The presentation guides you through the process of creating a digital storytelling project in iMovie '11.
For more info, such as links to playable versions of sample stories as well as other versions of the presentation (including one that has over 20,000 views!), see:
http://digitalwriting101.net/content/presentations-on-digital-storytelling/
This post is on my DigitalWriting101.net help site, which features resources to help students and faculty compose in digital media (including separate tutorials on each step of using iMovie). Feel free to share the site with students and colleagues!
2. Workshop Overview
Identify the steps involved in producing a digital
storytelling project
Follow each step, using iMovie ‘11 and additional
apps, as needed
End result: 2-3 minute practice digital storytelling
project (rough cut)
3. Workshop Goals
Understand the process and terminology associated
with digital storytelling
Storyboarding
Assets
Develop confidence in using iMovie ’11 to:
Import images and video
Add title cards, photo effects, and transitions
Export a shareable digital story
Have fun!
4. What is digital storytelling?
"Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of
the ancient art of storytelling. Throughout
history, storytelling has been used to share
knowledge, wisdom, and values. Stories have
taken many forms. Stories have been adapted to
each successive medium that has emerged, from
the circle of the campfire, to the silver screen,
and now the computer screen."
(Leslie Rule 2009)
9. Two Approaches to Photo Essays
Story first, then images Images first, then story
Write a story Gather visuals on a topic
Gather visuals to Assemble visuals in
accompany story iMovie
Assemble visuals in Prepare a script to
iMovie accompany visuals
Record audio narration Record audio narration
(emphasis on storytelling) (emphasis on visuals)
10. Materials
Recommended Optional
Story iPhoto and iTunes
Photos Video clips
Audio clips PowerPoint
iMovie ‘11 Access to email
Web browser Text editor
Image editor
14. Types of Stories by Purpose
Inform Persuade
History or biography Public Service
Announcement
Documentary or
docudrama Visual argument
Call to action
Analyze
Reflection on personal Parody
experience
Concept analysis
15. Types of Stories by Content
Important People Important...
Character Places
Memorial Events
Adventure Activities
Accomplishment Discoveries
Relationships
Joe Lambert, Digital Storytelling Cookbook
16. Topics for Educators’ Stories
why you chose your profession or one of your hobbies
memories of:
learning to read and write
learning to use a computer or go on the web for the first time
learning how to become a good student
an “embarrassing moment” that was particularly educational
an event that changed your attitudes about an issue or inspired
you to fight for a cause
a powerful memory about a pet, event, or friend
an incident that illustrates the value of something you learned in
school that you thought at the time would have no practical value
17. A word about expectations
We spend most of our grade school and college
years learning how to write well, and yet very few
master the skill well enough to be published, much
less widely read
The digital stories most of us make are not likely to
ever be nominated for Academy Awards!
One benefit of a workshop is to help you develop
reasonable expectations for student projects
18. Brainstorm a few possible
topic ideas for a 2-3 minute
practice digital story
Consider what would give you
the most hands-on experience
(with a variety of media)
Workshop TIP: Brainstorm in writing so you
Step
can add to it later
20. Types of Assets
Digital Media Sources
photos & other images archival footage
video clips media labeled for reuse
audio clips media used with
permission
narration
self-produced
music & sound effects
animations
text
21. File Formats
File format needed depends on which app you use
to assemble the story
such as iMovie, MovieMaker, PowerPoint
Common digital media file formats:
Images: jpg, png, gif, tif
Video: wmv, mov, m4v, mp4
Audio: wma, wav, mp3, m4a
22. Tips for Working with Assets
Download, scan, or create images in highest quality
possible
Modify images in tiff or native image app format, not
jpg
Save jpg format for exported version
Name (or re-name) with helpful file names
But don’t change file extensions (like .jpg)
For video, choose what works best with assembly app
May not be highest quality option
23. Asset Management
PLANNING TIP: Think ahead to develop a
strategy for managing your assets, but remain
flexible and experiment.
Mac users: put assets into iLife apps (iPhoto
and iTunes) or a folder
Windows users: put assets into WindowsLive
apps or a folder
24. If you brought your own assets,
access them now.
If on a lab Mac:
Try putting assets into iPhoto
and iTunes
If that doesn’t work:
create a new folder on the
desktop
give it an appropriate name
Workshop
Step save your files there
(or work from a portable storage drive)
25. Finding Assets
Search for images with creative commons licenses
or otherwise marked as copyright-free
Images
Google Images, Flickr, many others
Videos
YouTube, Vimeo, Archive.org
Audio
DigCCMixter.org, Freesound.org
26. Tips for Downloading
Find the highest quality available
depending on your bandwidth limits
Use a browser tool like Download Helper (for
Firefox) to access embedded videos
also offers conversion and audio stripping
Rename files for clarity, as needed
x&4lxp8w.jpg is not a helpful file name
Right-click or control-click on image or file to
download
29. Search for some usable media
download 2-4 images
download an mp3 audio file
(optional)
download a video clip
(optional)
Put files in iPhoto and iTunes or
assets folder
Workshop rename as needed
Step
30. For Later: Creating Assets
Record your own video with QuickTime X or iMovie
(Mac) or MovieMaker (PC)
or digital camcorder or smartphone
Record audio narration with QuickTime X, iMovie, or
GarageBand (Mac) or Sound Recorder or Audacity (PC)
or smartphone
Take your own photos with a digital point-and-shoot,
SLR, or smartphone camera
Create images in Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar apps
32. 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling
1. Point of View What is the 4. The Gift of Your Voice A way to
main point of the story and what personalize the story to help the
is the perspective of the author? audience understand the context.
2. A Dramatic Question A key 5. The Power of the Soundtrack
question that keeps the viewer's Music or other sounds that support
attention and will be answered and embellish the storyline.
by the end of the story.
6. Economy Using just enough
3. Emotional Content Serious content to tell the story without
issues that come alive in a overloading the viewer.
personal and powerful way and
connects the story to the 7. Pacing The rhythm of the story
audience. and how slowly or quickly it
progresses.
From the Center for Digital Storytelling
33. Traditional Narrative Techniques
Show, don’t tell!
Offer details of character, place, and setting
Include sensory details like taste, touch, smell, sound
Use dialogue to convey conversations
Experiment with plot
chronological is not always the most interesting
start in the middle, not at the beginning
follow a narrative arc, not an outline
Build up anticipation with foreshadowing
Focus on a central theme
34. Digital Narrative Techniques
Let the images, video clips, sound track, and other
elements do some of the “talking” for you
each element contributes meaning:
images, narration, music, text, effects, and transitions
elements can complement or contradict your
message, depending on the desired effect
Go easy on the effects and transitions
use the most subtle unless the effect or transition is
meant to convey additional meaning
36. What is a Storyboard?
Method of planning a visual composition by
mapping it out scene by scene
Describe digital media clip, narration, effects,
soundtrack, transition out, etc.
Tools: PowerPoint, Word tables, Comic Life,
Stickies, print or “virtual” index cards, etc.
lots of Word and PDF storyboard templates
available online
37. Storyboard Elements
Structural Elements Scene Elements
Title card Digital media clips
Introduction (optional) Narration or script
Body sections or “acts” Effects applied to clip
and “scenes” Music or sound effects
Closing scene Transition out to next
Credits scene
40. Sketch a few scenes for a
storyboard
in Word or PowerPoint
in Stickies
on sheet of paper
Storyboard contents:
Digital media clips
Narration or script
Effects applied to clip
Workshop
Step Music or sound effects
Transition out to next scene
42. Launch iMovie ’11
Click on the black star icon
in the dock
Workshop
Step
43. Overview of iMovie Interface
Event browser
for video clips recorded or imported
Media browser
access to iPhoto, iTunes, GarageBand, etc.
Project library
individual movie projects in progress
Preferences
turn on Advanced Tools
Keyboard shortcuts
press space to play and stop
44. Create a new project
Create a new project and give it a name
Choose an appropriate aspect ratio:
standard 4:3 (good for archival footage)
wide screen 16:9 (good for new footage)
Do NOT check the automatic transitions box
May click on themes to preview, but leave “no
theme” selected
Can switch to a theme later
45.
46. Adjust properties
Go to the File menu and then to Project Properties
Change Initial Photo Placement and Initial Video
Placement to Fit
you can apply cropping or Ken Burns’ Effect later, to
individual clips
Adjust default photo and transition durations, if
desired
you can adjust durations for each clip later
47.
48.
49. How to Import Photos
Finding photos:
iPhoto library in Media Browser
folder on desktop
Drag and drop onto your new project
timeline
Drag to change order
50.
51. How to Import Video
Go to File menu, select Import, and then
Import Movies
Will go into Event Browser
Drag whole clips or selection from Event
Browser onto Project composing area
52. Take a moment to finish
importing photos and
video footage
Don’t worry at this point
about
sequence, duration, effects,
etc.
If you have time, try moving
Workshop the photos around by
Step
clicking and dragging them
53. Title Cards: Overview
You can use title cards for:
The project title and producer’s name
Commentary or quotations
Any time you want a chunk of text in the project
Explanatory subtitles
Alternatives:
Create slides in PowerPoint, export as images, and
import into iMovie
Create text in an image editing app and import
54. How to Add Title Cards
Select the T in the media browser area and look through
title card selection
Drag a card to your project and release in appropriate
spot, when green + appears
Cards can go between or on clips
Choose a background for the card
Type text
Adjust fonts if desired
Click Done when finished
55.
56.
57.
58.
59. Create an opening title
card and a closing title
card
Also create other title
cards, as applicable
Optional: Create a sub-
Workshop title on top of a photo
Step
60. Transitions: Overview
Transition effects ease the shift from one photo to
another, which creates a more polished look for
your project
Use subtle transitions in most cases and save flashy
ones for when they really count
Subtle: dissolves, blurs, fades
Flashy: spins, swaps, circles, squares, wipes
61. How to Add Transitions
Browse through transition options
Mouse over to see demo
Drag a card and release in appropriate spot
between clips, when green + appears
Preview transition in project:
move playhead before transition
press space bar to play
Can adjust duration and overlap, as needed
62.
63. Apply a few transitions
between your photos
Don’t worry about choosing the
“right” ones at this point, as your
goal is to play around and see
what’s available
Transition types and durations
can always be adjusted later
Workshop
Step
64. Photo Effects: Overview
EFFECTS TIPS
Ken Burns Effect Pay attention to the message
Panning: side to side conveyed by the effect!
and up/down Never let key person’s head go
Zooming: in and out off screen
Fit Slower is better
Crop Alternate between panning
and zooming
Rotation
Use “Fit” or “Crop” instead in
some cases
65. How to Apply Photo Effects
Select a photo and click on the gear icon
Select the Cropping, Ken Burns, and
Rotation menu
Ken Burns Effect:
set the “start” and “end” points as well as
duration
Preview and then click Done when finished
Also try Fit, Crop, and Rotate, as needed
66.
67.
68. Apply a few photo
effects to your photos
Don’t worry about the
speed of the Ken Burns
effect at this point
Focus only on the
placement of the image and
whether you prefer it to
Workshop zoom or pan
Step
69. Photo Duration: Overview
Your photos will all “play” for the custom duration
you set in Project Properties (default is 4 seconds)
You can set the length of time that each photo
displays in your project using the duration setting
TIPS:
Don’t set the duration until you’ve finished inserting
all photo and video clips, title cards, and transitions
Viewers will get impatient if an image displays for
longer than 10-20 seconds
70. How to Apply Photo Duration
Double-click on the photo whose duration you want
to set
In Clip Adjustments window that pops up, set the
duration in seconds
71. Adjust the duration of a
few of your photos
To preview, position the
play head at the start of the
photo and press the space
bar to “play” the photo
Workshop
Step
72. How to Add Audio
Browse audio options
iMovie Sound Effects
iLife Sound Effects
GarageBand
iTunes
Drag and drop audio file when green + appears
TIP: Don’t release while background is green or the clip
will become an embedded soundtrack with no option
for adjustment
73.
74. Audio Adjustments
Click gear to access clip adjustments
Set duration
Advanced audio options
Click and drag audio ribbons to move
Use Clip Trimmer to trim
TIP: Get out your ear phones!
75. Add a few audio clips to
your project
TIP: You can layer spoken
and musical audio tracks
Workshop
Step
76. Preview Your Cacophony
Click the “play project full screen”
button
Go back and play around some more
78. Exporting: Overview
iMovie regularly saves your project as you work on
it, but you can’t share the iMovie file itself
To share a movie with a friend or to upload it to the
web, you must first EXPORT a web-ready version
The resulting file will end in .m4v, which you can
upload to most video hosting sites or share via
Google Docs or Dropbox
The file may be too large to send by email
79. Go to the Share menu
Select Export Movie
Specify file name and location
Choose medium
Click OK
Workshop
Step ... and wait!
80. Sharing Options
Upload to video hosting site like
YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Docs
provide URL to video on site
use embed code on blog or web page
enable privacy options, if applicable
Upload to CMS or web space
Make file available for download
Use custom-installed player
81. Log into account on Vimeo,
YouTube, Google Docs, or
Dropbox
Click Upload
While video uploads, add
relevant info (if applicable)
Restrict viewing options:
Workshop YouTube: unlisted
Step Vimeo: password
Google Docs: share link
82. Saving Your Project File
Attach external thumb drive or HD and make copy
of Project files in Project Library browser
Do the same for Events
Also save all downloaded files, if applicable
Or, if you were really just goofing around, never
mind!
All files on lab Macs will be wiped on reboot
83. Resources
For handouts:
http://digitalwriting101.net
Please feel free to contact me
with questions!
Amy Goodloe
agoodloe@colorado.edu
Hinweis der Redaktion
MY INTRO: Instructor and Digital Composition Coordinator for the PWR at CU BoulderGiven lots of workshops and presentations for faculty on aspects of digital composition, with special interest in digital storytellingGot interested in digital storytelling when a student wanted to add photos to her personal narrative essay; suggested she use iMovie and the project really took offStarted assigning digital storytelling projects in most of my classes and will be teaching a whole class on it next semester.Also: attended an independent school for K-12 (not an AISL member but a rival of one of them) and really value the education I received thereQUESTIONS: How familiar are you with digital storytelling? How might you use it?
I’m hoping this workshop will help you to…
Coming next: a short sample from the man behind 50 ways to tell a digital storyLeslie Rule, Digital storytelling association, 2009Conveying ideas or values using a narrative frameworkancient and intuitive human practicehow we make sense of the worldGrounding ideas in everyday lived experience rather than abstractionskey players are people, not ideasdesire to understand behavior and find coherence and meaning drive story forwardPAUSE a few beats after each main point
Alan Levine set out to explore how to use a variety of free digital tools to tell a story about his dog, Dominoe. We’ll use his story as an example for the kind of project we’ll learn to create.
Sample photo story
How do you produce your own digital story?
Not necessarily a linear process. Some steps are recursive. Helps to know the whole process before starting.
There are other approaches as well, but these are commonWorth considering in the planning processThese are two approaches to the process BEFORE you put the photo essay together in iMovie
Applications should be in dockOr look in Applications folder
tried and true planning strategies taught in compositionclasses
THINK ABOUT what purposes appeal to you for a practice activity(hoping you already have some ideas)
Highly recommend checking out the Center for Digital Storytelling and the Cookbook (links on web page for workshop)First four chapters available for free, rich with good info. My students found it very helpful.
What topics are appropriate for librarians?Literacy narratives are a common assignment in English, writing, language arts, etc.Digital Archive of Literacy Narrativeshttp://daln.osu.edu/
Give yourself permission to make a crappy photo essay! (just as it helps to have permission to write badly)
See faculty topic questions on web site
ASSETSis the word used by multimedia composers to describe all the parts you might want to use to assemble a digital storySome might say that STORYBOARDING should come next, but sometimes the story you can tell is limited by the assets you can find.
May need to use image, audio, or video editing app to change formatSometimes need media convertersText: can be on a title slide or in an imageWe’ll be using image files: jpg and png
Basic apps for image, audio, and video editing come free on your computer or available for free on the webMore advanced options available at a range of pricesJPG is compressed format that re-compresses with each save; fine for export but not image in progress
You can drag images into iMovie, but not videos. Dragging audio not recommended.Use QuickTime to edit or strip audioOther tools to use for planning: - folders and sub-folders - Evernote or other synching app to manage files (with categories and tags)
I’ll show you how to save your project files and get everything off the lab computers laterIDEALLY: you’ll have a few photos and an audio clip, maybe also a video - might also download from web instead
say something about creative commons and fair usePUT LINKS ON BOARD?renaming, saving, converting or resizing if necessarydon't re-save jpgs oftenAlso choose version that will work with your assembly app (mp4 or mp2 should work with all)http://www.archive.org/details/TheNewMa1987basics of file formatshow to save as, export, or convert into the appropriate file formats
DEMO coming up on next slideBut also demo on live web page?
Right click or control click on a link and choose “Save link as”
Might want to download some media even if you brought your own assets“Usable” ultimately should mean Creative Commons or copyright free, but anything goes for today’s practice activity - worth considering how to approach this with students: is it ever OK to “borrow” images without permission?
These are strategies you can try LATER(may demonstrate basics when we start with hands-on in iMovie)
7 elements of storytelling
Narrative arc: do what makes sense for your subject matterCommon story pattern: stasis, conflict, disruption, resolution (as seen in Patient Voices sample)
Consider the value of juxtaposition and contradictioneffects - title cards - caption cards - transitions - photo effects (Ken Burns, crop, etc.) - closing creditsassemblyapps: video, presentation, photosupporting players
Might also write in script format, describing digital media clip rather than including it** Acts and scenes are the units of thought, rather than sections or paragraphsNOTE on using Word: dragging images in for planning is ok, but don’t try to get them back out; use original fileStickies for Mac: virtual post-it notes
Here’s an overview of what goes on a storyboard - Will demo how to use later
From a project I’m working on: my digital literacy narrative - collecting these from anyone who’d like to share - shareyourdigitalstories.net
Will need to return later to work on this once you learn more about the kinds of effects and transitions available
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration* Should be here no later than 11am!
Just going over the basics now. Ease yourself into it.Don’t try to learn what everything does all at once.iMovie SAVES FOR YOU, automaticallyWhat menu settings??
I usually use Standard for photo essays unless I’m certain I’ll benefit from the wider screen
Could record a bit of video if you don’t have any to import. Click the camera icon.ROUND ROBIN ACTIVITYif time allows, interview yourself or a partner(use title cards for questions)
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration
Sample of alternative:https://vimeo.com/24706473
NOTE: Title cards can be dragged on top of photos, but subtitle cards are better for this purpose(Images can be layered on top of each other with advanced tools: cutaway)
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration
Note: “fit” and “cropping” both work for VIDEOS as well as photosFIT: is best for images that really can’t be panned or zoomed without losing the key person’s face
Note: “fit” and “cropping” both work for VIDEOS as well as photosFIT: is best for images that really can’t be panned or zoomed without losing the key person’s face
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration
- Play around with sound effects and put a few inAlso put in some audio you downloaded Can layer multiple audio tracksCan also RECORD your own audio narration; click microphone button
We will take the approach of assembling assets and then adding audio narration
Other web ready formats include mp4 and movIn Windows, web-ready is wmv
Just do this now: I’ll explain why in a minute.Exporting always takes time. If it doesn’t, you didn’t do it right.
Highly recommend using standard video hosting sites, as that helps you and students become accustomed to how they work - I prefer Vimeo for quality and length - but YouTube is most likely to get traffic and is linked everywhere
(or just watch as I demo on screen)
I can help with external HD – we’ll figure out later how to get files to you.Move on to discussion, and I can help individuals with saving files.