Social impact in media and owning your narrative — a discussion with Gemma Bradshaw.
💥Welcome to The Overlooked. A bi-weekly segment featuring a diverse range of voices discussing what it means to be in media today, what might disrupt the market, and how we are getting our news. 😎
Meet Gemma — in her own words. 👋
I think you can trace everything I do now back to winning a Blue Peter Badge — from a BBC children’s TV program — for a recycling campaign poster at the age of 10. (Seriously!)
I worked for many years in public policy campaigning on environmental issues. But it was a move to California and the SF Green Film Festival that opened my eyes to the power of film and media to influence change, which is where I find myself now. I work with social impact media, engaging audiences to make change happen.
GAZET: Do you have any recommendations for content creators that want to make a difference through their work?
You don’t have to have a whole impact campaign and call to action lined up — Blackfish style — to make a difference, whether it’s a technical story about money in politics or an emotional piece about police brutality. A good character-driven narrative told with integrity and creativity can be your springboard to action. It will give audiences the inspiration to find the part they want to play.
“A good character-driven narrative told with integrity and creativity can be your springboard to action. It will give audiences the inspiration to find the part they want to play.”
GAZET: What are your thoughts on the media today?
Three people over the last week have told me they have deleted news apps from their phones because keeping up with headlines was too much. That sets alarm bells ringing for me. How do we keep people interested after the news burst? We have so much incredible reporting going on and against all the odds in some countries. We can’t take the role of journalists and filmmakers for granted.
“We can’t take the role of journalists and filmmakers for granted.”
GAZET: As consumers of news through blogs and publications — what decisions can we make to help the future of media?
I’m always asking myself who gets to tell their story, behind the camera/keyboard and in front of it. This is one of the reasons Thank You For The Rain is currently my favorite climate change film (rather than that other more famous one). First-time filmmaker Julia Dahr made the decision to give Kisilu, the Kenyan farmer and protagonist, the camera and be an active part of his story. By choosing who we read / watch / listen to, not only can we make sure a diverse array of voices are heard, but that more people get to own their narrative.
“By choosing who we read / watch / listen to, not only can we make sure a diverse array of voices are heard, but that more people get to own their narrative.”
GAZET: Any social movements you’re getting more involved in?
As you probably guessed already, climate change is a social movement close to my heart. It’s not a far away problem and it’s impacting the most vulnerable first and hardest. Take a look at what’s happening everywhere from Miami to Ethiopia and it’s hard to deny. I want to do more to spotlight these underreported stories.
Read Gemma’s recent issue on Gazet “The Future of Climate Activism”.
GAZET: Who are your favorite journalists and bloggers?
Right now, I’ve been reading and listening to a lot from: Emily Bazlon, Mark Leon Goldberg, Genevieve Koski, Tasha Robinson and anything from NewsDeeply.
GAZET: Anyone in the film industry that we should be following?
These are a handful of the many people I’ve crossed paths with at Green Film Fest and SIMA who you should check out: Julia Dahr, Fredrik Gertten & the WG Film team, Condition One, Chris Jordan, Tabitha Jackson, Michelle Latimer, Holly Tarquini.
GAZET: Here’s the fun question… Do you have a memory from one of the first times you used the internet?
The first time I used eBay I was buying a DVD for my dad’s birthday. This sounds so ridiculous now. It turns out he was also watching the same item and after bidding and pushing the price up, he guessed from the username that the other bidder was me and let me buy it. I had no idea. The internet is a little busier these days and I’m not sure I’ve won a bidding war on eBay since.
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Make sure to follow along with Gemma Bradshaw on Gazet, Twitter and Instagram.
