How to use
Your Safer Guide provides practical advice, tools, ideas, and examples intended to support filmmakers to take necessary risks to bring truth to power.
How to Use
If this is your first visit, we suggest that you scroll through the Guide to get an understanding of the core areas of concern: digital security, participant safety, journalistic accountability, legal security, and public relations. We encourage you to start with digital security (which is why we put it first!), because if your digital data is insecure, you are insecure, the people you work with are insecure, and your film is insecure.
If you're ready to get to work, head to the Checklists. These downloadable PDFs are both conversation starters and useful tools for creating the plans you need to be safer.
If it's clear from your review of the checklists that you'll be filming in a hostile context for at least some of your production, download the Hostile Filming Protocol. The Protocol can feel daunting, but be assured that we've thought through what you need to know and prepare and that the time spent creating your film's unique Protocol will be worthwhile.
If you're here because you're looking for a specific type of tool, check out the Resources and see if we have what you need.
Why We Created Your Safer Guide
In an increasingly autocratic world, too many government and political leaders have labeled the media as the enemy. Government censorship and digital surveillance are on the rise, funders are cautious, public media is struggling, and corporations are picking and choosing what to put on their platforms to avoid anything that might put them out of favor with those who influence their bottom lines or have the power to shut them down.
The Doc Society created Your Safer Guide primarily for documentary filmmakers and to provide practical advice, tools, ideas, and examples to support them to take necessary risks to bring truth to power, through all phases of documentary filmmaking — from development to distribution.
In addition to your physical safety and wellbeing, we want you to know what you can do to keep your communications and footage secure and the steps you can take to lessen the likelihood of being arrested, detained, sued, or having your production shut down. We want to help you to talk with your team and participants, so they can understand the risk they're undertaking.
Doc Society did not create this Guide because we want documentary filmmakers to shy away from stories; we created it to support your efforts to bring truth to power. As far as we’re concerned, the voice of independent media is the last line of defense against autocracy.
Use the Guide to ensure you're in the best position to keep yourself, your crew, your participants, and your film safer, as safe as you possibly can be.