LO1 Checklist

How can a social action bring about local, national or global change?
By creating a social action video, it allows the audience/viewers to be informed and to be educated
on a particular issue or topic. This way, people are more likely to do something about it and try to
pursue a life-changing goal. For example, the supersize me documentary informed people on the
health related issue based around McDonalds. As McDonalds is massive franchiser, it easy for people
to consume McDonalds and therefor are effected by the documentary.
How can a social action change attitudes?
Social action can change attitudes by giving the viewers something controversial to think about
which they may not usual see as an issue. For example Louis Therouxs documentaries are produced
in a way that the viewers can create their own opinion as he is notoriously known for being biased.
How can a social action raise awareness?
Social action can raise awareness by highlighting issues that may not have been raised to the
attention of the public. These videos can often be quite shocking and raw, which is why people
become so emotionally attached to the subject.
How can a social action create access to media production for non-traditional groups?
It is so important for Social action to access media production in order for more people to see what
really goes on behind closed doors and get a bigger impression within the issues going on in the
world currently without it going through big commercial channels such as Sky, Channel four etc. A
good example of this is the current loss of independent shops in Henley on Thames, which is our
current project also, and we are trying to fight the issue of Henley being filled with constant coffee
shops and charity shops.
How can a social action challenge dominant representations and agendas?
In order for a social action to challenge and already solid representation of something, it would be
very difficult due to them having a big name and being trusted by so many audiences. When the
Blackfish documentary was created, it was a very controversial subject due to SeaWorld being such a
household brand and known well by so many people. So when this documentary was created it got
so much attention because of how honest it was about the truth of the livelihood of the animals
kept there and became a massive breakthrough for controversial documentaries.
How can a social action create or strengthen community ties?
Social action can bring people together when a strong opinion is created between people because it
motivates people to make a change and fight for what they believe in due to the strength in
numbers. A prime example is when Donald Trump was elected president and the petitions and
marches that were created were incredible because of what certain people believed in.
How can a social action provide information?

Social Action can provide information by including facts, figures and statistics. It also helps to include
plenty of interviews showing both good or bad and trying to be as controversial as possible; and
going on location helps to prove the information true and backs up the evidence, which makes it
more entertaining. For example, with the Kony campaign the producers have interviewed someone
who has been affected by Konys actions first hand which therefore highlights the reality and the
information comes through effectively.
How can a social action campaign?
A social action can campaign in so many different ways, some examples are peaceful protests,
posters, petitions, interviews and social media groups are also formed a lot of the time too. During
2012 when the Kony project came about there was so much campaigning used in order to gain
publicity for the project. Huge posters were used to cover the town, graffiti was used, small posters
were also put up and talks were put on which finally caught attention of Barack Obama.
How can a social action change voting behaviour?
Voting behaviour can be changed by social action by the activists voicing their opinions and thoughts
to the extremity that others then tend to change their thoughts on what they think about the topic.
A clear observation of this was when Donald Trump became President through using persuasive
techniques within the media; he said exactly what people wanted to hear (Make America great
again). This was effective because it was exactly what Americans wanted to hear and he managed
to manipulate the population into believing America would become great again.
How can a social action infiltrate mainstream media?
Social action helps infiltrate social media by targeting the younger generation who use social media
a lot to express opinions. They become targeted by saying that they are the future which entices
them to continue with what they put out on social media. In the Kony campaign, posters and riots
were used to get the attention of the American Government and Obamas troops.
How can a social action build relationships with subjects?
A good example of relationships through social action are the Louis Theroux documentaries. Louis
Theroux appears very biased and therefore the subjects of the documentary are not threatened and
can open up to him. This is very effective because it provides the viewers with a back-story of the
history of the people as to why they committed the crime.