Closing Date: February 8, 2021

1. Background: Outline of the Research Project and the Place of Films within it Link

The Inclusive Public Space (IPS) Project is concerned with problems of unequal access to city streets, particularly for older adults, people with disabilities, and parents or caregivers. It aims to deepen understanding of what aspects of streets people find difficult; how well different types of law are responding to the problems; and how public awareness and concern about these problems can be increased.

The IPS project is a joint project of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University and the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. The IPS project is a five year project funded by the European Research Council Advanced Grant (Agreement No 787258).

IPS Project website: https://inclusivepublicspace.leeds.ac.uk

Opportunities for Two Videographers Link

Atlanta, Georgia Videographer Work Link

There will be between 40 and 50 participants in Atlanta, Georgia. They will choose a journey to be filmed and given the choice of accompanying the videographer during filming (to help point out the particular problems that need to be filmed), to be filmed making the journey in question, or not to be present for the filming.
This videographer must be located in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area.

Syracuse, New York Videographer Work Link

There will be between 40 and 50 participants in Syracuse, New York. They will choose a journey to be filmed and given the choice of accompanying the videographer during filming (to help point out the particular problems that need to be filmed); to be filmed making the journey in question; or not to be present for the filming.
This videographer must be located in Central New York.

2. Filming Objectives Link

The videographer will provide the project with films of street journeys chosen by individual research participants. The research participants will be people with disabilities, older adults, and parents or caregivers. Particular attention will need to be given to filming the difficulties which research participants mention. Audio commentaries or conversations (e.g., between the videographer and research participant) should not be recorded. However, the soundscape of the journey is an important aspect of the journey which must be recorded and given particular attention where it has been identified as one of the problems.

The films will be adapted for various purposes including to raise awareness and build solidarity about the nature and impact of the problems that pedestrians face. The films will not be intended for viewing by anybody in their raw form. The main purposes for which we will use the films include:

• Making Virtual Reality simulation software to give an idea of what it is like to try to tackle various street environments for people with different disabilities, older adults, parents or caregivers walking with a child or person with a disability.
• Using visuals and/or sounds from the films, together with clips from separate audio-recordings of people’s stories, to compile documentary-style films which will be made publicly available.

NB The contribution of the videographer will be acknowledged in any films, software or other materials produced by the Inclusive Public Space team drawing on footage they filmed.

3. Guidelines for the filming Link

You will need to submit a quote for filming up to 50 pedestrian journeys (generally of between 10 and 20 minutes each). These will have been chosen by research participants in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Please see the issues you should address in this quotation, set out in the following section.

Your quote should be on a per film basis (each film having the same price). This means you will need to calculate the average cost of making one of these films and use that in your quote. Please note that we have a maximum budget in the region of 100 GBP per film (or, if you prefer, the equivalent in USD at the time of payment, which is approximately 130 USD at the time of writing). This figure includes any taxes or other charges as well as the travel and other expenses you might incur during filming.

You can, however, add the cost of the camera we need you to use, if you do not already have it. We will ask you to buy it but require you to grant ownership to the University of Leeds or Syracuse University.

Filming is likely to be needed from late-February to late-April, but we recognize that Covid-19 related rules may have an impact on timing. Some working at weekends might be required.

You will need to use a GoPro Max camera utilizing 360 recording capabilities, and will need to be able to wear this camera with a head-strap to record the video from participants’ point of view. In case of participants who use a wheelchair or mobility scooter this means that you will need to hold or position the camera at the height of their head level to film the journey.

You will need access to secure and fast internet facilities in order to upload your films onto a password-protected OneDrive folder, within two days of making the film.

You will also need to comply with data protection protocols specified by the project team and with Covid-19 related rules and guidance. In particular, these require you to delete the film from your camera as soon as you receive notification that it has been safely received by the project team.

The purpose of these films/videos is to give a true reflection of the difficulties encountered by different people whilst travelling through cities. Each video must highlight the obstacles or difficulties so that the viewer can clearly understand what these problems are.

Each participant will be given the choice:

• To accompany you while you are filming the journey, without appearing in the film, or to nominate somebody else to accompany you on their behalf. The purpose of this is to help you to understand, identify and capture the problems that need to be included in the film.
• To be filmed making the journey themselves.

OR

• To leave the filming to you, based on their descriptions of the journey. In this case they may or may not provide you with a phone number so that you can check directly with them if you need any clarification about the journey they have chosen or the problems on which to focus.

It is essential that participants are treated respectfully and that you are able to be flexible in the way you interact with people with disabilities depending on their communication needs. You will liaise directly with participants who wish to be involved with filming – so that you can agree mutually convenient times and places to meet. You will therefore need to be happy to share your contact details with participants. Any participant with a disability who wishes to be present for the filming will be made aware that the videographer will be unable to provide them with any physical or other assistance for making the journey. If they need such assistance, they must therefore ensure that they make separate arrangements.

It is also essential that you comply with rules or guidance on Covid-19, including the wearing of a face covering, keeping safe physical distancing and following guidance by local or national authorities. In addition, we ask you to inform the project team if you are diagnosed with Covid-19 or required to self-isolate, so we can inform participants whom you have met.

Videos are to be filmed on a GoPro Max camera utilizing the 360 recording capabilities. You will need to ensure that 360 is activated before recording begins and that the highest quality settings are used.

It is important that key route-defining elements of the journey, like intersections, side roads and crossings are clearly shown in your videos to make it clear which route has been filmed. Any obstacles or difficulties need to be clearly highlighted. Note that you should film the whole of the journey described by the participant, provided that it would take less than 30 minutes to walk it. If you are concerned it would take longer than this, we ask that you contact the project team. We are asking participants to choose journeys that would take between 10 and 20 minutes but recognize that it may sometimes be necessary to make them slightly longer in order to capture the problems concerned. For long journeys, if the participant agrees, it may be possible to leave out long, problem-free stretches of the journey – but in this event, please remember to include key way-marking points such as intersections.

Note that some of the problems may not be physical. They may involve interactions with moving vehicles, bikes, scooters or other pedestrians. These may occur quite suddenly on what might otherwise appear to be problem-free journeys. Accordingly, the camera should not generally be turned off, even for long straight apparently problem-free stretches, if you are filming the participant making the journey.

To minimize the chances of motion sickness if the video is being viewed on VR headsets, and to enable clear focus on problems specified by the participant, you will need to supplement your moving shots with a number of static shots at key points along the route. That may mean setting up the camera and moving away from it whilst recording. Obviously, in busier environments you will probably need to stay fairly close to the camera. Closer, tighter shots will be required of specific obstacles, for example, a high curb or trip hazard etc. You will also need to ensure there are wider shots of these areas so the viewer has a full understanding of the issues.

Where the participant has chosen to be filmed making the journey, you will need to check out the route before meeting the participant to identify how best to capture their encounters with the barriers they have identified. This might, for example, involve the camera being static at a vantage point from which the participant’s progress can be clearly seen. In other situations, particularly where the problems are linked to noise or crowds, you will need to follow the participant closely to pick up the situation they are experiencing. When you are following the participant with a view to recording the street as they are encountering it, it is important that you set the camera approximately to the head height of the participant. This means that a slightly lower position will be needed for a wheelchair user.

All the raw footage is to be supplied. Please arrange the static shots in chronological order of the journey – and ensure that, if you have more than one moving shot, that they too are in this order.

Please try to keep to a minimum images of the faces of other pedestrians and vehicle number plates.

The IPS project team will provide the following for each participant:

• The participant’s description of the journey to be filmed and problems that need to be captured in the film;
• A screenshot of the chosen journey on Google maps;
• The participant’s decision about whether they wish to accompany you or take part in the film;
• Contact details for the participant, if provided;
• Any factors that need to be taken into account in planning when to make the film – e.g. if the problems manifest only at particular times of day or, where the participant wishes to take part, their availability at different times and days of the week.

In addition, the IPS project team will:

• prior to the filming, organize a short familiarization session to ensure that you understand the project’s key purposes and address any questions or concerns you may have; and
• supply you with a letter to carry during the filming to explain what you are doing should anybody ask.

If you have any concerns for the health and safety of yourself or the participant at any point, it is important that you discontinue the filming and take action to prevent risk.

Please alert the IPS project team to any such concerns as soon as possible.

The University of Leeds will retain IPR of the completed films. Your initial films (perhaps 2 or 3) will be reviewed for quality by members of the project team, and we may ask for films to be re-shot if we feel that they do not meet the requirements of the brief. Payment for each film will be dependent on meeting the requirements of the brief.

If successful, you will receive a Purchase Order and will need to invoice the University of Leeds for successfully completed films. Payment will be made on a per film basis.

The IPS project team is happy to discuss any questions you might have. Please email us at IPS.Project@leeds.ac.uk or call us at 678-701-3771 (or +44 113 343 7526 or +44 113 343 5054 in the UK).

4. Points to include in your quote Link

1. Your name.
2. Company/business/professional name.
3. Contact details.
4. Experience of working or interacting with people with disabilities and older adults.
5. Any experience of similar work in the past.
6. Familiarity with the Atlanta metropolitan area.
7. Details of insurance to cover any loss or theft of equipment (i.e., for the GoPro Max camera).
8. Price per film.
9. The cost of buying the camera – if you do not already have one of the required specs.
10. Your availability to work on these films – when could you start and how much availability would you have? Would you be willing and available to do some filming at a later point if a participant requests this (e.g., because they want to be filmed but cannot do so because of illness over the next month or so)?
11. If possible, please provide examples of your previous work, e.g., by a YouTube upload. If this is not possible, please explain why.

Closing Date and Submission Link

Closing Date: February 8, 2021
Please email your completed quote to IPS.Project@leeds.ac.uk.

The Inclusive Public Space (IPS) Project is a joint project of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University and the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. The IPS project is a five year project funded by the European Research Council Advanced Grant (Agreement No 787258).