The options on this page are subject to further development.
Under some approaches I’ve included links to samples from previous students in my WRTG 3020 classes. Current students should keep in mind that these samples may have been produced in response to a different sort of assignment than what they’re working on, possibly even something as small as an in-class activity. So don’t use the scope of the sample projects as a model.
For info on the TOOLS you might use to compose in each format, see the handouts under Recommended Apps & Tools.
For additional resources, browse the relevant category and tag archives on this site as well as in my Diigo library
MINI-DOCUMENTARY
A mini-documentary is a video narrative you construct using footage you’ve gathered yourself.
Most of the footage would likely include video as well as audio voiceover, but it might also include audio clips or photos from earlier parts of your life. The footage might also include interviews you’ve conducted with other people and then edited in order to become part of the narrative sequence of the documentary.
For student samples, see the Mini-Documentaries category.
PHOTO ESSAY
A photo essay is made up of a sequence of photos that appear briefly on the screen before transitioning into the next photo, accompanied by an audio narration by the writer.
The narration should take the form of an actual story, rather than just general comments on each photo. You would most likely write out the story in essay format (or perhaps an outline of notes) and record yourself delivering the story to use as the audio accompaniment to the photo slide show.
The photos should mostly be of you, although if you’re concerned about privacy, you may apply effects that somewhat disguise your identity, such as various cartoon or distortion effects. If you use photos of other people, make sure you have their permission to use the photos in a project meant for public viewing.
Although no video footage is needed to make a photo essay, the easiest way to make one is with a video editing app (like iMovie or MovieMaker), which will allow you to display photos for a certain period of time while recording your audio narration in the background. You can also create a photo essay in iPhoto or PowerPoint. The end product will be a video file you can post on YouTube or Vimeo.
For student samples, see the Photo Essays category.
COMIC BOOK
Comics are increasingly popular as a medium for communicating a wide range of information, but they’re particularly well suited for conveying personal stories.
You can easily create comics with a variety of free or inexpensive apps. See: Apps for composing comics and cartoons.
Also search my Diigo library for links tagged with comics.
For student samples, see the Comic Strips category.
ANIMATION
Animations are also increasingly popular as a medium for communicating information that is well suited to “story” format, as is the case with Project 2. An animation is a story acted out by animated characters, whose behavior and dialogue is scripted and “directed” by you.
You can create animations using free web tools even if you can’t draw a thing! See the Animations section of Recommended apps for digital composition.
For student samples, see the Animations category.
SHORT FILM
A short film is a fictionalized story portrayed on video, just as in a full length film. Unlike full length films, however, short films are generally produced by just one person, which means they may make greater use of scenery and voice-overs, as well as perhaps pre-recorded media (like photos and film clips), than would be typical of a movie.
In other words, to create a compelling short film, you don’t necessarily need to rely on using other people as actors, although you may certainly do so. Short films generally make use of artistic techniques to convey a message, relying on mood, imagery, sound, and other elements, in addition to narration or dialogue.
SKIT
A skit is a story that the you write, direct, and record with a video camera. The main difference between a skit and a short film is that a skit is typically more overtly educational in its purpose, rather than artistic, and the main message is typically conveyed through the dialogue and behavior of the actors.
Skits can be particularly effective for “public service announcements” designed to educate viewers or persuade them to change their behavior or take action. You might act as a performer in a skit you write, or you might stay behind the scenes as the “director” and “producer,” relying on volunteers to perform as actors.
Another option that might fall under the heading of “skit” is a scripted talk show designed to convey a story through discussions between an interviewer and interviewee.
REMIX
The “remix,” also sometimes referred to as a “mashup,” is a relatively new genre in which the creator assembles a collection of pre-existing media material in order to convey a new story or message. The “pre-existing” media elements are typically from published mass media pieces, such as TV shows, news stories, movies, commercials, radio broadcasts, songs, and so on.
A remix is a kind of video collage, and just as they do with photo collages, people often make remixes for entertainment purposes. For example, you can find hundreds of remixes on YouTube made by fans of particular shows or actors, and while some of these may explore a particular theme or convey an analytical perspective, most of them are meant simply to express appreciation for the characters portrayed in the remix.
If you choose to try the genre of remix, your project should do more than simply entertain. It should use existing media to convey a new story or message that fulfills the criteria for the topic and purpose of this project.
Here’s a sample remix: Multimodality of Gender. I made the video for a digital composition workshop, using only footage from Archive.org
MIND MAP
Mind maps are visual representations of the connections between ideas, similar in concept to the brainstorming activity of “cluster mapping” but meant to serve as the end result rather than a planning process. The best way to get a feel for what mind map apps can do is to play around with a few of them. You can find lots of them by searching Google or viewing the list of mind mapping apps on Wikipedia. (Also see the entry for mind maps.)
A mind map might offer an interesting way to guide readers through different parts or “branches” of your personal narrative, as each branch can be expanded or collapsed by the reader as she explores your story.
The two I’ve used the most and had students report using are: Mindmeister.com and Bubbl.us, although Bubbl.us is really better for brainstorming than finished products. I also use the free version of MindNode (which I got on the Apple App store), but without the upgrade to the paid version the options are a bit limited.
I’ve also read about students using Vue and Freemind with good results, but I’m not sure what formats those export to or if the interactivity is preserved in an exported and embedded version.
