Digital Storytelling Training

[Debbie Maxwell]

Hi everyone,

Was having a brief discussion with Emma about storytelling workshops and training. So far, in Scotland anyway, I'm not aware of any training of this sort taking place digitally.

So, I just wondered, has anyone had any experience of either attending or running a digitally mediated workshop for storytelling?

Or, would anyone be interested in taking part in such an event, and if so, what would your expectations be and what would you hope to learn?

I can't seem to visualise the style of online distance storytelling training but am intrigued and excited by the possibilities.

Debbie

[Tim E]

Talk to Eric Miller in Chennai-- he's very interested in distance learning, and has experience with videoconferencing.

Alas, I've only attended a webinar on narrative communication. The eight of us in the workshop were on a telephone conference call, with text and images served in real time by the workshop leader via a web connection. Don't know how lag time would affect live video.

[Debbie Maxwell]

Thanks Tim, I'll contact Eric.

The webinar you attended - was this more discussion based rather than a practical hands-on kind of workshop?

Debbie

[Tim E]

It was essentially a workshop on narrative structure. Online, it was discussion, via voice. The hands-on part was offline: we had writing assignments. We got written feedback, and usually one or more assignments were discussed during the online session.

[Eric Miller]

Dear Debbie Maxwell and All,
Hello!
At present, I (in Chennai, on India's southeast coast) am in the midst of giving an 8-session course in storytelling to a person in Hong Kong -- via Skype videoconference. Works fine as long as both parties have broadband, and one party uses headphones to avoid echo. I love videoconferencing, and I highly recommend it for performance of, training in, and discussion about storytelling! Of course videoconference communication is a whole different animal from physically-present communication, but viva la difference! If anyone might like to talk via Skype -- please e-mail me, [e-mail] , www.storytellinginstitute.org .
Regarding the term, "Digital Storytelling" -- usually it seems to be used to refer to making edited video recordings, with still images, and a voice-over. So, really, it is just movie-making. This can become storytelling-ish if the creator of the recording is on hand to introduce and comment upon the recording. -- Eric, Chennai

[Glenda Bonin]

Dear Debbie,

I took a three-day digital storytelling workshop in Berkeley, CA December 2007. During that time, I composed a short digital story that I wanted to tell, but really had no place to tell it. It is really family story, one that may have historic meaning to members of my family years from now. I cannot tell you how much it meant for me to get the thing out of my head at last.

Writing the story, recording it in my own voice and editing the old photos to fit a tight format (ideally no more than three minutes in length) was an excellent experience for me. While this format may seem like a "movie," I really think it has a place in personal storytelling and documentation not otherwise available under what we might call "pure" storytelling. . Digital storytelling can be a powerful option and one that could become a marketable service for storytellers to develop and share with people who have a personal tale to tell.

I have attempted to participate in workshops and events via the internet, but have not found this type of learning to be for me. I am aware that some folks really like to learn this way, so you might find it worth your time.

If you want to see my digital story, you can find it on my website www.storyworksgroup.com
Look for digital storytelling on the left subject list.

Best wishes,
Glenda