Filming for human rights can be dangerous. It can put you, the people you are filming and the communities you are filming in at risk. Carefully assess the risks before you press “record.” Do your best to implement the guidance below, but understand that nothing stated in this guide is absolute, and you should modify the practices to fit your needs. When possible, seek support from local experts. Even if you cannot fully implement this guidance, your footage may still provide valuable information that could lead human rights organizations and advocates to answers and, in turn, to the protection of our basic human rights. INTRODUCTION There are many reasons frontline documenters may want to record on-camera testimony of people who have suffered, witnessed, or have information about human rights situations. These reasons include: • empowering people who underwent human rights abuses by giving them an opportunity to tell their stories; • sharing stories with the media to draw attention to a human rights situation and amplify the voices of the victims; • sharing stories with key decision-makers to influence policies and laws; • preserving personal stories for the historical record; and • documenting abuses to support justice and legal accountability efforts. If your primary goal in filming testimony is to document it for legal accountability purposes, experts recommend that you: • get professional training on how to conduct such interviews; and • document the interview in writing instead of on camera under most circumstances. The reasons for these recommendations are summarized in Part II below, but in short, irresponsibly collecting, copying, or circulating a recorded interview can seriously endanger the life of the witness. 137 VIDEO AS EVIDENCE: FILMING PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS V 1.0 FILMING TESTIMONY: FILMING PRELIMINARY FIELD INTERVIEWS