Students Produce Video for WalkBoston to Promote Walkability.
Dubbed a “walker’s paradise,” a “runner’s mecca,” and one of the country’s “best bike cities,” Boston is no stranger to foot (and bike) traffic. But a daily commute or jog is no walk in the park on uneven sidewalks, poorly defined pathways, or malfunctioning pedestrian signals.
For a project in the fall 2018 class Designing and Implementing a Health Communications Campaign at the School of Public Health, students Benjamin Miller, Sharon Khama, TraciAnn Hoglind, and Shweta Palakkode produced a video to shed light on pedestrian safety issues and promote safe walking conditions in Massachusetts.
The video served as a promotional tool for WalkBoston, a nonprofit organization that advocates for a variety of pedestrian needs, including safe and clean walking conditions, in cities and towns that belong to its WalkMassachusetts Network. WalkBoston featured the video on its website and in its monthly e-news alert in January.
Adjunct professor Kim Kronenberg, who taught the course, says the purpose of the assignment was to offer students a “unique, hands-on opportunity to plan, develop, produce, and distribute a video production that meets the needs of a client.” By the end of the course, she says the students were able to apply the basic principles and strategies of health communication, the technology of video production, and the interpersonal skills of client relations.
The video centers on the common obstacles pedestrians face during their commutes, such as speeding vehicles, bumpy sidewalks, and unreliable public transportation. It also calls attention to the challenges that pedestrians with disabilities may face, by casting two people who are deaf. In one scene, they prepare to cross a street during the “Walk” signal, and narrowly avoid being hit by a speeding ambulance. The scene stresses the need for emergency vehicle warning lights for pedestrians who are unable to hear sirens.
Brendan Kearney, communications director for WalkBoston, praised the group for elevating the organization’s mission to improve walkability in Massachusetts neighborhoods and encourage physical activity among all residents.
“All of the students that worked on the WalkBoston project were able to help us focus the messaging for our new WalkMassachusetts Network program, letting people know that WalkBoston is available to help anyone make their community safer for people walking,” Kearney says.
Miller, a second-year MPH student, says he was surprised to discover that Boston’s streets are not as pedestrian-friendly as he once thought—and pleased to be able to deliver that message through the video.
“It was great to have a client partner who trusted us with their project,” Miller says. “WalkBoston strives to make walking more accessible for all people, and the video was designed to connect people to an organization that can help them achieve their walking and transportation needs.”
Palakkode, a second-year MPH student pursuing dual certificates in Health Communication and Promotion and Health Policy and Law, appreciated the opportunity to work closely with her clients and the community throughout the process.
“Being able to write the script, shoot the video, and work closely with our stakeholders helped my team and I gain valuable skills on the wide spectrum of video production,” Palakkode says.
The students received guidance on video production and editing from videographer Lynn Weissman of Weisswoman Productions.
“I loved helping the students think visually to get their message out there, from production planning, to best recording practices, to editing for emotion and impact,” Weissman says. “The dynamic synergy of blending moving images with sound can quickly inform many people—and also help to shift attitudes, and this is what changes behavior.”
Kronenberg believes the project helped students see the value of video as a public health messaging mechanism.
“The course really teaches strategic planning, thinking, and development, and the video is the vehicle for teaching about health communication,” Kronenberg says. “The students really were able to hone the message down to 49 seconds and deliver it in a very appealing fashion that I think appeals to the WalkBoston constituency.”