Commissioned Documentaries

A good part of our work is directed to documentaries we make on behalf of other organizations –documentaries that deal with issues brought by others but that matter to us as well. It’s because the subject matter reflects our own values and by being involved we can achieve our own program objectives, that we are ready to join with the commissioning group to produce a documentary.

Our work on workplace issues, women’s status and rights, criminal justice and mental health has all been strengthened and enriched by partnerships with commissioning funders with whom we share common concern.

Sometimes in fact, a commission will take us down a path we’ve never gone before, expanding our own awareness and leading us to new fields of discovery and investigation.

Community Development Services

At Sky Works community development means using our documentary process to create real change by working with groups and communities engaged in a change process.  

We provide consulting and training services to assist organizations and workplaces that are committed to a systemic change process. A major component of these services is the training programs to support organizations engaged in philosophical and structural transformation. 

We have particular skills and experience in working closely with staff and volunteers in areas related to community and institutional health care, mental health and front line social services. 

Our research reveals the  wide spread reorganization of health and human services work in a manner that prioritizes business practices and “lean production” values at the expense of holistic care and support. This often leads to difficult tensions between work place and institutional values and professional ethical concerns. Additionally, health and social services have become increasingly entrenched in practice and policy silos, at the expense of staff morale and effectiveness and the holistic, systemic needs of service recipients. 

We have worked with groups who want to include our organizational skills and documentary tools in order to take thoughtful risks and to reach out to others who feel the same need for positive change. This process includes identifying and taking on tough issues, challenging and resolving the obstacles to positive change, and creating new, achievable goals and directions. In working with these groups, we search out shared values, their diverse beliefs, expectations, reservations and commitment to change. We work with their narratives to design and implement strategies for change that reflect their strength and growing capacity.

We work with existing documentaries; at times we create documentaries that are specific to their needs. We use the tools at hand. This includes not only our own work documentaries, but also media stories, examples of popular culture and the narratives of the group members.

It’s a vital, organic, constantly changing process and we’re all in it for one reason - to make a difference around the issues we’ve taken on together.     

To read about an example click here.

We would love to discuss with you whether Sky Works is able to produce your commissioned film. Contact us at info@skyworksfoundation.org or 416 536-6581