In spite of what some people would have you think, progressive change does not come from the top. It doesn’t come from Politicians, it doesn’t come from big business, and it certainly doesn’t come from the mop-top maniacs of the world.
Real, meaningful change comes from us, the people, making our voices heard, shining a light on injustices, pushing our governments to build more equal societies.
In the run up to this year’s election, there was a palpable buzz online, on the streets, and on the doorsteps; there was a hunger for change. People were beginning to wake up to the scam that is austerity. Britain and Labour were eroding the Tory lead in the polls. Social media was blowing up with new-found politics enthusiasts posting their views and having (often heated) exchanges in comments sections; the atmosphere was electric.
So in the middle of this hotbed of creativity and ideas, I found myself looking for a way to tap into this collective yearning for change. I started making videos. The central goal was to highlight the people powered movements that are shaping our new political landscape. To take those big scary ideas that are (often deliberately) kept out of our reach, and make them accessible, engaging and exciting.
Can Politics be exciting?
Well Politics is pretty much everything that affects your life, from the completely un-ethical device you’re reading this on now (no judgement, I’m guilty too), to the tax-dodging coffee you brought today, to whether you can walk down the street holding the hand of the person you love without facing persecution and abuse. It may sound hyperbolic, but Politics is life; and life is pretty damn exciting.
The vlog format fascinates me; it’s the ultimate realisation of making your voice heard. Anybody can take their phone, record a video, post it, and if it’s good it can reach thousands, if not millions of people. The frustrating thing for me is that there is a distinct lack of political vlogs, which to me seemed like the perfect fit for the format. I found thousands of vlogs about iPhones, or makeup, or just consumerism in general, but I couldn’t find any vlogs with politics as the sole focus. So I made one.
Perhaps the most important thing I want to achieve is to encourage you to get involved in the issues you care about, those small injustices that you think you can’t fix because you’re just one person. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make a difference. I know very little about film-making, and yet I’ve reached thousands of people with my videos. Your voice matters, so use it.
Come join the community: https://goo.gl/ULSQ5P
So that’s ‘Your Politics’, now tell me; what’s your Politics?
