You will each create an individual digital story. The theme of the story must have something to do with composing the self, service learning, work and/or gender, depending on the class and the instructions. When you write your script, I strongly urge you to share it with others before your begin to narrate your story.  

I am a PC user and the directions herein refer to Movie Maker, a free software that comes with Windows XP. If you are a Mac user, please share with each other.

                                                                            The Process

Write a script on a 4x6 index card, that is about 250 words, or 1-1/2 pages dbl. spaced  

Share the script in a story circle (the narrative of a digital story is revealed in both pictures and words.)  

Think about images (there is no need to describe what the viewer can already see.  

Scan, download, capture images  

Size the images - about (720 by 540)  

Record the script (Write for the story to be spoken; it is not an address or lecture. The voice-over is not just words, but the way you speak those words. Your voice is unique and its sound is important to the meaning of your story.  

Import the script to the program
Import images
Import music
Add transitions
Fix the timing
Share with others

Steps to Creating Your Digital Story  

1. Review the seven elements of storytelling and familiarize yourself with the software.

2. Set up a project folder on your desktop and then add these sub folders: Script, Images, Sized, Narrative, Music, Saved Project.

3. Write your script. It should be about 300-400 words, or as much as you can handwrite on a 4 x 6 index card or type, double-spaced on a page and ¼.

4. Collect 10-15 still images to use in your story. These can be personal photos, which you have scanned, other items you have scanned, photos downloaded from a digital camera, or images off the Internet. NOTE: If you get images off the Internet, make sure the pixel dimensions of width and height add up to at least 600, but a 1000 is better. You can find the pixel dimensions in your browser by right clicking on the image (PC) or holding down the mouse for a couple of seconds on a Mac, and then opening the image in a new window, which indicates the pixel dimensions in the Title at the top of your browser window. When you scan images, give them identifying names and save as JPEG files in your SCAN folder.

5. Size your images to as close to 720 x 540 as possible. Use Microsoft Office Picture Manager (PC), or Photoshop if you have it. Do a “File, Save As” and carefully label each image and save it in the Sized folder. Save as a JPEG file.

You may want to refer to “Steps to Using Movie Maker” before going on.  

6. Record your narrative and save in your Narrative folder.

7. Create a rough draft. Import your narrative and place it in the timeline. Import your sized images and place them on the timeline, roughly in the order you want them.

8. Fine tune your story by adding transitions and matching and pacing your narrative and your images.

9. Add titles and credits or dedications to your story if you want.
10. Save your project as a movie file (.wmv) on your computer.
11. Open a new project file; import the saved movie from # 10.
12. Import your music, which you have chosen and copied into your Music folder.
13. Make sure everything is timed the way you want it, again, save your story as a movie file, and accept congratulation.

SAVE FREQUENTLY

 Seven Elements of a Digital Story  

1. Point of view:

This is your story and your point of view. Ask yourself why this story and why now? Why is the story important? We are bombarded with information from so many sources, but for many, the individual voice is lost. Give yourself the first person voice – it has truth and authenticity. Even if the story is about someone or something else, how does it affect you? You may have many stories to tell, but pick one, or a small part of a larger one to focus on. Avoid the “and then this, and then this” syndrome. The wonderful part of first person voice is that it requires no other truth, no documentation, no collaboration; it is what it is. Truth always makes the world a better place. A good story follows the shortest path; every word counts. There should be no detours without good reason.  

2. Dramatic Question:

There are two parts to this. The first is the opening line; a prompt to get the audience’s attention. For example, instead of starting in the past, “ When we had the accident …”, rather, “Crash”, or “There is a loud crash.” If possible, put the audience immediately in the scene. Such an opening line points directly to the dramatic question. The second part of the dramatic question tells the audience, which includes the storyteller, the point of the story: in a mystery, who did it, in a love novel, did the boy get the girl. The story tells us what the character is after, or what it is we are to learn about life, love, death, friendship, ourselves. The dramatic question frames the central story with the opening and closing lines, not in a stiff, structured, rigid manner, but naturally and according to each individual voice. The dramatic question need not be boring. Perhaps it seems that the question is will the boy get the girl, but it may really be whether the boy finds happiness.  A recent story I saw began with the author following her passion for photographing Seabiscuit’s descendants, and ended, neatly tied together, of course, with her father’s death. The story of one of her photo shoots was the last story she was able to tell her father before he died.  

3.  Emotional Content:

Our culture avoids emotional honesty. How do you feel? Fine! No discussion over loss. Find and share a story that is meaningful – touch a human emotion, love, loss, resurrection, crisis, humor. One’s emotional truth can be conveyed and it can touch others. The authenticity of the first person account becomes universally applicable. We try to create a safe and nurturing space for you to explore a story honestly and emotionally if needed. Chose something manageable and be as emotionally honest as you can.  

4.  Voice:

Your voice is a gift to the story and personalizes the story for you and for the audience. Practice reading your script so that it sounds like a story and not like something you are reading out of a book. Use your voice with inflections and pauses. Relax! You can record in segments. This means you don’t have to read the entire script perfectly. You can focus on one section at a time and if it is not correct, re-record it. Try not to be self-conscious about adding passion and energy to the script if that is appropriate. You may want to scream out WOW! if that is what you feel, or you may be quiet and somber as the proper mood is reflected. Most of us tend to cringe at our own voices because we do not hear ourselves as others hear us. After hearing your own story several times, some of this discomfort dissipates.  

5.  Soundtrack:

Decide how powerful you want the soundtrack to be. If you have words, make sure they fit the theme of your story and that they occur at the correct time. Some people like words at the beginning and/or the end, with just instrumental in the middle. Sometimes there is a lead in with just music, which is then lowered in volume as the narration begins. There are many choices and ways to mix the music with your narrative and story. Remember that music can convey feelings and emotions: impending disaster, joy, somberness, etc.  

6.  Economy:

Economy focuses on the relationship of the narrative, the visual images, and the soundtrack. The goal is to have each piece of the story enhance the other pieces without duplication – unless, of course, the duplication is used for dramatic effect. Feel free to use metaphorical images to convey meaning in addition to regular images. Sometimes just going to black has a profound effect and may require few words. One of the things I had to learn was that I was not narrating a slide show, which requires a narration for each picture on the screen. Pictures may linger (more when we get to pacing) while there is narrative, or silence, or music. There may be one or two words and lots of quick images. “What a game!” with several shots of people running, making a basket, etc.  

7.  Pacing:

Find a pace that is comfortable for you and matches your story. All three components have a pace: the narrative, the images, and the music. Allow time for the audience to really hear the narration and to see the images, unless you are speeding through something for effect. Pacing should be consistent with the emotional theme of your story. If the story is poignant and moving, probably the pacing needs to be slower than it would be for a story on winning a game. The pacing changes as the emotional content changes. There may be pauses, stops, time for the breath.  

Steps to Using Movie Maker
Movie Maker has a good help menu  

1. Launch Movie Maker (MM)
2. Go to Tools, Options, General, Go to Browse and select the project folder you created on your desktop, then click all three boxes and set Save AutoRecovery for every 10 minutes, and finally, clear all passwords.
3. Under Tools, Options, Advanced, click picture duration for 5 seconds, and transition duration for 1.25. Make sure NTSC and 4:3 are checked. At the bottom left, set maximum size for email message at 1 MB. Click OK.
4. Go to the tool bar and click on Collections. A new side panel will open, R click on Collections, and choose New Collection. MM gives you a New Collection folder; give it a descriptive name that will make it easy to find later when you have more projects. All your visuals and audios will go to this new folder in MM.
5. Now you are ready to import images and audio. On the tool bar line, make sure the collection you just named is listed. Then go to File, Import into Collections. MM will go to the project file you created, or you can browse to it. Click all the images you want to import, click Import. Then repeat this step with audio files.

6. You may want to create a story board at this time.

7. In MM go to View, Task Pane. This switches you from the Collections Pane to the Task Pane. If they are not, extend the four task panes. You will do most of the rest of your work from this view.
8. You also will either see the Story Board view of all the pictures, or the Timeline view. You can work in either one. I like to rough draft in Story Board View; it is then necessary to fine tune in Timeline view. You can re-arrange images in either view. Just click, hold down the mouse key and drag. It is easier to see the re-arrangement in the Story Board view.
9. Drag and drop in transitions, if you want them. Make titles and place them where you want them.
10. If you are not already there, switch to the Timeline view and match your audio and visuals. Remember, visuals and no audio can be fine, as can audio with a black screen, or a lengthened image can be fine. You can adjust either one with the handles (red markers that appear) for you to lengthen or shorten images or clips.
11. Preview your movie. Under the monitor there are familiar controls for navigating through the movie. The space bar can also be used to start and pause your movie. Very helpful!
12. When you are satisfied with your work, save the movie. In the Movie Tasks panel, click on Finish Movie, Save to my computer. Save the movie in your project file. Save using the Best settings.

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE

 Additional Resources  

http://faculty.mercer.edu/drake_ma/stories.htm  

http://www.storycenter.org/cookbook.html                                            Cookbook  

http://www.storycenter.org/memvoice/pages/cookbook.html                  Digital Storytelling Cookbook

http://www.nextexit.com/                                                                      Dana Atchley Productions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/capturewales/                                            Capture Wales

http://www.creativenarrations.net/site/storybook/                                   Creative Narrations

http://www.storycenter.org/                                                                   Center for Digital Storytelling

 http://www.photobus.co.uk/dstory_01.html                                          Daniel Meadows