Knowing the basics of digital storytelling is important, but so to is knowing how to effectively brainstorm topics and ideas. Since digital storytelling is about sharing an experience and trying to establish emotional connections between people, topics should inspire change. However, they must do so in less than 2-3 minutes. And, they must convey the story through the storyteller's voice, emotion-evoking images, carefully placed words, and a sound theme that corresponds to the story's message. Therefore, there is a lot to brainstorm and it is often challenging for students to figure out where to begin and how to construct their thoughts. So, I've compiled some helpful resources to use with your students when beginning the digital storytelling brainstorming process.
To begin, students need to think of what story they want to tell. A great way to do this is through a cluster map of some sort. The following are great tools for constructing cluster maps.
Then, students need to brainstorm the images, voice, sound scheme, videos, and text that correspond with the story. With the online walls/brainstorming maps, students can reorganize their maps to brainstorm the other components. The following are useful tools for searching the other components.
To find more Creative Commons media, consult this article on 30 forms of media.
Now, students need to put the story into an order through a storyboard. It's also time to think about transitions and layout.
Later, students can return and figure out the placement of images, transitions, etc. Stay tuned on in depth looks at each of the digital storytelling elements and the hows of bringing them together.
To begin, students need to think of what story they want to tell. A great way to do this is through a cluster map of some sort. The following are great tools for constructing cluster maps.
- Wallwisher: http://wallwisher.com/
- Lino: http://en.linoit.com/
- Wridea: http://wridea.com/
- Inspiration and/or Kidspiration software
- See this past post of mine on Linoit and Wridea
Then, students need to brainstorm the images, voice, sound scheme, videos, and text that correspond with the story. With the online walls/brainstorming maps, students can reorganize their maps to brainstorm the other components. The following are useful tools for searching the other components.
- Images:
- Flickr Storm: http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/
- Creative Commons: http://search.creativecommons.org/
- Compflight: http://compfight.com/
- Voice/storyteller:
- Audacity software: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
- Aviary: http://advanced.aviary.com/online/audio-editor
- Sound scheme:
- CC Mixter: http://ccmixter.org/
- Jamendo: http://www.jamendo.com/en/
- FreePlayMusic: http://www.freeplaymusic.com/
- Free Sound Project: http://www.freesound.org/
- Videos:
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/
- Ted: http://www.ted.com/
- Blip TV: http://blip.tv/
- Text:
- Intratext: http://www.intratext.com/
- Traveler's Point: http://www.travellerspoint.com/
- Wisdom Commons: http://www.wisdomcommons.org/
To find more Creative Commons media, consult this article on 30 forms of media.
Now, students need to put the story into an order through a storyboard. It's also time to think about transitions and layout.
- David Jakes' Storyboard: http://www.jakesonline.org/storyboard_side.pdf
- University of Houston Storyboard: http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/pdfs/storyboard.pdf
- Or, you can continue to use the brainstorming boards to make your own storyboard (this is the technique I used)
Later, students can return and figure out the placement of images, transitions, etc. Stay tuned on in depth looks at each of the digital storytelling elements and the hows of bringing them together.
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