Digital+Storytelling

**What IS Digital Storytelling?** Digital storytelling has many forms and as many definitions. One of the more accomplished digital storytellers of our day, [|Daniel Meadows] defines digital stories as “short, personal multimedia tales told from the heart.”

The beauty of this digital expression, he maintains, is that stories can be created by people everywhere, on any subject, and shared electronically all over the world. Meadows describes digital stories as “multimedia sonnets from the people” in which “photographs discover the talkies, and the stories told assemble as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, a gaggle of invisible histories which, when viewed together, tell the bigger story of our time, the story that defines who we are.”

A great way to begin learning about digital storytelling is by watching a digital story. Let’s think about how digital could be used in YOUR classroom!


 * Personal stories MUST SEE! **
 * Scissors
 * Childhood memories

**Stories of history MUST SEE! ** (The first few minutes of this video are NOT good, but once the narrator stops talking, the story is really powerful)
 * Gettysburg

**Stories of our time MUST SEE! (Please don't pay attention to the content--these are not here to voice a political opinion, but to show you what can be done to express you opinion of stories) **

media type="custom" key="9101264"

A digital storytelling script is a first person narrative that tells the story in your own voice and style. The written script will be made into a digitized voiceover during production. The voiceover is the heart and soul of each personal digital story. Before writing the script, you will want to find your story. One of the most unique features of this specific digital storytelling style is the expectation that each story express a personal meaning or insight. Periodically try reading or “telling” your story out loud. Listen to the writing style. Does it represent the way you speak? Revise the sentence structure and vocabulary choices until the story has a conversational style that you might use with friends, family and colleagues.
 * Writing a Script**

The complexity of weaving all the media elements together into a cohesive story gives new meaning to planning FIRST! Digital storytellers will find it well worth the up front time to use three planning tools to prepare for post-production: paper/electronic storyboarding templates; image/shot lists templates; and music/sound lists templates. Storyboards provide the “BIG” visual blueprint of all the detailed choices you make for each scene or image frame for your digital story before you begin production. Think of your storyboard as a work in progress that is modified as often as needed while keeping track of both the details and “big” picture of your story. The image/shot lists along with music/sound lists help identify exactly what resources you need according to the storyboard.
 * Planning the Project**

Each digital story is considered a project. Keep all six sub-folders of resources and assets organized together within the final project folder. It is essential that these files all stay together! If these files are stored randomly or separately from the production file, then you may find yourself having to hunt down the location of each moved file and reconnect or “re-reference” it for the software program.
 * Organizing Project Folders**

Voiceovers are the digital files created by recording your final script in your own voice. Your voice performs the story rather than reading it. Voices engage the audience in the personal content and emotional meaning of the story. A storytelling voice establishes a personal relationship with listeners as the story unfolds. But your voice with all its power and flaws expresses the real magic in your story because the story is told in a way that no other than you can deliver.
 * Making the Voiceover**

You are now ready to spin your tale with video-editing tools. This is the post-production stage where all the elements are mixed together following the storyboarding developed in the pre-production phase. Your ultimate goal is to draw viewers into the story and keep them there as it unfolds. A rough cut with the images and voiceover ONLY is created first. When that is roughly flowing, the other media elements are then mixed for a final cut. Each media element is used to extend the story's meaning and impact. Music soundtracks are added last. So many choices! So many creative styles! It is great play space! Beware the danger of eternal dabbling, polishing or modifying, thus creating a never-ending, never quite ever, ever finished story project! Depending on project deadlines, storytellers may again want to consider keeping it simple the first time or two. Take time to cite your sources with “rolling credits” at the story’s end as well as adding any acknowledgements you want to make.
 * Putting It ALL Together**

What joy to finish a digital story! There is much to celebrate. When we share our stories, we experience a sacred time, a ritual that closes the story experience for individuals as well as groups who have been creating together. We are finally officially **StoryKeepers!** There are many ways to distribute. Exporting to email or creating story files suitable for web publishing is one great way to share with others. And now the digital story lives happily ever after. . . literally a living artifact that each storyteller now leaves as a personal legacy to others.
 * Applause! Applause!**

Tired of hearing me? Here are other fabulous tutorials: []
 * [|Downloading PhotoStory3] ||
 * [|Importing Pictures]
 * import
 * toolbar
 * editing (rotating, croping, special effects
 * removing black border
 * reordering ||
 * [|Adding titles] ||
 * [|Narration] ||
 * [|Customize Motion] ||
 * [|Creating Music] ||
 * [|Saving and uploading] ||

You can create your project in i-movie!
If you are on a MAC, you can use i-movie. This is a free MAC only program. [|i-Movie tutorial] (do not add DVD chapters) http://www.apple.com/support/imovie/tutorial/ http://www.atomiclearning.com/imovie2x.shtml http://www.mediamatters.co.uk/imovie/

OPTION #3:
=== You DO have a Web2.0 alternative: you may use OneTrueMedia or Empressr, or ShowBeyond. These are not nearly as powerful a tool, but I am making the option open to you. ===

Tutorial If you choose to use a web2.0 presentation tool, remember, you must make an audacity recording (with music) and upload THAT mp3 as your music. You can adjust the timing of the slides.

Now that you kn ow all about Digital Storytelling, it's time to make your own. 3-5 minutes, music included, embedded in your wiki.

You have TWO choices. Choosing either way, the digital story must be TRULY a story. It ** CAN NOT ** be an instructional presentation--it must be a STORY told from a first-person perspective.

1. Choose a story that fits into your unit. The purpose of telling the story is to humanize your content (specifically, some component of your scope and sequence), something that needs a human element infused to have a deep appreciation for your content. Someone (or something or someplace) whose story MUST be told in order to appreciate the importance of the content.

OR

2. Choose a story that fits into your wiki section called "Why You Should Hire Me". This is your opportunity to share information about you, your philosophy, your classroom, anything you want that will cause a hiring committee to leap up from the table and call Human Resources to get a contract in front of you before some other district scoops you up!

3. Once you have completed your story, you need to upload it to either TeacherTube or YouTube. The advantage of TeacherTube is that is not blocked, but I want to make this option completely yours. Either way, you will need to create an account on YouTube or TeacherTube, This is the first time I am leaving you with no instructions. This is because this is very simple and you can do it. Create an account (which you already did if you created a playlist for the YouTube assignment), then UPLOAD your file. Then embed the code created by YouTube (or TeacherTube) into your wiki. If you're worried about not having instructions, do what I do...go to google and search for "create a youtube account" and I'll bet you will get lots of help!

I would HIGHLY recommend you decide on your story and create a paper storyboard (so you know what pictures are going to go with your narration).

ALSO, make SURE you record a TEST upload. **THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF A LOWER GRADE ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (and great frustration for both you and me) IS AN INADEQUATE SOUND LEVEL. Please record a 10 second file BEFORE you start to ensure that the sound is correct!**

Here are some examples from former classmates: http://nbenallo.wikispaces.com/About Me http://missfreese.wikispaces.com/Denver Streets