Technical Guidelines for Lifestory Videos: The Case on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Disinformation

This report lays out guidelines for creating lifestory videos to assist in producing high-quality, consistent media with a coherent message. It specifies ideal script/video structure and other technical aspects, such as video shooting, filming locations, imagery, clothing, video length, language and subtitles, music, audio, and translations. The audiovisual format of lifestories can be highly informative as well as persuasive, which makes them an effective tool in preventing and countering violent extremism. Audio-visuals have already been used in a number of campaigns around the world, with varying degrees of success. This paper analyzes these previous efforts and considers which elements worked well as a way to inform lifestory design. It concludes that the authentic emotional qualities of lifestories are crucial for combatting disinformation and deep fakes and for offering counter narratives to propaganda. Directions for the technical aspects of creating these videos is offered as well, with an emphasis on how to maintain credibility and anonymity.

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