TAKE HOME POINTS A Collection Plan helps investigators and lawyers communicate their needs to frontline activists so the footage activists collect can better support a legal case. It is an advanced practice for activists who intentionally seek to capture video documentation to use as potential evidence for long-term justice and accountability. A Collection Plan consists of three lists: LIST 1: “Elements of a Crime” you seek to prove; LIST 2: Evidence you have already collected to prove those elements; LIST 3: Evidence you still need to collect. Why Plan? There are a number of worthy reasons. Planning will help you: • Assess what footage will support the case you are trying to prove or the story you are trying to tell. • Determine whether or not it’s worth risking your personal safety and the safety of others to capture footage. • Ensure your filming efforts are targeted so you won’t miss opportunities or duplicate efforts. • Communicate with your allies so everyone on your team understands what is needed and why. • Enhance your documentation and, in turn, strengthen your case. Steps to Create a Plan STEP 1: ASK WHY? Determine why it is worth the time, resources and risks to collect this footage. STEP 2: INCLUDE BASIC DETAILS. Write down basic information about the situation or violations you seek to document, such as a summary of the incident, names, dates, locations, etc. Download a blank Collection Plan form at bit.ly/WITNESSLibrary_VaE. STEP 3: FIND THE ELEMENTS OF THE CRIME. List the elements of a crime you need to prove by working with a lawyer, researching the elements online, at a library or making an educated guess. STEP 4: DETERMINE WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU NEED. Write down two lists, “Completed” and “To Do”, for all the evidence you: • Have already collected to prove each individual element of the crime; • Still need to collect to prove each individual element of the crime. Highlight the video images you need. STEP 5: REVIEW THE PLAN. If possible, go over the plan with the people you are filming with and those who you intend to give the footage to and then, go film! 78 VIDEO AS EVIDENCE: COLLECTION PLAN V 1.0 FILMING Definition