The story about annexation in the West Bank has been widely covered, but rarely does the coverage capture the strategic planning imployed by Israeli military architects which have resulted in the isolation and fragmentation of Palestinian life over the last few decades. We wanted to find an interesting visual guide to explain a complex geopolitical issue, and break out of the typical presenter-to-camera format to allow the audience to feel like they are following the story in real time. By using the Chinese Go board and applying its rules to a map of the West Bank, we could show our audience a new way to look at an issue they had likely seen before.
This episode was the first in a new rebrand for our geopolitics show Pinch Point. We wanted to experiment with telling a news in a stripped down but tightly crafted way - the way a friend would describe it with napkins and glasses over a drink at a bar. Using an overhead camera, we could interact with both the map of the West Bank, as well as the Go board in a clean way, allowing us to superimpose one over the other in a clear visual that can help explain the story. But to make it work, both the game and the maps needed to both makes sense. The timing was complicated, as was finding the right balance of colours and sizes for the maps and the cutouts that would work well on camera. But ultimately, we feel like we succeeded in not just pulling off the specific video, but creating a new visual language and brand for our show.
The video was able to achieve its goal. It worked visually, and we've since incorporated many of its elements into the show, including the overhead camera, the use of maps and cutouts, and finding interactive games to help explain complex political issues. It was also very well recieved by our audience, including many others who found the video while looking for Go-related content. Long watch times and high engagement told us that people felt connected to the new format, and their comments were extremely encouraging. Since the videos release, a number of other news channels have mimicked our use of Go, and the story has been shared widely.
