Last week we were given an opportunity to use iMovie to edit our "Door Scene" projects from the previous week. Although I enjoyed the first steps of the project, I thought five steps would have been overkill for the assignment. However, the chance to make the audio and video changes through iMovie sparked an entirely new interest for me with digital storytelling. I felt like I was in my own little editing studio, and I really started to have a lot of fun with the project. The other steps were entertaining because they were goofy to film and fun to work with the off-the-wall ideas that many of us had, but this step brought with it a whole new dimension of digital storytelling.
Any one working on the computers close to me could tell that I was having a little too much fun with the editing process, so much so that I caught myself laughing out loud at times. It was really entertaining and exciting to be able to take what seemed to be a bland video and turn it into a piece of digital media full of transitions, soundtracks, visual effects, sound effects, and much more. I can't wait to work through our remaining projects and see what else I can discover through iMovie and any other editing software we might come to utilize.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
I Educational App Review: Blurb Mobile
Blurb Mobile: 4/5 Stars 
Blurb mobile is a multimedia application that allows users to compile their audio, video, and photos into an interactive digital storybook. Although the only form of presentation is in a film reel format, Blurb Mobile provides a very artistic approach to digital story booking.
When creating a story, users are able to upload photos and video from their device, or can use their device camera to capture photographs or record video to be included. There are several framing formats that can be utilized to give a different layout to the visuals. Once a video or photo is framed into the story, users can easily edit the content (rotate, crop, shrink, etc.). Additionally, users have an option to provide narration over the story by recording audio on their device. Text can be added to each piece of the storybook if users choose to do so. After a story is complete, Blurb Mobile allows for Geo-tagging and users can add the location of the story to the story itself. Finished products can be shared with others by adding friends to your "Story Stream".
Overall, Blurb Mobile is a simple and fun to use application that even the most novice users can master quickly. It provides plenty of room for individual creativity, and the stories available to view from other creators show how artistic and exciting this application can make digital storytelling. Users of Blurb Mobile can enjoy works compiled by other authors and see what this application has to offer. It is a truly unique way to compile multimedia and create your own digital story.
Pros:
Blurb mobile is a multimedia application that allows users to compile their audio, video, and photos into an interactive digital storybook. Although the only form of presentation is in a film reel format, Blurb Mobile provides a very artistic approach to digital story booking.
When creating a story, users are able to upload photos and video from their device, or can use their device camera to capture photographs or record video to be included. There are several framing formats that can be utilized to give a different layout to the visuals. Once a video or photo is framed into the story, users can easily edit the content (rotate, crop, shrink, etc.). Additionally, users have an option to provide narration over the story by recording audio on their device. Text can be added to each piece of the storybook if users choose to do so. After a story is complete, Blurb Mobile allows for Geo-tagging and users can add the location of the story to the story itself. Finished products can be shared with others by adding friends to your "Story Stream".
Overall, Blurb Mobile is a simple and fun to use application that even the most novice users can master quickly. It provides plenty of room for individual creativity, and the stories available to view from other creators show how artistic and exciting this application can make digital storytelling. Users of Blurb Mobile can enjoy works compiled by other authors and see what this application has to offer. It is a truly unique way to compile multimedia and create your own digital story.
Pros:
- Overall ease of use
- Quickly import multimedia files to story
- Point and shoot photos or video to add to story
- Editing tools
- Voice narration
- Text titles
- Global sharing (Story Stream)
- Artistic and unique approach
- Can not import audio files
- Cannot be viewed as a video slide show
- Limited audio time for each frame
- Limited themes
Monday, November 7, 2011
What's Behind Door #1?
Over the past few weeks, our EDT 503 class has been in the process of completing the first three steps of the American Film Institute's "Door Scene" project. Essentially, we were confined to shooting at 90 second or less film without the use of editing tools or effects, and within a 5 foot distance from a door way. The scene was supposed to portray a character hearing a noise (source never known) and becoming more and more anxious as he/she heard the noise multiple times. The character approaches a door, has difficulty opening it, and eventually reaches the other side safely.
Although the project seems very simple, it took nearly 90 minutes to film! It was a challenging, yet fun way to gain experience making short films (digital stories). For the first step, we were split into groups and were expected to film the scene anyway we wanted. This step was very difficult because we had several points of view working simultaneously and came across a lot of difficulty agreeing on our overall vision of the project. Through a lot of reshooting, we were able to finish the project and had the opportunity to view other groups' work. It was interesting to see how different groups interpreted the assignment and it gave us a chance to realize where our groups came across the most difficulty.
My favorite piece of the project was step two and step three. Step two everyone in class created a storyboard for their "Door Scene" with illustrations and detailed isntruction. When we brought our storyboards into class the following day, we shuffled our storyboards and had to recreate someone else's idea of the "Door Scene" for step three. This was a surprise, but I think it went a long way to proving to us how necessary storyboarding is and how much detail we need to include in order to transfer our vision to an outside perspective. Overall, I really liked the "Door Scene" project and I think it showed us how important our attention to detail is when we storyboard. Additionally, it showed how much time needs to go into effectively creating a digital story.
Although the project seems very simple, it took nearly 90 minutes to film! It was a challenging, yet fun way to gain experience making short films (digital stories). For the first step, we were split into groups and were expected to film the scene anyway we wanted. This step was very difficult because we had several points of view working simultaneously and came across a lot of difficulty agreeing on our overall vision of the project. Through a lot of reshooting, we were able to finish the project and had the opportunity to view other groups' work. It was interesting to see how different groups interpreted the assignment and it gave us a chance to realize where our groups came across the most difficulty.
My favorite piece of the project was step two and step three. Step two everyone in class created a storyboard for their "Door Scene" with illustrations and detailed isntruction. When we brought our storyboards into class the following day, we shuffled our storyboards and had to recreate someone else's idea of the "Door Scene" for step three. This was a surprise, but I think it went a long way to proving to us how necessary storyboarding is and how much detail we need to include in order to transfer our vision to an outside perspective. Overall, I really liked the "Door Scene" project and I think it showed us how important our attention to detail is when we storyboard. Additionally, it showed how much time needs to go into effectively creating a digital story.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Digital Storytellling in the Classroom by Ohler
The more I read Ohler's Digital Storytelling in the Classroom, the more I understand his take on the purpose of the digital story and the role it can play in the classroom. However, the more I read, the less I think it is plausible for a high school math teacher like me to truly implement his idea of a digital story within the strict curriculum we are confined by. Ohler seems to consistently describe stories with character conflict and it seems to limit itself to an ELA or Social Studies classroom. I cannot understand how this can easily be included in a mathematics classroom regardless of the curriculum. His chapter on storyboards has helped me in our EDT 503 class in planning the most effective digital story, but it has left me discouraged as I struggle to think of the activities in my high school classroom that would lend themselves to digital storytelling and would be worth the time and dedication it takes for a student to create a digital story.
Despite my conflict, I really appreciate all of the information Ohler discloses in the text, and it provides me a ton of ideas that I can utilize in our classroom (EDT 503). Ohler's vast knowledge of digital stories has provided me a lot of insight that I previously did not have when I entered the class. For example, when I began this class I had assumed that every digital story would include a strong audible presence in the form of music, but Ohler makes me realize how a digital story may actually lose its effectiveness with an overwhelming soundtrack. His text has also revealed how essential it is to thoroughly plan out your stories beforehand and utilize techniques like story mapping. It is apparent to me through the reading and our experience working on the group project that digital storytelling can be a great educational tool, but it can also be an extremely time-consuming activity. Despite how much I have enjoyed working with my group on our digital story, I am stuck asking the question: How many activities can I see myself utilizing digital storytelling in my math classroom, and how much do I gain by doing so?
Despite my conflict, I really appreciate all of the information Ohler discloses in the text, and it provides me a ton of ideas that I can utilize in our classroom (EDT 503). Ohler's vast knowledge of digital stories has provided me a lot of insight that I previously did not have when I entered the class. For example, when I began this class I had assumed that every digital story would include a strong audible presence in the form of music, but Ohler makes me realize how a digital story may actually lose its effectiveness with an overwhelming soundtrack. His text has also revealed how essential it is to thoroughly plan out your stories beforehand and utilize techniques like story mapping. It is apparent to me through the reading and our experience working on the group project that digital storytelling can be a great educational tool, but it can also be an extremely time-consuming activity. Despite how much I have enjoyed working with my group on our digital story, I am stuck asking the question: How many activities can I see myself utilizing digital storytelling in my math classroom, and how much do I gain by doing so?
Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Story Center: "Bruises" by Olga Vigil
My response to the digital story "Bruises" by Olga Vigil.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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