Using my powers for good

[Mark Suszko]

As long as you don’t cost a lot, I’m sure you can find any number of NGO’s that might love for you to shoot and edit video versions of their annual report, or an appeal campaign, and Video News Releases are always there as well. I would say first discover what specific charities you are most attracted to, then find the BGO’s and sponsors that work on that. You can go in a religious or secular direction, for example. Peace Corps and Americorps are two US organizations that do a lot, all over the place, and being government-funded, they usually are looking for some kind of documentation of the work to justify the outlay on each project. NGO’s also have to document what they do to the donors.

[Bob Zelin]

You mean you want someone to pay you so you can go on an adventure.

Every job is a job. Meaning that there are plenty of people that want to do exactly what you are doing, and are applying for it right now. And are willing to take less pay that you are. You think that because you are this big experienced guy, with lots of credentials, that people will embrace you and say “sure, come on in, we want you”. It doesn’t work that way. You could be a Hollywood award winning director, and if you wanted to shoot a neighborhood wedding video, you would have to prove yourself to your little client (unless they were a big fan of your movies).

I am old now, but my very first job was working on tour for a big rock band. I didn’t care about the money, I just wanted to do it. And as I so often say over and over on these forums, you have to go out an hunt for these jobs, and get rejected over and over. And I worked for less than minimum wage. Now, with my 30+ years of experience, do you think that I can just knock on the door of ANY company, and they will just say “sure, here is our money, come on over !”. It doesn’t work that way. You work for food channel, but you work for a particular producer. Try cold calling another producer at food channel on another show and say “hey, I work for so and so, can I work for you too?”. The odds are they will say “send us your reel” and ignore you. Finding work is work. Even if it’s for free. And you want this charity (Unicef, Peace Core, etc.) to pay for you to travel around, and your expenses. Well, it’s a job, and no one is just going to hand this to you, even with your experience.

I am sure that you can enlist in the military, and say that you want to “see the world” as a videographer, and I am sure they will take you. But for anyone else (greenpeace, Unicef, etc.) you make the calls, you don’t get thru, you call again, you keep at it, and eventually someone will let you work for free for them (in exchange for your adventure where you will be eaten by natives in some god forsaken country). And here on Cow, we will all say “yea, Christopher was a really great cameraman !”.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com

[Christopher Travis]

Thanks for your sage words Bob,

You’ve really made me think about this in a whole new light. But to save a sliver of your precious time, perhaps in future you could just provide links to other posts you’ve made where you’ve generously offered up multiparagraph rants saying exactly the same thing without actually bothering to think whether you could provide any specific insight into the OPs situation. Although I did enjoy the ever-so-slightly racist allusion to cannibalism towards the end of this particular bespoke response.

I’ve been here a while Bob, so I’m well aware that you make 2,000 calls a day, send 100,000 emails, as well as simply shouting loudly at every person you pass in the street asking them to give you work. I understand the importance of hard work and determination, however I was hoping I might be able to use my time more efficiently than just dialling numbers at random and barking at whichever poor soul picks up at the other end.

Which is why I came here and asked a couple of simple questions, hoping for a steer in the right direction. Maybe someone knows of an organisation that arranges placements like this. Maybe someone has experience with a particular charity that they’d like to share. Maybe someone has tried and can tell me *from experience* that I’d have to wait in line for 5 years to get a chance to do it. You know, like helpful advice or something.

Perhaps you do have extensive experience volunteering your skills to charities abroad but I’m afraid I couldn’t pick any of that out from the torrent of bile and accusations that I think I’m a rock star or something.

For anyone else reading this interested in my original post. I have found an organisation calls VSO which places skilled volunteers on projects in different parts of the world. They apparently do have occasionally places for people with these skills so I have been encouraged to apply. Beyond that I suppose it’s time to draw up a list of charities to approach directly.

Also, Mark, thanks for your response, it’s given me some things to look into. (And may I take this opportunity, if I haven’t already, to say that you are by far my favourite poster on the Cow. I always read your posts with interest. It never ceases to amaze me how on-point your advice is on basically any subject. Subjects for which there are no user-manuals, and for which there is no simple google-able answer. I’ve also seen you very generously provide pretty fleshed-out pitches and proposals for people that may well have earned them lucrative jobs, without batting an eyelid. Keep up the good work guy.)

[Mark Suszko]

Chris, thanks for the praise, but I think you’re being unfair to Bob, who is a true guru who’s “seen it all”. Not everybody “gets” Bob because of his gruff style, but I have to tell you; he may be gruff and opinionated, but he’s very rarely wrong. He’s right that you’ll have to beat on a lot of doors if you’re wanting to make a living while doing this charity-related work.

NGO’s do their work in highly dysfunctional places, otherwise, those places wouldn’t need the extra help to begin with. This puts those workers in a position where they have to be highly motivated and resourceful, refusing to be stopped by imposed boundaries and apparently insurmountable obstacles.

To me, this sounds a lot like the attitude Bob has and promotes. If Bob was working in one of those places, I know he’d find a creative way past any obstacle set in his path.

He’s helping you, in his own way. By challenging your assumptions, he’s making you think harder and clearer in justifying them. This can only be beneficial.

Oh, I hear the gong, tea time up on the mountain top, gotta go…. but seriously, re-think what you’ve said and look at Bob’s and other’s opinions with an open mind, is all I’m asking. Here’s something to play in the background while you continue your research.

And thanks for the tip about the agency that helps connect workers to programs. If you can post a link to VSO, it may help others who find this thread in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2yk1lsi9RM

[Christopher Travis]

woops. Quite right I forgot the link.

https://www.vso.org.uk/

That’s clearly a UK site. Not sure if they have a north American branch.

I’m a big lad and I can handle Bob’s “style”, but I do find it funny that he is allowed to dish out insults and accusations made on the basis rash assumptions, but the second I give a little back I’m being unfair. I guess that’s seniority for you though.

[Mark Suszko]

Some, but mostly just Professional respect and courtesy.

This place only works by keeping that in mind. I’ve been at this for at least 25 years now and still consider myself a beginner. Everyone I meet is my teacher, at *something*.

[Bob Zelin]

Christopher writes –
Although I did enjoy the ever-so-slightly racist allusion to cannibalism towards the end of this particular bespoke response

REPLY – Racist ? !!!!!
Chris, everyone knows I hate everyone. White, Black, Hispanic, Indian, Arabic, Asian, I insult all of them. I am an equal opportunity bigot.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Bob,

That last comment was really discriminating. Not hating Danish people!
Why am I feeling singled out for not receiving your tongue of love? 😉

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[John Chay]

I was really excited he mentioned Asians.

[Sam Cornelis]

I am not familiar with charities, but I came across this article, earlier this week. And it might be interesting to read it in this context: it seems that not all charities are doing what they pretend to do.
https://www.tampabay.com/topics/specials/worst-charities1.page

– I have read the entire internet, and I am feeling a little bit bored, so I started to reply to interesting forum topics.