We were approached by the NEA to do an informational video around a concept that there are many players in the realm of public education that can contribute to make things work – the idea of Bargaining for the Common Good. They had produced a video some years prior and were deciding whether they should re-edit that video, with some snazzy graphics or simply start from scratch.
I knew we could do something creative and powerful with a green-screen and animation approach, something we’ve done with them before. So I convinced them we could do all this, from script to screen, with an actress and the magic of simple animation. Days before the production, the actress we booked to host the video fell ill. It was the start of the pandemic and DC just started its shutdown. Things were getting serious, and we didn’t ask any questions, but looked for another actress. The second actress we wanted to work with fell ill as well. Uh oh!
There was push to make the whole video an animation which I was not ready to do. My animation skills are not that advanced and I had already started formulating the project around a live host surrounded by simple animation. I had an idea…
I convinced Erica to do a test segmenting, hoping they’d accept her as the alternate host for the video. We crossed our fingers and they responded with a resounding YES! It was on, and we could do everything from the comforts of home.
Below is a sample of the process.
It was a family affair in the rear of our house, with Excel and Truth serving as Gaffers, PAs and Truth even directing a few segment.
Bargaining for the Common Good in education is about transforming the way we bargain and advocate for our students and members. It is about engaging educators, parents, students, and community partners to unite and demand change, not only for our members, but also for the wider community. Together, we can push for increases in school funding, more school nurses and counselors, and wraparound services for schools in our most vulnerable communities. Bargaining for the Common Good lets us build power together and win bigger, broader supports for student success. Learn more at https://www.nea.org/bcg
