Narrative Strategies for Animated Development Communication: Examples From BRAC in Bangladesh

Abstract

This chapter undertakes a detailed analysis of animated explainer videos from BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), the largest NGO in Bangladesh, to demonstrate the use of locally customized narrative strategies for development communication. Established in 1972, the year after the Bangladesh’s independence, BRAC was ranked number one NGO on March 2020 by NGO Advisor, an independent Geneva-based media organization. Referring to narrative strategies suggested by global animation practitioners, the chapter provides details on creating two kinds of explainer videos, expository and instructional. These narrative strategies, “Meet Bob, " “Announcement, " and “Process Overview, " outline ways of incorporating complex information into short videos in a concise and efficient manner. Although the animation examples chosen for this chapter are aimed towards creating awareness for women’s rights issues these strategies are applicable to other development communication topics.