My Italian shoe box
Ein Gastbeitrag von F. Elisabeth, Teilnehmerin des diesjährigen Digital Storytelling-Workshops von „NRW denkt nach(haltig)“
© yeyen
In May I participated in a digital storytelling-workshop. Before joining in we were asked to bring a personal object and a photo as well. Steve, the team with Guido and Annette, Julia and Maria (both part-time), and the group introduced themselves first. Then Steve showed us digital stories about different subjects/topics. They were produced in former story circles. He wanted us to get an idea of what and how our results could be. Along the way he told us some theoretical things like not using more than 320 words, best would be about 250 words, and choosing just more or less 15 pictures.
The next step was building the story circle to get into the working-process. We did this together sitting around a big table. We laughed a lot because we had to write a nonsense-story in pairs – 10 given words had to be included. These words did not really fit together. After that we took our photos and tried to write down either what is seen on them or the feelings we have when we look at them. And at last we did the match-game to tell a story with a beginning and an end in a given short time – the time it took for the match to burn down.
After that everyone started with the story-template on his/her own. Writing, thinking, going around – whatever would work and each of us needed to get the right inspiration. High concentration was in the air on one the hand, discussing on the other.
The second day started like the first day ended. Writing and collecting photos to complete the story while doing the storyboard. That means complementing the text with pictures that might illustrate it. A recording session was also scheduled for this day. And we had the possibility of letting our offline-photos be scanned or photographed anew.
Time is running out.
During the third day we learned media use – cutting, photo-shop, translation and also different software-programs. Actually we tested a program in which all in one was possible – putting together our recording and audio, the photos with and without crossfade and zoom, additional text or any other atmosphere. We had to learn many little things. For example how everything fits together and so on. From rough cut to fine cut: To me it seems like endless work. But finally everyone made it – different digital stories were born.
At last – on the forth day – they were completed, exported and rendered. In a cinema-session we watched our films. Visitors from the German UN-Decade and the State Chancelor of North-Rhine Westfalia were invited.
I brought a postcard with a wide horizon and some hazelnuts. Because I knew I would need more than just one photo I carried a shoe box with photos from Italy. My digital photo-life started very late. Steve said while talking to me: „Oh, I see, that’s your Italian shoe box. Would be a nice story, I guess.“
Actually my digital story told a bit about my different homes and exploring my childhood again. It was a great experience producing my own digital story.