Create Your Own Reform Movement with a Public Service Announcement (P Create Your Own Reform Movement with a Public Service Announcement (P.S.A.)

Temperance & Abolition Societies Your next assignment will be modeled on the methods of some of the major reform movements of the mid-19th century. These societies were created to bring together like-minded individuals to discuss and encourage change. They used such methods as parades, rallies, posters, political cartoons, slogans and pledges to try to influence people to support their cause.

Your Job What is a PSA? Public service announcements (PSA) or public service ads, are 30 or 60-second television or radio messages with the objective of raising awareness, changing public attitudes and behavior towards a social issue. In groups, you and your peers will be responsible for creating a public service announcement (PSA) based on a societal behavior/issue that you feel needs to change, stop, decrease or increase.

Examples of a PSA This is a 60-second PSA created at the Guthrie Center by former CSA student Gio Vidanna called “Above the Influence”; http://vimeo.com/channels/guthriecenterfilms/66978694 This is a 30-second PSA created at the Guthrie Center by former CSA student Grayson Blackburn called “The Greatest Save”; http://vimeo.com/channels/guthriecenterfilms/66999835

The Goal of a PSA: Raise awareness of an issue that is important to you. Change behavior you see as detrimental to society in some way. Share information. Make a lasting impact. Grab people’s attention. Make people think.

Requirements In order for your PSA to be complete, you must have; - a clear, simple message - a slogan or motto - a least three facts - information about where viewers can get additional information - a connection to a historic reform movement from our unit (i.e. temperance, abolition, etc.)