Element Documentaries
Half of the world’s population (almost three billion) is under the age of 25, with over a billion young people aged between 15 and 24. Today’s generation of young people is the largest in history. They are growing up in a different world than their parents: climate change, HIV/AIDS, globalization and its impact on both the local and global environment are powerful forces shaping their lives.
Element outlines the big picture problems affecting young people as they grow up in an interconnected, but finite, world. Most importantly, Element showcases young people’s proactive responses to the issues
Working primarily through a concise, fast-paced, five-minute format, Element is the young person’s Rough Guide to sustainable development – its challenges, and the possible solutions to address them (climate change and biodiversity loss; poverty and the Millennium Development Goals, fair trade, etc.). Element is made in partnership with MTV – the world’s largest television network and, arguably, the single cultural entity with the greatest influence over youth; reaching more than 400 million households in 166 territories.
Through scores of localized channels (MTV Brazil, MTV India, MTV China, MTV European), no other channel can lay claim to the same leverage in terms of cultural imprint and information impact on youth audiences - at both the local and global aggregate levels.
Element non-profit initiative is implemented by key partners including Internews Europe.
Television Trust for The Environment (TVE) provides executive production and material from the world’s largest video archive on sustainable development and global issues. TVE also secures broadcast distribution beyond MTV through its networks of 44 partner organizations in 41 developing world countries.
MTV International acts in a commissioning editor capacity, promoting Element for take up and broadcast by the global family of MTV channels including MTV India, China, Brazil and MTV Latin America.
To date, 12 Element documentaries have been produced in locations from Iran to Brazil to Nigeria, featuring young people working on reforestation and biodiversity, climate change and HIV/AIDS, gender empowerment and justice. Beyond its international broadcast on MTV feeds, the series has been used by NGOs; included in schools’ education packs; screened at film festivals in London and New York and is soon to be screened in the United Nations, New York.
Element production will continue in 2011 with stories in Africa.
