In 2024, with the UK government proposing significant restrictions on the legal right to protest, Amnesty International and Liberty, two of the most respected human rights organisations, jointly commissioned me to create a two-minute film to give people the practical information they needed to exercise their right to protest legally and safely.
I directed, shot, and edited the film, working with both organisations to ensure it was clear, credible, and widely shareable.
The Brief
This was a joint commission between Amnesty International and Liberty. The challenge was to make a film that was informative without being dry, urgent without being alarmist, and accessible to anyone thinking about taking to the streets.
The deliverable was a two-minute social media film, suitable for deployment across Amnesty International and Liberty’s channels.
The Approach
Human rights filmmaking demands careful planning. The information in the script had to be accurate and legally sound; the tone had to be empowering, not frightening. Once the script was signed off I then shot the piece to camera with our presenter, who was also giving a protesting training day to a group of young protestors, which served as some of the b roll for the edit. For the rest of the b roll in the film I used footage I’d already shot at previous protests, as well as some relevant b roll for parts of the script that we couldn’t shoot on the day.
Both Amnesty International and Liberty deployed the film extensively widely on their socials, as a resource for people preparing to exercise their democratic right to protest. The film gained a lot of traction online as a practical piece of communication, not just a piece of content.
“From shooting to editing, Matt is a very talented filmmaker. He was extremely hardworking, paid exceptional attention to detail and is a team player who was a pleasure to work with.” – Jack Bond, Amnesty International
Expertise
This film reflects the breadth of the work I do beyond electoral politics, human rights, civil liberties, activism. I’ve spent 15 years embedded in progressive movements, which means I understand the stakes when organisations like Amnesty International and Liberty commission content. I don’t treat these as ordinary briefs; I treat them as an opportunity to make something that genuinely matters.
My client list includes Amnesty International, the National Education Union, Unite the Union, the Fire Brigades Union, Extinction Rebellion, and the Peace and Justice Project – organisations that trust me to represent their values on screen.