Archive for March, 2009

Digital Storytelling software for Windows

Published by kwarren on March 3, 2009 in Step 3: Produce your story. 1 Comment

I absolutely love PhotoStage! It’s a free application that allows you to create annotated slideshows (and digital stories) with pure ease.  One of its greatest features is its ability to emulate the Ken Burns effect using the zoom tool.  You can’t do this in Windows Movie Maker.  The only thing that is missing from PhotoStage is a variety of transitions (like wipes, shapes and fly-ins).  I prefer digital stories that are simple and make use of cross fades and fade-to-blacks.  PhotoStage will allow you to export as MPG which can then be uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo. Download it now!

If you prefer an web-based video editor, Jaycut.com is still a great app. The folks over there are developing a new version which should be released pretty soon.  It’s like iMovie in your web-browser!

7 Elements of Digital Storytelling

Published by kwarren on March 3, 2009 in Step 1: Write your story. 0 Comments

Point of View: “… the goal of digital storytelling is to allow a writer to experience the power of personal expression. Therefore, students’ digital stories need to be constructed from their own experience and understanding. Using the first-person pronoun “I” rather than the more distant third-person point of view is essential.”

A Dramatic Question: “A story that holds the attention of the audience has a dramatic question that is resolved by the end of the story. Narratives that lead the reader to become invested typically pursue a compelling question that evokes interest and commitment.”

Emotional Content: “The most effective digital stories evoke an emotion from the audience. We often see laughter, tears, and expressions of pleasure from the audience when digital stories are screened. This can be tremendously rewarding to student writers, validating the effort and investment they have made.”

The Gift of your Voice: “The pitch, inflection, and timbre of the storyteller’s voice convey meaning and intent in a very personal way. This has proven to be one of the most essential elements that contribute to the effectiveness of a digital story. There is no substitute for using your own voice to tell your story.”

The Power of the Soundtrack: “Properly employed music can enhance and underscore the accompanying story, adding complexity and depth to the narrative.”

Economy: “Modern digital editors offer a plethora of special effects and transitions. It can be tempting to replicate the visual onslaught of music videos on MTV. We have found that the effective digital story uses only a few images, a few words, and even fewer special effects to clearly and powerfully communicate intended meaning.”

Pacing: “Monotonous refers to an unvaried inflection and pace. The word has become synonymous with boring because an unvaried pace will not hold the audience’s attention. For student writers, pacing means pulling back or racing forward when the story calls for it, as opposed to when the time limit approaches.”

Bull, G., & Kajder, S. (2004). Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 32 Number 4, pages 46-49. Online at: http://cs2.cust.educ.ubc.ca/csed/400/csed_readings/display%2024.pdf

Here’s another example of the DST framework when crafting your narrative:

frameworkdstelements.pdf (pdf download)

Digital Storytelling Workshop Guides (2008/2009)

Published by kwarren on March 3, 2009 in Workshop Materials. 0 Comments

3-day Workshop Guide (pdf download)

This guide provides an overview of the training covered in each 3 hour session of the 3-day workshop.  In these workshops, attention is primarily focused on story development, software tool mastery and contextualizing digital storytelling for specific practice.  Participants learn how to publish and share their stories on the web.

50min Workshop Guide (pdf download)

This guide provides an overview of the salient topics that need to be addressed when faculty request their students to create a digital story.  It is expected that the student will independently seek out more information after the workshop, or follow up with an Academic Technology Consultant for further training.