Digital Storytelling

Crafting your story

Knowing and writing your story is the first step. How will you use

your story?

• An introduction to a book or a reading assignment

• An introduction to a lesson; i.e., about a point in history

• Special content to get across in a lesson

Something should happen.

Your story should contain:• Beginning • Middle • End• Dramatic quality• Point of view (1st or 3rd person) • Will you use video as the message or the

medium?

Consider focusing on a character in order to tell your story.

An important part of a compelling story is a character to care about.

Have a script.

1 double-spaced page of typed script = 1 or 2 minutes OR,

120 words = roughly 1 minute

• Tell your story in the simplest way possible.

• You may need to narrow your topic.

1. Sound bites

a. Single phrases of importance taken from an interview

b. Main ideas that express a paragraph in a story

2. Voice-overs - Pre-written scripts recorded onto tape or the computer

Sound

Sound

3. Nat-sound - Natural sounds that enhance a story

4. Additional audio elementsSound effects

Copyright free music tracks

Music from CDs - Copyright issues

Sound

• Choose background music that will not compete with your narration.

• Natural sound helps to convey a sense of place.

NarrationBe aware of voice quality during narration.

Use:

• Emphasis

• Inflection

• Variation in speed/ pace

• Variation in pitch

• Variation in volume

Dramatization

Helps students:

• Retain information

• Maintain interest

• Create meaning

Shooting

• Use a steady camera, unless you are trying to convey a sense of dis-ease or distortion

• Pay attention to the horizon line and keep it square. Few things detract from an otherwise good picture as quickly as a tilted horizon. Also remember the Rule of Thirds and don't place the horizon line in the middle of the photo.

Types of Shots

• Establishing – shows setting/ time period

• Wide – shows figure and environment

• Full/ long – frames entire person

• Medium – frames person waste up

• Tight – close-up

• Action/ reaction – used in sequence

Camera Angles

• Bird’s eye view: suggests fatality

• High – from above: suggests inferiority

• Worm’s eye view: disoriented, self-conscious shot

• Low – from below: suggests superiority/ dominance

180 Degree Rule

• if a viewer is introduced to a space in which person A is on the right and person B is on the left, the camera should not rotate beyond 180 degrees, because that would invert the relative positions of person A and B (person A would suddenly appear on the left and person B on the right).

Framing

• Rule of Thirds

•Place important elements of your composition where these lines intersect.•Place the eyes in one of the upper intersections. •Place the horizon along one of the horizontal bars.

Rule of Thirds

http://jl-site.com/Oklahoma/RuleofThirds.html

Rule of Thirds

http://www.hippasus.com/resources/viscomp/RuleThirds.html

Framing

• Head room - the amount of space between the top of a person's head and the top of your frame: Less is best.

• Lead/ nose room - space in front of your subject. Leave extra space in the direction your subject is looking or moving.

• Natural cut-off lines- neck, elbows, waist, knees and ankles.

Which is Best?

http://www.mapacourse.com/DVpages/headroom.htm

•Head room should increase with longer shots

http://www.mapacourse.com/DVpages/headroom.htm

Framing and Primary Movement (of subject)

• Figure on right – suggests dominance/ heroism

• Figure on left – suggests subordinance/ antagonism

• Movement from left to right - natural

• Movement from right to left - unnatural

Secondary Movement (of camera)

• Zoom

• Pan

• Tilt

• Tracking

Lighting

• 3-point lighting - A key light (the brightest light) is supplemented by a fill light, to one side, and a light in back. This allows subjects in the frame to appear three-dimensional. Otherwise, the subject may appear flat or blend in with the background.

Lighting

• High-key - comparatively little contrast between the light and dark areas

• Low-key - creates a strong contrast between light, dark and deep shadows

Let’s do some math.

On average, a shot should last 3-5 seconds. A pan, maybe 7 seconds.

20 pictures at 3 seconds each = 60 seconds

EditingSay Bear, See Bear!

Set a tone through the pace of your movie:

• Quick suggests action, urgency, excitement, nervousness

• Slow suggests contemplation, romanticism, simple pleasures

Start Simple

• Start with basic content and sweeten your movie afterwards.