POLITICS IS HOW WE DECIDE WHAT GETS DONE AND WHO GETS WHAT

We should all play a part in political decisions that affect us. Democracy is not for spectators.

Politics should be All Hands On.

POLITICS WORKS BETTER WHEN WE DO IT TOGETHER. LET US SHOW YOU.

We make films about everyday people working together to improve their communities. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s profound and it’s beautiful. The work is noble and often heroic. We tell these stories as a way to build alliances and raise funds. Why do we do this?

Conventional politics serves the few not the many. Elections are a zombie form of democracy. The system is designed to drive people apart. But politics works best when it brings us together.

Democracy is an ancient Greek word that means “people power”. People power is hard work but immensely rewarding. It’s about respect, listening, and working through issues together. Radical democracy leads to better solutions, stronger communities, and peaceful resolutions. It’s happening all over the world. We’re here to tell the world all about it.

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People are naturally good at true democracy. They’re naturally good at deliberating and deciding. Done right, politics is simply an expression of our humanity. Done right, people power succeeds where conventional politics fails.

People grow as they reclaim their agency. They walk taller. It’s a joy to be the lead actor in your own story. Our mission is to inspire others to become quiet heroes of radical democracy too.

We use filmmaking, partnerships, and events to help bring communities together. In solidarity with others, we play our part in building a movement of movements.

All together and All Hands On.

We're here to tell other people's stories. But this short video tells ours. What we do. Why we think it’s important.

“This is our society. This is our democracy.
All we want is to make decisions together.”

  • We work with you to co-create powerful stories and calls to action, based mainly on filmmaking.

  • Our events showcase your story and give you a platform for alliance building.

  • We structure these events to raise funds for your community.

  • We collaborate with you to shape the event content of your events.

  • We pay protagonists from your community (from your film) to take part in the events.

  • We work with appropriate partner organisations to present your story to a wider audience.

  • We operate with full financial transparency.

We work to amplify the voices of community movements. We help to build alliances between movements. We promote progressive social and political change.

Our model is based on events and partnerships.

These are our operating principles:

  • Making Peace With Politics

    The principles of better politics and better democracy are also the principles of peacemaking: you look for common ground, you listen deeply to "the other", you speak with respect (even when it hurts,) and you work through differences.

    In fact, these are among the keys to any successful relationship. What works in a loving partnership can also work at scale in geopolitics and in conflict zones - really.

    Most critical is to make peace with ourselves as a base from which to make peace with others.

    This is a practical necessity.

  • Not for profit

    All Hands On is a not-for-profit company registered in Scotland. We're a company limited by guarantee with an asset lock written into our constitution. This means that, by law, we only spend money on making films, supporting our partners, and operating the company. We have no shareholders.

  • About our privilege

    All Hands On was founded by white men from the Global North. We can’t escape those facts and our associated privilege.

    Our privilege doesn't give us story telling rights. We have no place to speak or create media for those who endure the greatest harm of our modern, destructive way of life. We channel our work and resources so that frontline communities and grassroots organisers can develop their own narratives and their own platforms for communication.

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Patrick Chalmers

Co-Founder & Director/Producer

Text journalism threads through my 35 years of media making, from print to digital media; including 11 years on staff at Reuters.

That arc of work took me from cosy insider to today's root-and-branch critic of conventional media and electoral politics.

All Hands On is an ongoing effort to walk that critic's talk by making and curating films about change for the better. It will always be a flawed work in progress.

Phil Adams

Co-Founder & Executive Producer

I’ve worked in advertising, digital marketing, social media, and brand consulting for over 30 years.
I work with ideas, messages, frames, and stories.
I’m a trustee on the board of Scottish Documentary Institute.
I’m past Chair of Manipulate Arts (puppetry, animation, visual theatre).