Prayasam Visual Basics is a grassroot visual storytelling studio where community youth develop short films, videos, photo-stories, on the real life cross cutting social issues. It is a platform to engage and empower youth to become positive Community Contributors, using the medium of films as an advocacy tool for slum development.
The purpose is to provide a platform for self- expression of marginalized youth and engage, experiment and explore in diverse forms of communication media. This not only nurtures their creativity, passion and original ideas but also give vent to their powerful views, perceptions and probable solutions to pressing issues and problems affecting their daily lives.
Prayasam Visual Basics is a two-layered project— on one hand it involves developing powerful films which mirror the challenges as well as positive stories of communities; on the other hand it brings the community together so that the visual media can impact their attitude and mindset for collective action.
Thus, creating awareness and shifting attitudes from the community level to the macro level. It served as a catalyst for these invisible and voiceless players to gain visibility, acceptance and a voice. Above youth from the slum communities are being recognized as positive contributors in the development process.
LET THE NUMBERS SPEAK
6500+ youth from marginalized communities trained in filmmaking, video, photography and graphic designing
26000 families reached
80 short films made on different social issues
930 event and other videos made
1200 posters created for various event, advocacy and awareness programmes
410 places Prayasam Visual Basics films screened
5 national and international youth exchange programmes
20 organizations partnered and collaborated
13 cities across the world reached including Seattle, Mumbai, Nairobi, San Antonio, San Francisco, Kolkata, Nambale, Scottsdale, Dhaka, etc.
35 audio stories created
5 online festival hosted
3 websites created
ACHIEVEMENTS
Prayasam is the sole winner of Adobe Creative Catalyst Award in entire Asia and one among the six in the world for its concept of Prayasam Visual Basics.
Under Universal Immunization Programme, Prayasam Visual Basics partnered with Global Health Strategy and Johns Hopkins University to develop an advocacy film named “Vaccine Heroes”
Prayasam is a partner organization of Norec, a government part under the Norwegian Ministry of External Affairs and replicated this model in the informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya through the international youth exchange programme, Media for Mentors.
Prayasam Visual Basics has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation, Coal India, Global Fund for Children, World Fair Trade Organization Sasha and Save the Children for their CSR films, publicity materials and event videos.
The filmmaking component of Prayasam’s work was supported by Adobe Project 1324, Pumpkin Foundation, Overseas Resource Foundation Limited.
Prayasam had youth exchange programme with Bangladesh sharing their photography skills with Bangladeshi youth and later hosting photography exhibition with the support of Ashoka Innovators for the Public.
Prayasam Visual Basics films have been screened at Sundance Film Festival, Mumbai International Film Festival, Sundance Next Fest, Kolkata Children’s Film Festival, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Joka and endorsed by International Labour Organization (ILO).
From 2015 to 2019 10 youth from Prayasam Visual Basics are recipient of Adobe Creativity Scholarship for their work related to filmmaking and digital media.
5 youth won Adobe Innovation Grant since 2015 to 2019.
SERVICES WE OFFER
- Training in photography (Food photography, Fashion photography, Portrait photography, Landscape photography, Event photography)
- Training in cinematography
- Training in Editing (Video editing, Sound Editing, Colour Correction)
- Making event videos
- Making CSR videos
- Making short films
- Professional sound recording
- Graphic designing
- Website Development
- Making audio stories
CONTACT
For further information about our work or for availing our services, kindly write to salim4prayasam@gmail.com or call +91 8910498882