A film can be a powerful tool for your non-profit organisation

Video content is being increasingly consumed by people in digital media such as Youtube and Instagram. It has become an incredibly powerful marketing tool and research shows that video will make up 82% of all consumer Internet traffic in 2022. 

When it comes to non-profits, charities and some arts organisations, a film has the power of provoking strong emotional connections with their audience, and therefore is a great way to communicate and build trust with supporters and the public. Every charitable organisation works in favour of an important cause and has an impactful story to share. This makes people more likely to understand the work they do, to give donations and to engage in taking action such as spreading awareness and volunteering.

Mountain Way Pictures specialise in producing films for charities and arts organisations. See below some of the different types of videos that can be used to engage your audience.

Students researching St Ethelburga for Barbican Centre project Barking Nuns.

Profiles and Case Studies

A profile video has the purpose of giving people an insight into what your organisation is about. It should be short and to the point while setting the tone for your brand. Adding it to your website home page is an effective way to get people’s attention. This allows you to tell a story while informing people about your work in an engaging way, and therefore increase donations and support. 

Case studies videos allow your supporters to understand the true impact of their donations and feel like they are actually making a difference. By showcasing true stories of people you’ve helped, the audience can feel a connection with the subjects and imagine how others would feel in the same situation. You can watch here a video we created for the Barbican, showing their one year-long artistic residence Change Makers and the impact it had on a group of young people. 

Reggie Nelson tells his story in campaign film Change Starts Together for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

Campaigns

Whether you are fundraising, trying to get people to engage in your programmes or need to put the word out for something important, video is probably the most effective way to communicate your message. There are many ways in which you can communicate to engage your audience according to the results you are looking for, and it is also a great way for people to share your content with others. 

For example, we created a series of five films exploring social mobility in the City to launch the Change Starts Together campaign for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. We focused on the life experiences of five key individuals, centering the telling of their life stories in their own words, and using emotive portraiture to forge connections with the viewer. You can watch it here. 

We have also worked with the Royal Opera House creating videos to celebrate their apprenticeship programme. Following a number of hero apprentices during their day at work, we showcased the diversity of jobs across their different sites and departments. You can watch it here. 

Animation helps tell the impactful story of Solly Irving in Jewish Museum London film Solly’s Story.

Documentaries

Usually longer than other types of videos, documentaries allow you to explore a subject or a story with more time, and it is a great way to inform and educate people about important issues that charities work with through storytelling. For example, our film Love Letters from Fandom follows pupils from two schools as they explore the theme of ‘love’ with an emphasis on the love that comes from fandom; Chance to Dance is a 20 minute film showing a programme run by the Royal Ballet that reaches out to local communities and dance teachers to devise a performance with a group of young people; and Solly’s Story is a documentary we did for the Jewish Museum about the life story of Solly Irving, a Holocaust survivor.

Mountain Way works through collaboration and giving voice to participants. We understand how to navigate sensitive topics and create a welcoming production environment. We research the topics we depict, experiment with new ways of working and devise new aesthetic approaches to create innovative, cinematic films. If you feel your organisation could benefit from a film, get in touch with us to discuss how we can work together.