The Issue
In our experience, the biggest challenge facing non-profit work is communication. Scarce funds, lack of political will and other challenges all stem in part from a difficulty in communicating your cause as well as the nature and necessity of your work. Whether it's the work of a particular project, a specific program, or the unique approach of the organization as a whole you want to communicate, your message must quickly capture the hearts and minds of various stakeholders. To ensure future sustainability and support of your work, there is also a critical need to engage a broader audience, i.e. the YouTube and Facebook generation. How can you translate complex ideas and processes to those unfamiliar to your world?

The Solution
Go Show Entertainment produces short documentary films which we call 'Micro Docs', to create buzz about your achievements, and to simplify and translate your work and message into a digestible form that can reach a much broader audience. Give stakeholders a break from reading another narrative report – Micro Docs allow them to see for themselves what you've achieved, giving them a tangible feel for what they are supporting, and provide an emotionally engaging method of raising awareness and funding. Micro Docs can also form an integral part of your programming. At various stages of your project cycle, Micro Docs can serve as a method of comparative analysis by demonstrating what progress has been made, what obstacles have been encountered and what areas need follow up. Whether you are working with people at the policy level or on the ground in developing countries, Micro Docs will allow you to document your work, and create an awareness-raising outreach mechanism. Micro Docs also stand on their own as works of art, and can be entered into various film festivals and competitions, thus providing the non-profit a further distribution channel and even greater visibility.

Case Studies
'Silent Voices' is a multi award-winning Micro Doc we produced for the organization Children's Rights. A single screening at their annual benefit gala clearly demonstrated the impact of the film: it helped raise nearly one million dollars, and doubled their live auction total from the prior year. 'Silent Voices' features original music performed by Cyndi Lauper's band, and has helped Children's Rights recruit numerous new supporters. Additionally, with each new festival, broadcast and programming award comes greater awareness about Children's Rights and the problems facing abused and neglected foster children in welfare systems across the nation.

'The Nomadic Museum' is an award-winning Micro Doc which was designed to inspire the viewer while using minimal dialogue and text so as not to take away from the beauty of the six-story-high, 700-foot-long structure and the enclosed exhibit. In fact, the only words uttered, "I gotta question for ya... Do these containers touch each other?" served to accentuate the visual and musical components while subtly restating the enormity of the task of building this one-of-a kind museum on an unstable pier, in the middle of the worst winter in New York History. This Micro Doc was also designed to generate awareness and therefore ticket sales, making The Nomadic Museum one of the most visited and successful attractions in New York during its three-month run.

The 'New York Times Non-Profit Excellence Awards' Micro Doc presented an interesting challenge in that the award was for excellence in management, which is arguably not the most emotionally engaging subject matter. Like many non-profits in this sector, the client had an important cause, but a bureaucratic message, mission statement and methodology. In this case we looked for ways to get the viewer and potential donor to connect cerebrally, then emotionally to the cause by introducing the issue, the solution, and then letting them off the hook with a bit of humor.

Who We Are
William Goins and the Go Show Entertainment team specialize in Micro Docs for non-profit actors because we believe in social progress and we want to support those who are already working tirelessly to make the world a better place. We are experts at high production value and quick turn-around.