This multimedia documentary was produced as part of my MA research-creation thesis in Concordia University’s MA in Digital Innovation in Journalism Studies program. I used the methods of constructive and solutions journalism to guide my work. This alternative journalistic model focuses its reporting on solutions rather than problems, by featuring people’s projects, initiatives and ideas that offer solutions to problems we encounter on a micro and macro scale. It aims to foster positive emotions and resilience through its methods and reporting.

Two key elements of constructive journalism are “reciprocity” and “co-creation.” In exchange for their time and energy, I offered participants my help with their projects. Reciprocity took the form of me offering participants help on their lands, farms or anywhere I was able to offer physical labour or put my technical media production skills to use. I worked in gardens, watering plants, pulling out weeds or helping level the ground to open up a new parcel for planting.

I applied the concept of co-creation by including participants in the production process, keeping them looped in during all stages of production and giving them editorial power over the work that they appear in. All the material that is showcased on this website was reviewed and approved by participants beforehand. For example, Gabrielle Saint-Pierre tasked herself in taking photographs to accompany the audio feature that tells her story. These are showcased in the PLANT section. The photo used for the introductory banner of that same section is also hers.

Les Basques autrement is the first step of a bigger project that is planned to feature more initiatives of the Les Basque community. Beyond the projects that are shown here, there are many more people with innovative agricultural, activist and artistic projects that are worth spreading and that could inspire others to act on their ideas.

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The project’s accompanying theoretical essay, which explores the concepts of constructive and solutions-oriented journalism further, will soon be available on Concordia University’s Spectrum Research Repository.