A new idea? A very clear, 5 to 10 minute permaculture introduction video.

Hi there,

I've been looking into permaculture books and at documentaries for years now and am currently applying for my PDC that I hope to do before the european summer is over. But I've had the following experience more and more often: People will ask me what it is about, and I will explain in a few sentences or with an example. And then they either get really excited or their eyes sortof glaze over. Most get pretty excited though. And what I've been trying to find after I started talking to people about the PDC is a short movie that explains the concepts better, preferably in the dutch language or with subtitles. And I haven't been able to find a movie like this!
Maybe its because Permaculture is such a big subject. Or because every permie (I like  that word ) is different. The 'Greening the desert' movie is great in showing what it does, but there's no real explanation of the basic principles.
The closest short intro that really gives me a good introduction is this one:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R__ULPm5m4A[/youtube]
But its not a very 'designed' movie, it is Albert Bates talking as he sees it.
I must say, perhaps this kind of movie is already out there and I cannot seem to find.

What I'm thinking therefore is the following:

Create a digital movie, that uses a comic-book style iconography. Sortof like http://www.storyofstuff.com
or perhaps http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html
or for the humor part: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Ud3V9NPw8[/youtube]

This movie should be 5 to 10 minutes long and explain really really well what the basic concepts are. In a "DUH!" kindof way, preferably with humor as well. Maybe with a 2 minute spill on why we need a system like that in the beginning of the thing.
It should be downloadable as well. And available as an MP3 (it shouldn't NEED the pictures/cartoons).
But I envision this idea not as a single language, but as freely translatable under the creative commons license. I would personally be up for speaking the Dutch and English version, but it would be nice if there is a wiki of sorts that helps to translate. Sortof in a work-group kinda way.

Permacultureintroduction.net/english/
Permacultureintroduction.net/nederlands/
Permacultureintroduction.net/hindi/
Permacultureintroduction.net/etc/

The reason why this would be great is that you could reach huge audiences with it, in their own language. If you look at it from a movement kindof way, a lot of energy is put into making 'foot soldiers' and they definiatly do their part in spreading the news but we seem to be lacking on the digital media. Look at the difference between The Story of Stuff and the average explanation of Permaculture you can find on youtube.
I notice that there is a growing interest in this kind of movies, because people are looking for answers now that this whole 2012 thing is coming up. And climate/earth changes. And the pole shifting and all that stuff. I recently posted one comment about Permaculture on a World Bank video about the world food crisis on youtube, that comment was 'voted' into the 'top comments' section for over a week and the discussion is still going on two weeks later! I really think internet activism can reach huge audiences.

I have personal experience running a website, but would like to know if people think this is worth doing?
Because if everyone says "Yeaaaahh... Sounds like a neat plan but I don't think it will contribute much." I'm not gonna pour my heart into it

So, that was my introduction to the forum as well. I have been a lurker for a while, but I thought it might be time to get out of the closet

With love for the Earth and everybeing on it!
Berry

Good idea.  I know that there are native speakers of at least a dozen or two languages that frequent this site.

I think that your 10-15 minute time frame is good.  It would be enough to spark interest without exceeding people's attention span.  Those who were interested would begin Googling "Permies".and could begin learning the deeper workings of permaculture.

Hey, first time poster here, just registered to say to you sir that your idea is perfect and very worthwhile and you should put your time and energy into making it happen.

I have literally said out loud to people "I wish I could just show you a video on Youtube that explains it" when trying to explain what permaculture is about. Like you said it's a really wide-ranging concept and it's hard to know what to talk about specifically with different people, sometimes the eyes glaze over and sometimes they pop right out!

I'd like to have a video on the internet that makes 99% of peoples eyes pop out when they see it ^_^ that would make me happy!

Any way thank you for spending your time making this concept real, why bother asking the people out there, just make it and the people will love it ^_^.

- X991

WOW! Its cool to know that someone took the effort of registering to say that they support the idea.  And its also nice to know people could potentially be up for translating it. So, does someone have any drafts lying around? Or have a tip to a book that has a very very good short description of the concept?

I could start typing up a draft, but I'd like other people's interest also!

Thanks for your responses, now lets see if anyone has anything to contribute to a possible draft? If people are interested, I'm online most of the day in Gmail, eventhough I'm probably doing other things in the meantime, and am open for emails also. So just send me a PM and we'll figure that out.

Berry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture

It's very wordy, not really accessible like what you're trying to do, but a Wikipedia article I always find a good place to start because so many people have chipped away at the rock long enough already that it looks fairly polished. All you have to do is put your own spin on it and make it your own really, inject what you think is important, what you think the majority of people should hear/see.

I can't really help you in writing the bulk of the material (it's your project Hombre, you gotta own it yourself ) but if you want to send me a draft sometime I'd offer some suggestions.

There is a huge need for this, and if you are AT ALL successful, it will go off the charts the first month.  Betcha!

I am teaching a gardening "boot camp" for beginners at my church the next two weeks.  The video you describe would be invaluable.

The best I could come up with is this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtyLzD60D8M

(that's part 2, I couldn't find part 1 right off hand.)

And of course, that's just the gardening angle.  They really say nothing about housing or transportation or city design or alternative energy, or the larger problem solving aspects of permaculture.



This IS the way of the future.

troy

Xibipiio991 wrote:
I can't really help you in writing the bulk of the material (it's your project Hombre, you gotta own it yourself ) but if you want to send me a draft sometime I'd offer some suggestions.

I don't believe in 'Ownership', its a human concept that doesn't seem to exist anywhere except for the human mind-ego-complex. It also aids in ruining the planet as it places the human species above all other beings and things.

This is a concept that should sprout in the field of Commons! But thank you for the wikipedia link and input, I'll start writing soon I think. It seems as if there's enough interest. What languages do people speak here, besides english?

We've got:
Dutch
English
I think I could convince a friend to do
German and
French


And thank you Solarguy for that link, I will try to insert some of their message also

I think the concept of "ownership" exists more in the animal kingdom than it does in the human ego.  Humans are actually more inclined to share than most feral & domesticated animals.  A wolf, coyote, or even your dog is constantly marking its territory, (as is the 'gang-banger' with his graffiti).

As far as languages go, from this forum, you can probably get Spanish, Portugese, Italian, Serbian, Croatian, Japanese, Arabic, and several others I cannot think of off of the top of my head.  I can probably get some volunteers for Polish, Danish, Swedish, Soumi (Finnish), and who knows, maybe even Filipino, Greek and Turkish.

I think the best approach is to make it short and simple.  enough to get people thinking that this is something they can benefit from, but not a specific learning tool.  Unfortunately, many of the foreign watchers may have difficulty finding supporting info in their language...perhaps, that should be "Phase 2" of the project.

How's this coming?

I'm willing to help out with both the script and the Chinese version!

Don't let this die!
Thomas

Ask Bill , Geoff, David or Toby if they could write a short script and have someone eloquent to be the lead in the video.
I always show the 300 year Vietnam FF vid to people so they can understand the sustainability of such a system .
Martin Crawford's videos are good too, but not the 5-10min to introduce the idea to complete novices. 

Here's another roundabout explanation, but at least this video is directly related to the permaculture concept.  (Permaculture Ethics and Design Principles with David Holmgren)

Hi there,

I would just like to say that this idea is not dead. Its just been shelved and fermenting in my head because I went traveling and did my PDC! YAY!
I will hopefully be hosting a Open Space on this idea on the Nordic Permaculture Festival:
http://www.permakulturhaven.dk/selvforsyning

Check it out! You might want to come along?

Psychonautilus wrote:
Hi there,

I would just like to say that this idea is not dead. Its just been shelved and fermenting in my head because I went traveling and did my PDC!

Congratulations! 

Thank you!

I am now looking for a re-forestation/agroforestry project to join and learn about nurseries. I also hope to work more with mycology. Both these can be joined pretty well of course and I hope that the nursery I end up at will have some knowledge on this as well. If not, I will have to do loads of research and organize it myself

Does anyone have any pointers or ideas?

I too am really in search of a short (20 minutes optimum) intro to the problem of normal agriculture and the solution presented by permaculture. to introduce interested but uneducated (about permaculture) newbies. e.g. to show at clubs and meetings to spread the word. any guidance welcome!