Welcome to our blog! (This course has ended)

Welcome to the course blog for the Interim 2011 Digital Storytelling course. This course was offered as an undergraduate and graduate combined opportunity, through the Department of Telecommunication and Film and the Gender and Race Studies Department, taught by filmmaker Rachel Raimist.

From the course syllabus:

Course Description:  Storytelling is a tool for preserving memory, writing history, learning, entertaining, organizing, and often healing in communities of color.  It is in the telling of stories that people build identities, construct meaning, and make connections with others and the world.  In this course, we will investigate modes and power dimensions of digital storytelling, analyze the role of digitized media as a method of individual healing, and examine media as tools for community organizing and development.  We will explore media making, creative writing, and memoir in both literary and digital writing, and examine the gendered, racialized, and classed dimensions of digital media narratives. Students will learn to produce creative work (writing, video, photography, sound and web-based media) and gain technical proficiency in Final Cut Pro (Mac-based video editing).  Students will produce photographic and video work that will be shared on the course blog and the TCF Vimeo site.  No technical expertise is necessary! No pre-requisites required.

Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes:

• Gain a deeper understanding of the theoretical and practical issues of digital media-based storytelling

• Consider the impact of digital tools, methodology, and content of digital stories on individuals, community, and U.S. social justice movements such as the feminism

• Analyze the ethical and moral dimensions inherent in representing the lives of others; discuss gendered, colonial, and ethnographic gazes

• Demonstrate creativity, analytical thinking, and technical skill in digital media making

• Gain a firm grounding in basic digital media production tools; develop skills with tools of technology (Mac-based hardware and media making software)

• Understand the concepts and methodologies of media making, visual literacy, photographic composition, and principles of video editing

You will find the posts in reverse chronology, meaning the most recent post will appear at the top of the page. The final assignment was a reflective blog post at the conclusion of class, and the post before that is the student's digital stories.

Hope you enjoy!

Best Class Ever?

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this class going into it, I didn’t even really know what digital story telling was. I quickly realized I was the youngest person in class and was somewhat intimidated by all the grad students and people who were older and more experienced than me (one of which is a teacher here at UA). But very quickly (probably within the first day), I felt more and more comfortable because of all the “circle bonding time” we had. Every member of the class made it easier to feel more comfortable and confident in class because we all really put ourselves out there and we all had the same sense of vulnerability to us as we did so.

Sharing a story is not always easy, but that doesn’t mean it should go untold. The number one thing I learned in this course is that every story is a gift, a gift given to the listener to do what they want with it. Sometimes the listener will really love and connect with the story and sometimes they wont. You can’t have an exact idea of what your audience is supposed to take from the story because each member of the audience will be slightly different based on their past experience. Another thing I noticed was how often stories are told, almost constantly. While I greatly enjoyed all of the digital stories my classmates shared at the end of the term, I also had fun getting to know everybody from the other stories (or bits of stories) they’d tell without even consciously realizing they were telling a story.

I am very grateful for everyone in our class, it wouldn’t have been the same without all of you. Jazz, thanks for being so friendly throughout the class and for helping me eat my food. Markus, thank you for teaching me to dance and for not freaking out too bad about my ginger germs. Alex, thanks for being my big ging brother and letting me play darts whenever I want (that’s right, "whenever I want" is the invitation I’ve given myself). Bill, thanks for making the walks to my car more entertaining and for humoring my lack of driving skills. Greg, thanks for making me laugh constantly, even if half the time it was one of those “did he really just say that?” laughs. Brice, thank you for treating me as a peer, being a teacher here you could have easily distanced yourself from the youngest kid in class but you showed me the same respect you showed everyone else. Doc Raimist, you had such an interesting way of teaching and I really appreciated how personal you made the class. Tina, you are quite possibly the sweetest person I have ever met, thank you for your constant positive attitude in class. Winnie, Thanks for always being down to go lay in the grass during our 15 minute breaks and for showing me the cutest Bear ever.

Reflecting on a great class of rich content

This class was everything I hoped it would be plus more.Very seldom do you have the opportunity to take a course that reaches all of your expectations and goals; this class did exactly that. More so, as an academic, there is a slim to none chance that you will discover a teaching style and environment that works for your particular learning style. Again, for me, this class did just that. Everything from the learning circle to the daily reflection and having opportunities to always be aware of exactly what's going on really make a difference.

Being this was my first time truly attempting to learn Final Cut Pro, at times I became overwhelmed. Not because of the fast-paced interim, but because I've had a mental block that encouraged me to not learn Final Cut Pro because I'd become an iMovie professional. But today, with my final project video serving as proof, I not only learned Final Cut Pro, I'm well on my way to mastering it! I feel I was able to accomplish learning Final Cut Pro, which was my primary objective for taking the class, because of the hands-on approach of the course and the kindred support the students quickly attained for one another. As students, it felt as though we'd already known each other and was there to fully support the other. And I'd be remised if a didn't take the opportunity to publicly thank Jazz. Jazz just seemed to always be around when I was having FCP difficulty and wanted to give up and complete my project on iMovie. But she refused to let me do so and patiently walked me through whatever hangups I was having.

With that said, all in all, this class was great. Also, it's always weird for me taking mixed-level courses with undergraduates and graduate students. Especially when there are students whom I've taught, mentored, etc. But again, because of the class environment and Dr. Ramist' down-to-earth and relevant style of teaching (being of today and not concentrated on the history or antiquity of knowledge), everyone was at ease, being the course remained concentrated on what we were all there to learn - digital storytelling. It was a pleasure taking this course and getting to know my fellow classmates. Dr. Ramist is the bomb!

My Digital Story

My digital story is a point of view perspective of the Tuscaloosa tornado that struck on April 27, 2011. This piece explains what it was like to be a student on the University of Alabama campus the day of the storm. I plan to make a part 2 and how ever many more parts it takes to tell the story of the rebuilding process. The future isn't clear, but I see good things. I hope to share those stories with you soon.

From this Journey I will take...

From this journey I will take a certain level of appreciation for everyone’s stories. Stories don’t have to be formal, they don’t have to have words, and some don’t have to have endings, but you can come away from each story with a certain level of understanding. Someone took the time to sit down and tell you his or her story and it needs to be appreciated in its own little way.

I will also take with me an appreciation for every storyteller. Not everyone has to have the same views or opinions as me, but it is their right to tell me their story regardless. Everyone has a story to tell and digital storytelling is the perfect medium to do so. Everyone gets a chance to have his or her voice heard.

I have also learned that there can be theories behind any craft. Going into this course I would have never thought there was a person like Joe Lambert who theorizes about digital stories for a living. This isn't just a hobby, there are people who do this for a living. I really appreciate what Joe does in his workshops. His books are very informative, but just an average person isn't going to go out and buy a book. His workshops are great for getting people to learn the craft hands on.

I didn't particularly enjoy our conversations about different American cultures and their exposure to camera and photographs. I didn't really see the direct relevance and most of the time I just felt disrespected. On the other hand, I did enjoy our conversations about what makes a good story. I liked learning why I like certain pieces and what makes them special. I learned that I have a strong focus on economy and purpose. I apparently also like for stories to be straightforward and to the point. This is something I never would have learned on my own.

I have learned a new appreciation for TCF classes. They don’t always have to be the same. They don’t always have to be technical. There isn’t always a right or wrong answer. Everything is relative. What may be right to me may be wrong to someone else. I’ve learned from you that the framework for stories or packages or anything doesn’t always have to be the same to make people happy. Stories can be anything you make them, anything you want them to be. I am so happy to have taken this journey with all of you.

From This Journey and whatnot

Most simplistically, I will take from this journey the idea that no story is worth overlooking, When looking at my pictures, that I only saw as cool looking images, I did not see and real story emerging from any of them. It was only when I was pushed to thoroughly consider the objects in the print and how one, or I, might view them, that a story presented itself to me.

A concept I was introduced to in my other May class was the idea of a happy accident. An occurrence that was not at all intentional, but helps the greater cause. Several of the prints I made in that class fit this description. They were images I captured purely by accident.

The video I produced for this class fits into the same concept. When I chose the group of images I used, I had no plan as to how they might create a cohesive story. I was forced to create a storyboard. While I did fight this every step of the way, I did finally create my own storyboard under the assumption it would greatly hurt my grade if I showed up to class without one. As much as it pains me to admit, creating a storyboard did help the process I went through to create my story.

i've learned to accept other people's ideas as ones that could benefit me, rather than view them as something different and, therefore, useless to me. Every story deserves to be told. Regardless of how I, the storyteller, might view the story's worth. I now know that the storyteller is not the true evaluator of a story's worth. Instead, it is those who experience the story who can truly judge a story and deem it worthwhile.

In addition to this new outlook on stories, I will take from this journey nine people I greatly appreciate. Most of these people I never met before class. Some I knew before. Some I liked before. Some Ia disliked before. Some opinions changed during the course of the class, while other remain the same. Regardless of whether or not I enjoy their personalities, I now understand that they are amazing storytellers. I have no way of knowing the storied that comprise them as human beings unless two things happen. They are willing to tell their stories and I am willing to receive the gifts they give me.

I'm not saying that I am now an always-willing recipient. But I am trying to be more open. it is only through my experience with Tina, Winnie, Katie, Jazz, Markus, Alex, Greg, Brice, and Dr. Ramist that I was exposed to this new thinking and it is through their impact on my life that I will continue to view stories as if they come from my new friends.

What I'm Taking From This Journey

This was such a great experience for me these past three weeks, I really don't even know where to begin.  One of the best things I learned about stories, especially other's digital stories, is that sometimes a great message is obscured by unprofessional editing or sound.  At the beginning of this class I would not give these stories the time of day, but after seeing some really great stories that on their surface aren't the best, I've learned to look beyond the superficial elements, and really listen to the story I'm being told.  Sometimes some of the best messages are missed if we don't stop to appreciate the "less-than-perfect" stories out there.
When it comes to myself, I learned that some methods I've dismissed over the years are actually really helpful in the creative process; specifically the storyboarding process and the circle/group discussions.  I've always sort of blown off the idea of both of these, usually thinking that "I edit better when I go with the flow" and that circle discussions were too "touchy feely" for me.  And maybe it was just how awesome this group was, but I got so much out of bouncing ideas off of everyone, I fed off of everyone's passion for their own stories and their passion for wanting to make everyone else's stories the best they could be.
I also feel more trust in telling my own stories, not just to this group but to any audience because I feel more confident in my own voice, in my own ability to convey the emotions and ideas that I want the audience to understand.
I learned so much from my peers in this class, maybe one of the biggest things that was reinforced to me, or that I was reminded of, is that everyone has their own backstory that they don't just wear on their sleeve.  I never would have guessed so many of the things I learned about my peers in this class if I didn't give them the opportunity to sit down and talk and share their stories, and most certainly if I didn't stop and listen to them.  It's not that we don't all know that we have backstories that affect who we are today, but sometimes I think we forget and just assume we know a person based on the things they display, and don't stop to know who the person is.
I guess that transitions into my last point, which is that I'm taking 8 new friends away from the journey in this class.  Whether I knew you or not before the course started, I felt like I got a lot closer to everyone, and was able to better understand who everyone was in this class.  And I thank each and every one of you for being welcoming of me, I truly enjoyed everyone's company both inside and outside of the classroom.  I hope I'm not the only one that feels genuine friendship with everyone in this class.  It's been a great ride everyone!  I'll miss having class with you all every morning.

Alex

From this Journey, I will Take Sooo Much!

Digital Storytelling Family!

Where do I being to tell you how this course has transformed me?  I have taken many an interim class, but I have never walked away with so much knowledge that I believe I can use later on and actually RETAIN!  It amazes me how more of this class tackled more theoretical issues than technical issues.  We theorize daily in life, whether consciously or sub-consciously.  I appreciated that what could be solely a technical class was integrated with a humanistic perspective in dealing with what is going on in the image, behind the image, in the video, in the music, etc.  These are important aspects of "multi-modal" education that goes beyond the technical aspects of learning editing software programs.  This was helpful for me and something that made me look forward to class everyday!  

Of course, the camaraderie in the classroom was priceless.  No one knew me prior to class, but I have "theorized" that it takes a full semester to get to know me, and that is if I care about you! :)  It is not something I do on purpose.  I am just hard to get to know.  But, this class really took me out of my one semester rule, and out of my comfort zone in many instances.  You all really embraced me into the fold, despite not being technically proficient in whatever goes on in TCF!  I appreciate the love and carry it with me wherever I go.  You all are awesome (including and especially Doc!) and I hope we keep in touch!

I feel more comfortable telling my stories and will do so with honesty and trust, because you fabulous people gave me the platform to do so with positive criticism and insight.  It is my hope that I did the same thing for you!

Hasta Luego,

Your Puerto Rican Sista (From anotha Mista!),

Tenacious T

In the life of the spirit there is no ending that is not a beginning.

Henrietta Szold

Final thoughts on Digital Storytelling.....

Greetings Again! This is a class that will be remembered forever. Writing poetry is something that seems to come "naturally", but when using poetry to frame a digital story it can become difficult. Learning about creating digital stories has been very interesting and challenging as well. However, it was a welcomed challenge. Outside of creating digital media, this class has been challenging in many other ways as well. Much like many of the classes that I have taken as a result of being an African American studies major, this class drew on the intersectionality of many demographics illustrating the importance of showcasing our differences towards creating new spaces of discourse. For instance, we discussed bell hooks and her perspective on black images. We came to understand that images are very important for creating new identities or acknowlodging current ones. Even further, by watching other digital stories, we gained an appreciation for storytelling. Being exposed to others through digital media allows us to acknowledge humanity in a different way. Initially, I was really interested in creating a space for my identity only. Now my hope is to create counter-narratives that perpetuate newness for people of color. Gone are the days when people are only conceptualized from the perspective of those who seem to have the authority. The power of digital stories lies in their ability to offer new autonomy to people. Everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. We must resist the urge to conform to falsely constructed standards that leave many people without. Digital storytelling is a way in which we as people can learn to not only acknowledge our differences, but embrace and love them. I am thankful to Doc and my fellow students for allowing me to experience difference in a new way. I wish all of you the very best with your current and future endeavors. Remember to always own your story and never be afraid to tell it. Peace and Love~

My Digital Story- Identity Complex

Greetings Beauties! I had the privilege and opportunity to take Digital Storytelling with Dr. Raimist. In this class, we talked about so many different things, and it really surprised me. This class was something that I did not expect it to be at all. In fact, it was a whole lot more than I had initially imagined. When I enrolled in the class, I was expecting it to be more technical than theoretical. It actually turned out to be a healthy dose of both. I have gained an even greater appreciation for digital media and the potential impact it can have on the world. In my digital story, I wanted to convey the confusion that I have felt and sometimes still feel whenever confronting isssues of racial identity. I wanted to provide a visual outline that complemented my story. I wanted the images used to allow the viewer to grasp the concept without necessarily having to hear the audio. Thinking about the ways in which people of color are often spoke about helped me to decide on the best pictures to use, and where they would be best positioned within the story. I am proud of the finished product, and it is my hope that the "gift" is something recognizable to all people, regardless of where you may find yourself on the color spectrum. We are all asked to articulate an identity at some point, and this is my attempt at formulating mine.

Looking Back

In this class, I learned about reasons people tell stories, who the are the story tellers. I learned that you don't have to be a rapper or an actor to be a story teller. To be a good story teller though is different, you have to grab and hold your audience attention. Creating a digital story is harder than it looks. The arrangement and music you choose all has to fit together, and stories can come from anywhere all you have to do is think about an item and figure out what it means to you.

Important Lessons Learned - Final Digital Storytelling Project

This digital story was created in memory of my mother and to acknowledge the legacy that she has in her children.  While I did not know her the way others in my family knew her, I can appreciate who she was now, even in reflecting how Alzheimer’s disease took her at an early age.  I chose to tell this story because my mother’s memorial was a period in my life where I understood my self-worth and the worth of my brothers and sister.  While I have always appreciated their strengths, I felt that this point in my life really created a space where I could embrace them in my presence, which is a rare gift.  This digital story is dedicated to them.  Through it, I hope they understand my love for them, despite the physical distance and differences we have experienced in our lives.  Sharing this story helped me to understand that it is better to dwell on the positive, and that family is important.  They shape the people we become, and I did not give my mother enough credit for that, until now.  I hope you enjoy!

Created May 28, 2011

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

My Journey in Ireland

The summer after my Junior year in college I lived in Dublin, Ireland for two months for an internship.  I always knew being Irish was an important part of my identity, but never having been there, I didn't know what it truly meant to be Irish.  That all changed in a single moment.

Loved Class

I, like most everyone in the class, have enjoyed this experience so much. I got to know each one of you and can appreciate the "journey" we have all taken here. The stories were amazing and I can't wait to show folks what we've done. Even though the class is over I feel like I've formed good relationships that will begin to flourish. I had a great time and I'm kind of sad that the class had to end so soon. So i couldn't get my video to upload to Vimeo. If anyone has any suggestions about what I should do that would be so helpful!




Peace and Love TCF 444!

People of the Storm-Brice Miller uads final project

This "shoc-doc" is an ethnographic digital story of first-person perspective understanding the multiplicity of perpetual traumas for those who experienced hurricane Katrina and how elements of trauma are not unique to the US refugee (what New Orleanians were called after Katrina) community. With the rash of recent tornadic disasters, these same trauma elements will surface as a reality for hundreds-of-thousands of American citizens. This is my first time in five years expressing, not a personal complaint of response and recovery, but the lingering trauma that haunt not only myself, but entire communities. Very seldom do I share my private emotions, but here I did. Here is my story...



Here's my direct video link: I hope you enjoy and THANKS for a GREAT class! I now know how to use FinalCut Pro:)

my video

This video is a product of the battle with myself to create a story from within myself. Most other times in my schooling career, when asked to reflect on any certain part of my person or experiences, the task was quite challenging. For one reason or another, be it the instructor, my fellow students, or the images I used, this assignment came to me much more smoothly than I expected.

Remembering Christina

This is a story about an unlikely friendship that I gained over senior year of high school working at an orphanage in Mokattam (Garbage City) called Mother Teresa's. There are a ton of relationships we often times overlook or forget about but then there are some that will stay with us forever. This is about one of those that will stay with me forever.

Growing Pains

I was so intrigued by the stop motion video we watched today I experimented with it this evening. That led to my kids doing their daily entertaining, which turned into a sample digital story. I decided I'd share it just for kicks.

Got the world on a string

Got the World on a String

This was all done on an iPhone 4.

Two Amazing Digital Stories

Sofas

This was one of the first digital stories I watched once I became interested in digital storytelling. Still, everyone time I watched this story I find tears running down my cheeks. Everything about this story: his use of photo, the soft and soothing instrumental music (which I know the chorus says, “It doesn’t really matter”) which is more than fitting for this subject matter. The tonality of Wayne’s voice, producing a rich baritone, presenting an image of strength and security, in conjunction with his smooth and well timed delivery… Sofas pulls the viewer into the story and makes you feel his pain, agony, loneliness, sadness and makes you want to reach into the screen and give Wayne Richard a hug.

Through the Middle

Through the Middle from Clouded Vision on Vimeo.

Though this digital story (or digital short) is more along the lines of a documentary work, I actually love everything about it. It rather epitomizes a style of storytelling and video capture that I'm hoping to perfect. Yes, the story was about Mr.S, or so we think. But just like every story, the story of Mr.S interweaves multiple topics into a cohesive "gift" which provides the viewer with a total contextual understanding of not only Mr.S, but his story and why that story is important. The form of piece is amazing! The color. The interplaying of images and video. The playfulness of push/pull focus and unfocused capture. The VoiceOver establishes a tone of comfort and ease, almost pulling the viewer further into the story, and creating emotional tension. I suggest one of the strongest elements of this piece is the additional voice; the secondary participants add a multi-dimensional feel. Aesthetically, Mr.S has every element needed to assure it as an amazing digital story.

Digital Stories and Me...

To Be Or Not To Be... Queer from storycentre on Vimeo.

Brad's digital story is about his battles with homosexuality as a child. He shares a story that is not at all unfamiliar. I like how Brad jumps right into the heart of the matter. The first picture he uses, a picture of a young boy, helps to emphasize the potential impact of his "gift." Furthermore, it can be very difficult to speak about personal differences in such an open forum. Brad uses storytelling to bring a different kind of voice to his experience. The "gift" he offers is supported by his speech and the pictures he uses. I also like that he uses sketches to offer more support for his digital story. Even more, I like the image of the burning match that is blown out. The match represents the light he found in a new friend, but it also represents that particular friend's death. Coming out is a very difficult move in most circles, but I think Brad has done a successful job of conveying his own story.

Love Has No Gender from storycentre on Vimeo.

Chase's digital story also deals with coming out. However, he takes a different approach. He eases into the story by introducing a picture of his grandmother, presumably. As I mentioned earlier, these stories can be difficult to tell in an open forum. I think this may be strategy on his part to reduce the potential negative reactions by the viewers. If this is his aim, I think it is affective. The title is supported nicely by the images used to emphasize his point. I like his technique of layering images over images as this also helps to support the "gift". Ultimately, I think Chase also does a great job of conveying his story digitally.

99 lion PENs

99 Balloons

This digital story is of a father talking to his baby who has Trisomy 18. The father does this in a journal type way starting with his entries from before the child is even born. The father explains to his child what is going on with him because of the Trisomy 18 and expresses how much he and the mother loves the child. Video and photographs are used in chronological order with a voice over of the fathers voice as well as written words saying what day it is. I think doing this story in chronological order is very effective because it makes the audience go through the same journey path of emotion that the parents went through with their child. The video footage has a sort of shading effect around the edges, which gives it a home footage feel. When the photos come on screen they are bright and there are sound effects of pictures being taken as well as the page turning noise when the number of days change. This video works very well, every aspect of it seems to add to the gift of the story rather than take away from it.

WARNING: tearjerker


(at 4:36 Eliot is wearing a BAMA shirt... roll tide!)



Christian the Lion

I know most of us have seen this video but it has always been one of my favorites and I am pretty sure it qualifies as a “digital story”. This is the story of two men who had a pet lion, which they had to set free into the wild when he got too large, and their reuniting. This video has one song playing the whole way through and no other audio effects but has subtitles written throughout the story about what is happening. The editing plays with the speed of its footage as well as the power of zoom. This video is very simple and that is what adds to its beauty. It would be very difficult to watch this story and not be touched by the powerful concept of friendship. At the very end the message “Love knows no limits and true friendships last a lifetime. Get back in touch with someone today” reads across the screen, giving the audience an even bigger gift than just the story itself but also encouragement to reach out to a friend you’ve lost touch with.






The PEN Story

I wasn’t exactly sure if this one counted as digital storytelling but wanted to share it anyway. It is told entirely through stop-motion and uses mostly only photographs to tell the story. The music sets a very nice tone to the whole piece. The video uses very interesting ways of setting a scene and making the photographs interact with the surrounding objects. There are many parts of this that stand out to me more than others, like when they jump into the pond made of other pictures of water, when he walks up the stairs or when they are on the hot air balloon or the parachute. The story also has a nice way of going full circle, comparing the first picture to the one 50 years later (to keep with the 50 year anniversary of the camera this is a commercial for)

Untitled from UMBC Digital Stories on Vimeo.

In this digital story, Nathan Ferrell discusses his transformation while on a trip to Cuba.  He is in college at the time, and it appears that he attends Cuba during the Bush administration.  I’m not sure if he travels to Cuba as a study abroad student, although he makes reference to being a college student in the very beginning.  I like social change pieces, and I think this story definitely conveyed a strong message.  Nathan wanted his audience to know that the Cuba we are exposed to in the United States is not the Cuba that he experienced during his trip.  He doesn’t want his audience to believe what the U.S. government says about Cuba.  He uses a mixture of personal photographs, art, voice over, Cuban music and uses fading to transition from picture to picture.  I really enjoyed his story because I think that many Americans put stock into the negative portrayal of other countries and eventually miss out on amazing cultural experiences.

In her digital story entitled, "Mothers, Most Influential People in the World - One Child at a Time", Moh focuses on the importance of motherhood.  She is a Native American from Alaska who appreciates the influential position of mothers in her family.  I think she is trying to convey not only the importance of motherhood, but also the instincts that come with motherhood that are important and add to the influence of their positions.  The gift of her story is that motherhood is important and should be respected.  She uses photos, instrumental music, voice over and art.  When displaying a photograph of her great, great, great grandmother, she uses an effect where the story looks like an aged movie reel from the early 1920s.  I thought that was a great effect considering the age of the picture.  She also uses the technical effects of zooming and various transitions that seem to work for her story.  I love her story because I am a mother and understand how important that position is to me.  She embraces it also.

Google Search Video

I was intrigued by the whole Google Search Video conversation, so I decided to throw one together quickly. There aren't a whole lot of options, which is disappointing, but it's still fun to play around with.

Digital Story Critique

Wasting Away - Malnutrition in Benin from Leonie Marinovich on Vimeo.
The aesthetics in this video are amazing. The music and pacing are what I found to be most poignant. The pictures speak for themselves. The choice to not use a voice over worked well with the video, mainly because the images told the story all on their own. Also the text worked in most places but in some places it was hard to read. I also liked that the content was about community members helping community members and not someone from outside if this community giving a naive expert opinion on how to get rid of malnutrition in Benin. Beautiful.



Paul Thomas Clements -- Just Being There from Daniel Weinshenker on Vimeo.

The context of this piece is powerful because it is so personal. Paul does a wonderful job introducing his line of work and the child Rasheed. He uses pictures and a comfortable rhythm that leaves the audience attentive and wondering just where he is going. He stays monotone which is relaxing however Pauls' words are poignant and emotional. I do not feel like the music behind his words is appropriate. It makes the piece feel a bit clinical. Maybe that's what Paul is going for since counseling children is his profession. I love the fact that when Paul reveals that he does not know how to solve the problems of the children he sees he fades to black. It gives the audience a feeling of unknowing as well. Here we start to relate. We don't know what's coming next. I also thought the monotone voice let the images speak more than Paul's words. Paul's tone in his voice allows the viewer to be captivated by the photos. Also the drawings Rasheed has drawn are the most striking. The rhythm of the piece is not rushed which allows the viewer to think and evaluate what Paul is saying throughout the entire process. The digital story is not complicated in terms of aesthetics, but  I feel it doesn't need to be. I enjoyed the text of questions scrolling across the screen in the beginning, I don't feel Paul needed to articulate those questions with his own personal voice but rather allow the audience to imagine the children he's working with to be asking those disturbing questions. I didn't care for the picture behind the text, it added to the clinical feeling I was talking about before.

To Be Or Not To Be... Queer from storycentre on Vimeo.

The reason I chose this digital story is because I have a lot of friends that are gay. The context of the piece stood out to me. I know that being gay is a constant struggle for many, especially in the South. Coming out and realizing what you are is hard for most. Digital storytelling seems like a great way to process some of those emotiions.I was really intrigued by Brad’s use of a childhood photo as his opener. It made me want to see more.
I also appreciated how personal the visual images were. Though the transitions were a little sloppy, I like how Brad used an image of the sun coming up behind a high school to talk about his own experience. I also really appreciated the artwork he displayed when talking about his visit to the counselor. The hands were in fists and were also folded which is how I feel most people would hold their hands in that sort of situation.
Of course, I am the person that needs an ending, so I would have really liked to see more on how the death of his friend affected him, but I did appreciate his “gift.” I took from his piece that there is always a brighter day and to look forward for positivity.

storycenter.org

“The Gift of Nonviolence” by Leroy Moore
This piece really stood out to me because of the bio attached to it. I guess I’m one of those people that likes to know what they are getting into before they invest 3 minutes of their time. I know that’s pretty sad but it is kind of the way it is.
Anyway, in the brief description of the piece we got to see the “who, what, when, where, and why.” I really like to know the context ahead of time, kind of like previews for a movie, or teases before a commercial break. We really got to see where Dr. Moore was coming from, without revealing his “gift.”
The content of this piece was really powerful. By explaining the abuse he had to endure as a child, he showed us how he got to be the man that he is today. Dr. Moore told us why nonviolent methods are so important to him. His story is a very powerful one.
Without using any really personal photos from is childhood, the storyteller really got his point across. I especially appreciated the zoom out from the window in a dark room. I can imagine, as a kid that was beaten at night, that slight glimpse of light in the morning was a major relief. That was a very powerful image.
I really like the audio used in the background of the piece. It wasn’t overwhelming and really went along with the over all mood and message. It was nice, instrumental music, and I could appreciate that there were no lyrics. I’m sure there are no lyrics in the world that could explain what he went through as a child.
I also enjoyed that his piece had an ending. We were given a “gift” but we were also told what Dr. Moore has done to reverse the pattern of abuse and violence. The ending wasn’t a clear cut one, but the bio explained to listeners that he has continued to do great work and make great strides.

A Couple of Digital Stories I Enjoyed

A Wrinkle in Time from Paul Zakrzewski on Vimeo.


Mr. Zakrzewski made this digital story at a workshop sponsored by the Center for Digital Storytelling last month.  He had just taken a trip a month before to Poland to visit Genia Olczak, a woman who was his father's nanny, and hid him and several other Jewish family members during the Holocaust. The story focuses on his connecting to his father through his visits with Genia, and how he sees similarities between him and his father; how his father's hiding as a child led to him hiding emotions later in life, which was passed on to Paul.  He realizes that Genia sees Paul's father as her own son, and without her, he and his entire family would not exist.  The form of this story is beautiful, yet simplistic.  It begins with a black screen, accompanied by some brief text explanations of the audio scene being presented.  He has transported the viewer to a meeting with Genia, yet shows no video; no pictures.  Instead, it is left to the mind to imagine the scene.  Conversely, the black could also be imagined as what his father saw when he was in hiding with Genia -- being forced into the darkness in an effort to stay alive.  The first two pictures shown are a stark contrast, a little boy (Paul's father) is placed against a picture of the Nazi army marching in the streets.  There is no music, no sound effects, no flair -- but that's perfect.  It would almost be out of place in this piece.  The story is emotional, raw...it needs nothing else to intensify that or punctuate it -- that would only take away from the emotion in the narrator's voice. As I said, this entire story is beautifully put together and told, and is very inspirational.







There is very little prior context given to this story.  The only description given is "The digital story of World War II through old newspapers found in a Miami house." And through a tag we can assume that the video was made using the website One True Media.  Though the content of the story isn't very long, I think it tells a great story.  The narrator purchased a house in Miami whose previous owner had died.  Inside the house, she came upon a box of old newspapers chronicling WWII, as the homeowner's husband was a soldier overseas and she kept the papers in an effort to feel close.  Thankfully, the homeowner's husband returned from the war, but the narrator relates her feelings regarding finding the papers, and puts herself in the previous owner's situation.  The form of the story isn't maybe technically superb, but it still fits the gift.  Most of the story is told through personally shot video of the home, and the newspapers (due to their age, it would not have been wise to subject the papers to scanning).  The narrator's voice-over is a little fast, perhaps if it been slowed down the  audience would've been better able to digest the story, yet its point isn't lost because of this.   There is also a bit of background audio that fits the period of the late 1930's and early 1940's.  


As a sidenote, I didn't intend to do two WWII themed pieces...it just ended up that way. 

Feelings

The Great Escape from Carronshore Primary on Vimeo.

I chose this video because of the age of the person who made it, he's ten years old. I love the fact that even though he had help by adults, I assume, that it seems like they gave him full control on how he wanted his story to be told. Instead of using a voice over, it used words like in a story book. This little guy also used sound effects which paired with what’s written on the screen draws you into the story more. He also used toys and drawing basically things children are good at to give the viewer a great visual of what’s going on in the video. I am proud of the young person’s video and story, not only for making this video, but for telling a story that most people young or old wouldn't like to tell anyone.

Samuel - The Future Doctor Samuel from Juan B Barrera on Vimeo.

This video talks about a young man who has a dream and is in the progress of pursuing that dream. The music he uses at the beginning gives you the sense that he's sad that he's leaving his family and really doesn't want to but it's something he has to do. Even though this is a short video I feel it does a good job at what he's trying to say. Also the use of the maps to show the diffenrent places he's talking about is a good idea, so the viewer(s) can following him on his journey. I also feel there a hidden message to it also, well at least I picked up one, and that message is that you may have to make a hard decision to fulfill your dreams.

A Baby, a Bear, & a Butterfly

The Akins from Ethos Church on Vimeo.

This video was made by Ethos church in 2011. This is the story of the Akins as they discuss their attempts to get pregnant and how it, through hope and faith, were able to persevere. The story is composed of interview shots of the family while they sit on a couch at their church in Nashville. Black screens with text conveying scripture are used at times throughout the film. Footage is the primary method of telling the story.

For a year and a half, I worked in the same office as Jonathan. I first met him my freshman year at Lipscomb University and have always thought highly of him. Until I came across this piece earlier today, I was completely unaware of his and his wife's plight.

Digital Story - Mato the Bear from Breanne LaChance on Vimeo.

The story of Mato the Bear is told here by a teenage girl. Not much in terms of context is given. The girl tells us the tale of Sioux legend of how Devil's Tower was created. Footage of the girl's introduction follows a short black screen with white text and animation. The legend is told using drawings and string in a stop-motion format. I'm a sucker for stop-motion.

Extraordinary Pantene Commercial from angie valencia on Vimeo.

I'm not sure this really counts as a digital story. It is a Pantene commercial. But, as we discussed, commercials tell stories. This story is beautiful. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and give up 4 minutes of your life to experience it.

Ten Things

Hi! My name is Winnie Wright!
I am a Senior majoring in Broadcast news.
I find blogging to be a lot easier than writing things in a notebook because we always have a computer in front of us anyhow.
I am currently an intern for WVUA- TV and I will be interning with Fox 6 in Birmingham in July.
Next spring I plan to intern for the UN in their press department.
Traveling is my favorite thing to do.
I love studying other cultures.
I have met a lot of famous people on random occasions.
I want to be an investigative journalist.
My favorite movie is Gone with the Wind.
I only eat the red gummy bears.
www.lulus.com is my favorite place to buy clothes.

 <--This is me!

Ten Things That Inspire Me

1. Graffiti
-I took this picture in Atlanta's Little 5 points














2.
Spoken Word
       -Negro Tales

3. YouTube 

-
Queer Culture is a part of my individual culture. Its nice to know that people are trying to find and fight for their identities just like me.



4. Music
  -  I love Erykah Badu 


The Healer                                                                

Annie Don't Wear No Panties


5. Family- I believe that my family is not just my blood relatives, but those I can relate to and who support me in times of struggle; heartache; and self realization.
6.Technology- Although I'm no good at it, the new ways of the tech savvy world is the most unifying presence I have ever experienced.

7. Writers
 June Jordan

8. Activists
-Audre Lorde
     -Poetry is Not a Luxary 

The quality of light by which we scrutinize our lives has direct bearing upon the product which we live, and upon the changes which we hope to bring about through those lives. It is within this light that we form those ideas by which we pursue our magic and make it realized. This is poetry as illumination, for it is through poetry that we give name to those ideas which are, until the poem, nameless and formless-about to be birthed, but already felt. That distillation of experience from which true poetry springs births thought as dream births concept, as feeling births idea, as knowledge births (precedes) understanding.

9. Pandora's Box

10.Existence

10 Things and 10 Thousand Pictures

1. I love pictures. I am going to put an obnoxious amount of pictures into this blog simply because I love them. Here are some pictures I've taken that I am rather fond of:

[On a Safari in Tanzania]

[From Left: A street cat in Cairo, close-up of Oscar Wilde's tombstone, a tree full of vultures]

[Blue skies in Tanzania]

2. I love my family very much. My father's name is Rick James, which my friends found amusing because of that one Dave Chappelle sketch based on Rick James. My mother's name is Melanie Rae, she got her middle name from my grandpa Ray). My sister's name is Samantha, she is seven years older than me. My brother's name is Chris and he is only three years older than me. We have a lot of fun together.

[From left: My bro, sis and I on Christmas 2010, A family breakfast back in the day, Chritsmas 2009]

[My parents, brother and myself dancing our faces off at a darts tournement]

3. Before moving here to Tuscaloosa for university I hadn't lived in the States since I was 9 years old.

Quick breakdown of places I've lived so far:
Dallas, Texas (3 years)
Houston, Texas (6 years)
London, England (3 years)
Cairo, Egypt (6 years)
Tuscaloosa, Alabama (2 years)

[I do not plan on slowing down]

Of all those places, Egypt is where I feel the greatest connection; it is where I consider home. I realize this is odd to most people seeing as I'm a pale skinned ginger with freckles and not some exotic, dark-skinned veiled woman... but who cares? I can decide for myself where my "home" is, it’s MY home.

[From left: Riding camels in the desert near the Giza Pyramids, Statue outside the Egyptian Museum, hieroglyphics in Saqqara, kissing the Sphinx infront of one of the Giza pyramids]

[My friends and I at Giza]

[My dad and I in front of The Bent Pyramid in Dahshur]

[In front of the Giza pyramids]

4. My favorite beer is called Sakara Gold and is named after Egypt's first pyramid, the step pyramid in Saqqara. There is something about a Sakara that I will always have a soft spot for. When I lived in Egypt, we drank it because it was the local beer, it wasn't expensive, and it was very tasty, so why not? But now when I have a Sakara, there is this whole other meaning behind it... It’s home. Whether it is the first cold Sakara I drink when I go home on holiday or if its been a hard week over here in Tuscaloosa and I crack open one of the bottles I smuggled back with me into the States, it is just like having a little taste of home.

[A picture I took of the beer in front of the pyramid]











[From left: A bunch of cases of Sakara, My friend and I enjoying a Saraka in the Waadi desert, Some friends and I enjoying a Sakara in front of the pyramid, A step pyramid I made out of Sakara cans]

5. I love to travel. Living overseas, I have had an amazing opportunity to travel all over the place. When our high school competed on a JV level for academic clubs or athletic teams, we would travel to other schools in the Middle East to have our tournaments and competitions and our Varsity teams competed with European schools. Another cool thing my school did was called "Week Without Walls" where you would travel to another country for a week with two sponsors and about 20 students. You could choose between a service, an adventure or a cultural trip. (I always chose service because its an adventure in itself and probably the most effective way of experiencing a culture). Plus, another bonus to living overseas is that my friends are scattered all over the world. Some of my friends go to university in Europe, some in Asia, many in Canada, and a ton all over the States. Because of that, I almost never have to deal with hotels. One of the reasons I love traveling so much is meeting different people from different backgrounds, seeing different places, and trying to take in as much of it as I possibly can. That is why I am so fascinated with the idea of making documentaries. I want to be able to create films that give the audience as much of the experiences gained through traveling as I can.

(I would post traveling pictures but I wouldn't know where to begin to choose which trips or what people I met on those trips.)

6. I don’t like the term "best friend". This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a little kid. I never liked the idea of singling somebody out and calling them my best friend, mainly because I didn’t want to hurt any of my friends feelings by only naming one of them "the best" but also because I guess I never really could choose a "Best" friend because I love all of them differently. I am fortunate enough to have some of the best people as my friends but they are all extremely different.

[From Left: The Eastside Grillz, The Sorostisistas, The Assholes (aka roomies)]

[From left: The snacks, the Egyptian mothers society, the sordid Crew]

7. I personally think that Montreal is the love child of Paris and New York. One of my closest friends moved to Paris after 9th grade (she is half-French, half-Texan) and I got to visit her there twice and loved it. I plan on living in Paris for some amount of time at some point in my future. Then for last year's spring break, I went to New York City with my sister and loved it. I plan on living in New York for some amount of time at some point in my future. And then this past spring break, I went to Montreal and group of us stayed at my friend’s house that lives there. While I was in Montreal, I figured out the reason I loved IT so much was because it was the perfect medium of Paris and New York. It couldn’t be any more of a perfect combination of the two. I loved it and I now plan on living in Montreal for some amount of time at some point in my future.

Paris

[From Left: In front of Jim Morrison's grave, Before Sybil's prom in front of the Eiffel Tower, singing in front of the Basilique Du Sacre Coeur in Montmarte]

New York

[From Left: sightseeing on St Paddy's, Statue of Liberty, New York Times]

Montreal

[From left: At a Canadien's hockey game, In a park covered in snow, walking the streets]

8. I love music. All sorts of it. Too much to name or try to decide any favorites. Instead I will post a link to a song that is currently playing on my itunes shuffle right now:

Widespread Panic-Airplane

9. I am the absolute worst person at making decisions. Not saying that I make bad decisions but that it takes me forever to decide something. I hate having to choose between two (or worse, more) things. Generally, if there is somebody else who the decision affects, I am fine with letting them come up with the answer UNLESS I have a specific reason for wanting it a certain way. This rarely happens so when it does I respect my decision enough to stand up for it.

10. Halloween is quite possibly my favorite holiday. Last year I celebrated it 6 days straight...

day one: blue man group (we even had blue glitter and silly string)
day two: Twin babies (we wore matching onesies with bottles and binkies)
day three: ghostbusters (with nerf guns and a ghost made out of a bed sheet)










day four: We dressed up as bums (with sign that read "need cash for alcohol research")
day five: Egyptian football fans
day six: we watched scary movies and carved pumpkins