Digital Storytelling

I know I won’t get any sympathy with this post, but after two years of retirement and twelve years as a facilitator with no classes of my own before I retired, I’m back in the classroom. Sort of. With Discovery and Wilkes University’s recent partnering to offer an online Master’s in Instructional Media, I was tapped to design and teach the Digital Storytelling class. I have to share that it has been an amazing and exhausting process so far. For one, I got to choose the textbook: no committee, no pilot project, just my choice. We’ll be using Jason Ohler’s Digital Storytelling in the Classroom along with two free manuals: the  downloadable 21st Educator’s Handbook (the Teacher’s Guide from the American Film Institute video sections in Discovery Education streaming) and A Curriculum for Digital Media Creation by Marco Torres and Ross Kallen which is available from Apple Computer’s education website. Of course, there will also be a number of online videos to watch and comment on as well as a few websites that will need to be visited. The “tests and papers” will be video creation, discussion, and commentary. It has been a challenge to think the seven units out and write them up in a comprehensible format for Moodle. It actually reminds me of (shudder) writing out detailed sub plans. I have to send a big thank you out to Wilkes University Grad & Professional Studies Assistant Dean, Bill Jones, who has been most helpful and patient as I’ve struggled to get my take on digital storytelling into words and into a logical sequence. Jason Ohler has also been a big help and doesn’t seem to mind that we will be jumping all around in his book as I fit his chapters to the units I’ve structured. Looks like there will be special class sections for DEN members too, so don’t be tardy or you’ll need a note from your mother, spouse or significant other.

We’ve been getting a unique chance to get behind the camera of a major motion picture this summer and fall through Apple’s partnership with Baz Luhrmann and his upcoming movie, Australia. The latest installment deals with cinematography and the partnership between director and the director of cinematography.
You don’t have to be a master movie maker or a Mac user to appreciate the planning and attention to detail that they describe in this latest podcast. You also don’t have to have Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, the production crew, and all the fancy equipment you see in this podcast to apply the principles described to your classroom projects.

Listen as they describe the planning process and ask themselves what mood or emotion is being conveyed here, where is the light coming from, and what scene/image comes next? Regardless of onscreen talent and equipment, those are questions any good visual storyteller should be asking.

Screenshots are from the Set to Screen “Cinematography” podcast.

A little over a year ago the local FOX outlet sent the general manager, some tech staff and two on-air sports anchors out to our local Chicagoland television educators meeting to introduce us to their student video upload program. As an afterthought, the manager showed us an iPod sized camcorder they were considering for on the spot interviews and breaking news when they couldn’t get a whole crew into the field. It looked interesting enough, but nothing that would replace my 3 chip camcorder. By this year’s NECC the buzz had grown and rumors I had heard about import problems for the PC and Mac were dispelled, so I took the plunge and bought a Flip Mino. In order to give the best overview possible, I thought I’d do some serious field testing in Disney World. I got the grandbabies along with their parents and convinced two younger brothers to bring their families along for some serious comparison and field testing (and if you REALLY believe that was the reason we all went down to WDW, I can get you a good deal on a couple of bridges in the NY area).

It was no contest. The Flip was so convenient from the moment we got on the plane in Chicago that the mini-DV camcorder never even made it out of its case during the trip. There is no doubt that my 3 chip camcorder gets a much better, near broadcast quality image, records good stereo sound with its built in mic, and can gather hours of footage depending on the number of tapes I have and how long my two batteries hold their charge. That said, the Flip’s quality is more than adequate (surprisingly even) for my home movies and just about any school use.

With great convenience comes some trade-offs. The Mino model I have can store up to 60 minutes in its 2G of flash memory. You can erase clips to make space just like you can dump any photo at any time from a digital still camera. And like a digital still camera, you can watch what you’ve recorded immediately. That was a great feature for keeping my granddaughter occupied in line a couple of times. It has a built in rechargeable battery that, like an iPod, can only be charged through its flip out USB plug connected either to a computer or an iPod charger. In full days of park visits the battery never went below half and the only time I filled up the memory was when I forgot to delete the previous day’s footage after saving it to my laptop. The two original models take AA batteries, but still need access to a computer for saving video.

There are three models to choose from. All have a 60 minute video capacity, but the Flip Video (MSRP $129) saves it to 1G of memory while the Ultra (MSRP $149) and Mino (MSRP $179) have 2G internal memory. I found my Flip Mino for less than $150.
Educators can get a $15/unit rebate when buying at least three Ultras or Minos at a time by September 30th.
I have to think this would be a great, economical way to equip a school for basic movie making without the hassle of tape or mini-DVD disks. Keep in mind too that the Video model can’t be mounted on a tripod and none of the models can take an external mic. But other than that, it’s basically point, shoot and plug into any computer to import into your editing software or the software supplied (Mac and PC) right on the camera. Here are a few examples. The quality suffered a bit converting to Flash for YouTube.
Outdoors
Indoors

Night time

Even occasional readers of this blog know that I hold the resources that Frank Guttler and Mitch Aiken have assembled for the American Film Institute’s K-12 Screen Ed program in very high regard. So, you too will probably share my sorrow on learning that the grant funded outreach has lost its funding and Frank and Mitch have been let go. Bob Jennings, Xander in the “Xander Anders Show” ScreenNation Learn videos, has been reassigned within AFI. It looks like the digitized assets will remain available and student film makers will still be able to upload to ScreenNation, but any further challenges and innovations are in doubt-> good news on this, see Bob Jennings’ comment below. The “Lights, Camera, Education!” videos and teachers’ guide/manual are also still available on Discovery Education streaming.

I hope you’ll join me in thanking Frank, Mitch, and Bob for all they’ve done to bring Hollywood magic into digital storytelling for any classroom and subject area by leaving a comment below.

The Great Minds Foundation has named it’s cash prize winners and then some. Inspired by submissions that weren’t quite what was called for, they created a whole new category “Most Powerful Video - Any Inspirational Topic” to go with this year’s healthy living challenge. Looks like that open category will remain as part of future challenges too. Next year’s topic has just been announced. That contest will be to create an anti-smoking PSA and also include the open “Most Powerful Video - Any Inspirational Topic” category.
And the winners are…

In 1st prize winner “A Message of Well Being” a junk food eating, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking young man doesn’t seem to realize what a clown he appears to be to a very attractive young lady.

Talent Show In second place, we have a young martial artist on stage in what seems to be a large theater. He is trying to break a board with no success. As the crowd grows unruly and starts to throw stuff he gives new meaning to “making lemonade when all you have is lemons.” Clever camera work and editing convinces you there was a cast of thousands when all you ever see is the little martial artist.“Genius by Birth, Slacker by Choice” on the t-shirt of one of the two characters in Healthy Choices probably sums up the eating habits of the loser in this healthy eating plea. Great parallel storytelling here to contrast the day/life of their characters.In fourth place is The Kenya Water Project that shows what a global difference we can make one village at a time. This is a good example of a real documentary that students can make.

I mentioned this one before. Dr. Weird’s Guide to Healthy Living takes another eating/exercise slacker to task. What I really like about this one is that the students here take very dry statistics about teen eating and exercising habits and turn them into a fun and frenetic rehabilitation program.

Next up - the winners from the inspirational video project that just kind of invented itself.

In what has become an annual summer event for me, I spent the last few days right outside of our nation’s capital at Discovery headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. As usual, it was a great opportunity to reconnect with my colleagues from both coasts, my neighbor Steve Dembo (who I almost only see when we’re on the road), and DEN STARS, old and new, from around the country.
We offered a 2 hour version of the full day “Lights, Camera, Education!” workshop and our STARS rose to the occasion. After a little more than an hour of “this is what you would have done if we had the time,” they had less than an hour to plan, shoot, and edit their door scene. With so little time, creativity just burst forth. Inspired by Steve’s “Social Networking/Web 2.0” morning keynote, one lady got through her door by Plurking a friend to come open it from the inside. And another, perhaps camera shy team, filmed a lonely water bottle trying to get back into the refrigerator with the love of his (her?) life. Happy ending! See the YouTube embed at the end.
Yesterday, before I jumped on the Metro and headed to Reagan airport, I was able to join a group that went over to the Discovery production studios just a few blocks away. As usual, the red carpet was out. I took a little detour to peek into the editing suites and was invited into one where the man at the controls was working on a promo for Renovation Nation.
Rejoining our group at the main stop - the green screen studio, we had a crash course on chromakey and lighting before taking turns in front of the camera where Ted Koppel, among many others, works. It is amazing how much thought and equipment goes into getting it just right (perfect actually) and how closely we can mimic almost all of that with our students. It was also inspiring to see the educators in my group take to the green screen stage, step in front of the camera, and make on the spot clips thanking school boards and administration for their support. They also welcomed students back for the year and one even wished her son and his growing family well as he prepares to deploy for Iraq.
Wish I could have stayed through today to see everybody’s final projects. Boom-de-ah-da!
Now, the water bottle and the door…

ScreenNation’s first ever challenge closed barely a week ago and the winners are already announced as they prepare to open the next challenge in the coming week or so. There was a wide range of entries for this one giving us very creative perspectives on a diverse group of towns. Some students focused on their schools’ service to the community while others, like “Kenya Water Project” and a student’s volunteer service award based on a chess tournament show us projects with an international impact. By chance, the top three entries cover the country from coast to coast in very different ways.

First place and camera kit winner, Union, NJ, starts out as a traditional 1st person view of a life lived in what might seem to be a neatly trimmed small town celebrating its bicentennial. Not! As our host digs a little deeper, we find the roots go back to the Revolutionary War and even include a historic first with George and Martha Washington.

Oakland, CA claims its fame from the creative slang that’s its inhabitants have been sharing with the rest of the U.S. for over a generation. As an educator with a linguistics background, this tickled my etymological funny bone. A street interview style with quick edits and no transitions lets different speakers expand on or finish each others’ thoughts. And what an appropriate use of text to clarify the spoken word!

Decorah, IA uses a drive through tour of town to illustrate its proud Norwegian heritage and the legend of the Nisse. Though this Nisse fellow sounds suspiciously like a renegade leprechaun to this great-grandchild of Irish immigrants, his ubiquitous presence as house guardian in town definitely makes him unique and forms a common bond among all who live there.

Check in often at ScreenNation for ongoing opportunities to share and learn. 13-18 year old students are contributing to an ever growing collection of film making how-to’s along with fictional flights of fancy. And watch for the next challenge which will be hosted by a well known celebrity.

A few years ago I introduced Marco Torres at our Illinois conference as a fellow Spanish-speaking Irishman and have resurrected that joke on occasion. This week it just so happens that Marco and some of his former students are out here in Boston presenting at and documenting the Building Learning Communities Conference. I almost referred to his alumni as “kids” because I’ve kind of seen them grow up on film, but after watching them present and handle interviews I can see why they are now his partners at Alas Media. Anyhow, I sat down at their table after lunch to finish off a cup of coffee and visit a little. A couple of minutes after pleasantries were exchanged one of the young men looked at me and then asked Marco, “Is this Joe the O’Torres Joe?” Looks like my old play on his name (Mark O’Torres) has come full circle right back at me. As usual, Marco had some great technical tips and insights into storyboarding. But what really sets him and his alumni apart is their emphasis on empowering students to help shape their world and those of their families and community.

And talk about changing the world - the founder of kiva.org closed yesterday’s sessions with her inspiring story (even made Oprah) of getting loans into the hands of third world entrepeneurs by accepting backer investments as low as $25. More than a million dollars is dispersed through their organization every two weeks. Here’s a pre-Oprah interview. Check it out and maybe even write out a check.

Just back from my 24 hours in the Saugatuck Dunes state park reconnecting with my class and team mates from St. Augustine H.S.’s class of 1968. And, as was always the case, when I took my shoes off just now, there was sand. Back in the day, there was sand in the locker room, sand on the gym floor, some say even in the food. I’d come home to Chicago for holidays and summer and my mom would complain about sand in the washing machine. It was a constant presence and reminder of that idyllic place on the other side of Lake Michigan.
     
Reconnecting with guys I hadn’t seen since the day we graduated, people who stood up in my wedding, and the few who have stayed intermittently close over the last four decades was a lot like that sand: always there in varying degrees and turning up in the darnedest places and at unexpected times. Hair has changed color and disappeared, weight has come and gone (mostly come!), and eyeglasses are now part of everyone’s wardrobe. Except for 1/2 a brick a sharp eyed classmate spotted, our brand spanking new school and dorms are demolished and gone. The “old” building that we thought would dry up and blow away in time has been lovingly restored. The 600+ acres of dunes and Lake Michigan shoreline we had all to ourselves are now a state park. Yet it was like we had just rolled out of bed in the dorm, finished prayers in chapel, or completed our “house job” for the day (everybody had an assigned daily chore) and were released from evening study hall. A word, a phrase, a line from a song, a synapse fires igniting a chain reaction. Someone starts a name, a sentence or a story and another finishes it. Sand!

      

Or more like speaking of speakers. I stopped by my local Costco today to pick up a few things for my 40th H.S. reunion and my two upcoming conference trips. I’ve been using Logitech’s Pure-Fi Anywhere powered speaker system for presenting with my laptop the last couple of years. They are rechargeable battery powered and can fill a 100 seat meeting room decently. I jumped at the chance to get another set this spring when they went on sale for just $99. Hold the presses! Costco was selling them for $69 when I walked down the aisle today. So, if you’re looking for good speakers for presenting or for the classroom that can also double as your iPod/MP3 player hi-fi, give them a look. In the mean time, my newest set will be blaring the class of ’68’s playlist in the Saugatuck Dunes today, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” “We shall overcome…” Though I think the 60’s is taking on a whole new meaning for us grandpas (it was an all boys school).