The Witness Video HUB
Platinum and gold sponsors
The WITNESS Video Hub is a participatory website where anyone, anywhere can upload human rights related media that can be used to create change. The site features web-based video upload via cell phone and other mobile devices, content distribution, tools for online community building and advocacy, and Google maps integration with a custom-designed full-screen mode and switcher.
From a technical perspective, the WITNESS project required covering new ground in both Drupal and in third-party integration. Working with the team at WITNESS, CivicActions built a robust and full featured video upload, conversion (transcoding), and playback suite for the Drupal content management system, called Media Mover. With Media Mover at its core, the site enables users to upload and categorize video with a comprehensive vocabulary including both geography and issues. This system of organization allows users to find, watch and share relevant videos, and then join groups and campaigns around the world using the Organic Groups module.
Comprised of an information architect, a designer, a project manager, engineers, and themers, the CivicActions team has worked in close collaboration with Witness–from an initial strategy phase to beta launch and ongoing iterative releases. With its rich toolset, the WITNESS Video Hub feeds the populist shift toward user-generated content and increases the reach and impact of organizations doing human rights advocacy.