Myth-Busting on Outreach – and Selling Bugs!

with Ben Kempas, Campaign Strategist

Some say: “I’m a filmmaker, not an activist”. Others say: “I’m a filmmaker, so I need to be an activist”. And both assumptions are myths.

More and more producers and distributors are experimenting with outreach campaigns that engage audiences in new ways, build non-profit partnerships or aim to make the world a better place.

Yet many remain sceptical: “Why should we bother with this in the first place?” – “I’m not going to make any money off this, am I?” – “My intern can be the impact producer.” – ”My film is not issue-driven so it’s not for me.”

Ben Kempas will be on a mission to counter 13 of the most common misconceptions around outreach work. Because the worst myth is: “We can think about all this later.”

With Lemesos International Documentary Festival being a partner of the pan-European Moving Docs network, Ben will share a number of examples from the Moving Docs slate such as A Good American about surveillance or Bugs about edible insects.

And with a subject as "disgusting" as eating bugs, how can you still build a following through content marketing and nurturing individual relationships?

Ben Kempas, outreach strategist

Coming from a background in documentary cinematography and award-winning film making, Ben has been focusing on campaigns around films in recent years, recognizing how documentaries can influence public opinion and trigger social change. Clients across Europe and North America hire Ben as strategic consultant or active outreach producer to identify and engage target audiences, create networks and partnerships, produce additional content, and build action-focused websites.

First as producer of marketing and distribution at the Scottish Documentary Institute and now with his new company Film & Campaign, Ben has worked on high-profile projects including I Am Breathing (global screening day), Future My Love (‘pay-it-forward’), Bugs (building BUGSfeed, a publishing platform about edible insects), and Moving Docs (a pan-European initiative for audience development).

Ben specialises in adapting NationBuilder campaigning software for outreach work around films like Awake - the Life of Yogananda, Seven Songs for a Long Life, Bikes vs Cars, and for organizations like Danish Documentary, Auto Images, Meridian Hill Pictures, Fathers Network Scotland, or Van Jones’ Magic Labs Media.

Ben is also known for serving 12 years as volunteer co-host of The D-Word, building a professional documentary community with 10,000 members.

He is a frequent consultant, speaker and tutor at film industry events across Europe.