organization website here.
We’ll be traveling with a member of Ugandan Parliament to various villages and will no doubt hear very troubling stories. Your thoughts and prayers both for victims and our team are greatly appreciated.

From Uganda, we head south to Rwanda to visit a dear friend whom we met in 2006. Naomi, amongst other things, is a pastor, choir director, owner and administrator of orphanages in the region and helps those who are or have been affected by AIDS. We’ll be spending a couple of days documenting her work as well as the needs of the children. As little as $2.00 a year (US) gives one of her children their needed vaccinations and medications. The needs are great, the opportunity to give endless.

Much like in the case of Christine, we hope to bring home media content that sparks involvement and ultimately change. Someone once asked me, “why go to Africa to help, we have need in the US too.” My reply? Why not do both…

What can you do? Your donation helps us cover the tremendous cost for a trip of this nature and gives us the ability to bring home the needs of those who can be helped through the use of multimedia.
Upon returning home, we’ll update you on the trip and any specific stories of interest. We’ll also be taking the video, images and stories to churches or organizations who might be interested in learning more about what’s happening in the world around us.
We ask that you prayerfully consider helping us with this trip. Be it financially or through thoughts and prayers while we are gone.

Remember Christine? Her children thank God for those who gave. You truly can save a life and change the world.

Peace and God Bless,

Benjamin