Ryakuga Resources
The primary focus of Ryakuga video production is working together with community groups. Collaborative video is sharing responsibility for production. Ryakuga takes care of the technical production but planning, interviewing and editing decisions are shared with co-producers and sponsors. Participatory video is helping ordinary people take control of the technology and the production. Ryakuga will set up a hands-on, learn-as-you-do skills program. POP VDO(TM) is an educational environment using a low technology, portable TV studio. The environment (no training required) is an effective tool for conferences; workshops; public forums; transmitter projects, and community television. Ryakuga produces interactive videos designed to stimulate discussion during a presentation or a workshop. Television (or radio) transmitter projects or community television (or radio) specials aim to involve local people in active discussion using phone-ins. Ryakuga can provide skills training and assistance with programming. In some areas, it's possible for volunteers to take control of producing television programming for their communities. Again, Ryakuga can help with skills training and programming as well as organizing of the group.
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Newspaper-in-a-Box (Canadian patent file #2,055,249-2) is a kit designed to enable unskilled volunteers to produce professional appearing newsletters with a minimum of technology and expense. The kit is designed as a goal planning and monitoring process for the group as well as a production technique. It works best as a group process with production responsibility shared by a number of individuals with different skills.
The kit is currently being utilized by community study students at College of the North Atlantic. We are working on Windows 95 templates; what is available now are templates for Word Perfect for Windows (3.1).
Newspaper-in-a-Box has been utilized by community groups across Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the Caribbean and Central America. You don't need a workshop to get started in newsletter production, but it's recommended. Provided your group is ready to work, your first newsletter is a guaranteed outcome of the workshop.
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Black and white photography for community communications (including darkroom processing) was originally intended as a companion to newsletter production but it has also proved effective for community-based publicity and interfacing with mainstream community newspapers. We've also developed the Newspaper Wall(TM) to use photos and stories for communications at conferences or in communities.
The wall has also been adapted to computer communications as an interactive web site. Check out the Ryakuga Wall.
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The purpose of Ryakuga radio transmitter equipment is to make possible community-based projects which provide grassroots media training for practitioners/community reporters and/or facilitate on-air transmitter projects with local people. Check out what's been happening in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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Training is based on popular, learn-as-you-do methodology using resource materials developed by Ryakuga. Participants learn community based reporting techniques as well as practical skills.
People learn in a no-such-thing-as-failure environment. In such an environment, people tend to want to create something they can feel good about.
Ryakuga is concerned that new skills will be sustained in the community and all productions will be utilized by the people. We can help but the responsibility of identifying motivated participants and utilization plans rests with the community group.
Communications needs, skills and resources assessments help groups and communities analyze their internal and external communication potential and plan for action.
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Ryakuga develops its own print resources designed to be photocopiable by the user group. Each resource is tailor made to suit the needs of the specific group or project.
Resources have been developed in videography, community television, posters and brochures, newsletter/black and white photography, community radio and grassroots public consultation.
Click here to see our guide on community television.
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Our approach is to de-emphasize technology and to ensure the tools we use for grassroots communications are user-friendly. But modern communications requires technology. We use familiar consumer equipment whenever possible. Also our teaching methods and print resources make even our high-tech accessible.
Ryakuga technical resources include:
NEW: Digital video production with a Canon XL1 3CCD camcorder and a Mac G4 using a Firewire technology, Adobe Premiere 5c software and Quicktime 4.
1. Community radio - UNESCO 20 watt FM stereo transmitter; Ramsey FM stereo transmitters; audio mixers; tape recorders and microphones.
2. Poster, newsletter and brochures - Desktop and laptop computers; scanners; Postscript laser and inkjet printers, digital frame grabber and desktop publishing software.
3. Community video production - 3CCD Hi-8 camcorder with timecode; light kit; tripod; AC\DC monitor; Hi-8 portable editing suite with timecode and zero frame accuracy, character generator and video mixer.
4. Portable POP VDO television studio - Two Hi-8 camcorders; tripods; lights; microphones; audio mixer; video mixer; television monitors, and playback/recording VCRs.
5. Computer communications - Laptop computer; Mac8500 AV; modems, webcam and communications software.
6. CD production - Mac AV, CD recorder, audio/video digitizing software.
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