The ideal procedures:
1. Role models in the form of characters
Developing characters as exemplars for the viewer is one of the most potent ways to use entertainment to make an influence. Three character role models are necessary, according to Mexican TV producer and pioneer of entertainment-education Miguel Sabido.
Positive models are people who exemplify the desired behavior or message. They are frequently portrayed as inspiring, gregarious, solution-focused, and upbeat role models that we should aspire to be more like.
Negative models: they indicate an unwanted way of thinking or acting, and they show the wrong action.
Transitional models are those that actively model for the audience how to change their thoughts and behaviors from bewilderment or disinterest to awareness and action. They go from the negative to the positive.
How can you keep the tone lighthearted while still making the point?
Since the audience can identify with their mental process and their shift from ignorance or disinterest to awareness and action, imitation typically originates from the third sort (transitional). Role models and inspirational figures pique people's interest. They play the role of catalysts, able to inspire their audience to take up arms and defend their beliefs.
For instance, the Bollywood movie Rang De Basanti depicts a group of students who are normally uninterested in politics—that is, until one of their close friends is killed in a corruption scandal at the Ministry of Defence. Through sequences from their undergraduate years and conversations about the depressing state of Indian politics, the first part of the film establishes the group's relatability to younger Indian audiences. The second section gives each regular citizen who has ever voiced complaints about the "corrupt system" motivation to take action.
This was demonstrated by the real-life activism that the film inspired, which included leading Delhi University students in a campaign for the Priyadarshini Mattoo case to be retried (with actors from Rang De Basanti in attendance) and organizing a candlelight vigil at India Gate, which happened exactly as the film showed, which resulted in the opening of the Jessica Lal murder case and Manu Sharma's subsequent imprisonment.
2. Clarifying the problem description
The material must elucidate the issue at hand and navigate its complex facets. By doing this, the viewer is made aware that this is a serious social issue rather than merely a fleeting dispute in the movie.
The material must elucidate the issue at hand and navigate its complex facets.
Moreover, the text should pinpoint one or two important underlying reasons of the issue rather than assuming that the audience is aware of it. This is frequently best accomplished by highlighting a component of a topic that is discussed in public (like menstrual hygiene) while offering a novel perspective on its genesis.
There is a moment in the film Padman where the protagonist, Akshay Kumar, who serves as the film's transitional figure, is in a medical facility. The physician gives him a thorough explanation of the risks associated with women replacing sanitary napkins with old napkins, leaves, or other unclean materials. Although Kumar is oblivious to the issue in this scene, his education makes the viewer aware of the importance of sanitary napkins.
3. Initiating lively dispute
A story's tension keeps our interest, piques our curiosity, and keeps us paying attention. Media with a purpose frequently concentrates on outlining the social issue and presumes that the viewer finds it to be a compelling struggle worth getting involved in. Still, this is not enough. The audience must relate to the issue on a personal level for there to be any tension. They will not benefit much from this battle if they are not yet aware of, involved with, or connected to the issue.
Therefore, the conflict must frequently be depicted through character interactions, an upcoming drama, or a terrifying outcome. The audience is typically encouraged to cheer for a team or a particular result, which keeps them personally involved and interested all the way through. For instance, during a performance, the vice chancellor of a nearby university molesthes the dancer in the Indian folk dancer Anaarkali of Aarah film. The dancer's battle for justice against a strong guy emphasizes her right to agree regardless of her background, and this fight is what creates conflict more than the incident itself.
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