– By David Gibson
I am a first-year student in the Broadcast Television program at Conestoga College. In this program we learn to use video to make short stories come to life, report on news and current events, and raise awareness about important issues. Some of my friends have been subjected to domestic violence, and I have talked to them in depth about what they experienced and what I could do to help. So when I was asked to create an original Public Service Announcement (PSA) about domestic violence for a school project, I had people I could go to for input and advice on how I could create an effective message.
I made it my goal to create a PSA that would convey the message that domestic violence is a serious problem, that it can affect everyone, and that there are ways to get help. To meet the requirements of the assignment, my video had to be 30 seconds long, it couldn’t have dialogue except for the tagline, and I had to display an organization and their symbol at the very end. I decided to use the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region (WCSWR) because I wanted to use something within our community, so that if anyone saw my video that needed help, it would provide a resource they could turn to.
During the creation of the video, I relied on feedback from my friends to make sure I was getting the right message across, because I can see the negative impact of domestic violence in their lives. I visited the WCSWR and met some of the staff, and I know I picked a really great resource to feature in my video.
I really care about the well-being of my friends and everyone in our community, and I really want people to know that there are kind and caring people willing to help. Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself, or for anyone you know that is affected by domestic violence, because everyone deserves to be happy, and no one deserves to get hurt.
Click on the link below to see the PSA on Domestic Violence: