Weekly Blog Post: Your Strengths & Interests
To get us in the mood for Narrrative 2, I’d like you to take the opportunity to use this week’s blog post to post something about yourself and your particular strengths and interests as a digital storyteller. Please post the following:
- What you see as your greatest strength as a digital storyteller
- Two possible types of projects you feel most interested (right now, these can change) in pursuing for Narrative 2
- If you were to work with someone with particular skills, which skills would you find most useful to you and your development as a digital storyteller
October 8th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I think my greatest strength as a digital narrator has more to do with writing than any other elements of this type of composition. I think I have the ability to use words as a means of powerful expression in several different types of writing, from journalism to storytelling to common prose. One possible type of project I would feel interested in pursuing for narrative two would be using blogger, because I think the possibilities are endless when using that as a media base. Another type of project I might be interested in doing is interactive fiction, because I think they are a lot of opportunities for creative expression in that as well. If I were to work with someone with a particular skill, I would choose to work with someone who is knowledgeable about the digital component of narratives, because I am pretty unfamiliar with most of the media programs. Having someone whe is a little more computer savvy than myself would be really useful for my next piece.
October 8th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
My greatest strength as a digital storyteller is probably either writing or website design. Although I don’t know html coding or anything like that, I really enjoy using Mozilla Composer to create websites. I’ve used it a bunch of times and I feel pretty comfortable with the basics. I also love to write, so that’s definitely one of my strengths.
I’m definitely interested in creating another website, but what I really wanted to do was something with still images. I was thinking about different ways to tell a story through pictures or something like that.
I’d really like to work with someone who is creative and has some good ideas for this upcoming narrative. I struggled with coming up with a topic for my first narrative, so creativity is definitely something that I need in a partner.
October 8th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Although in the digital world my strengths are limited, I feel I could be of use to groups who lack style and charisma. I have a keen eye for what the consumer, web-blogger, or random digital visitor would find easy on the eye. I do feel, though I was never picked last for soccer throughout my childhood, that I would be picked last for Website construction squads. This of course being my pre-apology for all of you out there. On a lighter note my ambiguity, creativity, and my sense of humor will contribute to the group’s ability to create an appealing narrative. As a result, I’d really like to pursue a more visual-based narrative this time around the block; a game more specifically. My original idea was to have a game (similar to Leisure-suit Larry) using real photos of a character trying to essentially pick up women. It would fall under the genre of a collegehumor.com type game or better known in corporate America as “I gotta email this one to my buddy titled ‘Open when Alone’.” If I can not find a group member equally as immature as myself, I’d be more than happy to make some type of movie. Just be warned, somber and serious are not my fortay. So I guess if I were to work with someone of a certain breed, technical skills may be of importance mixed in with a good sense of humor.
October 8th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
I feel my greatest strength as a digital story teller is my resolution to get to know the innerworkings of a program or a website until I can breathe it, or come close at least. I am not really afraid of doing something I’ve never tried before.
I’m considering doing a video, or possibly a comic.
If I were to work with someone I’d like them to have a head full of ideas, but still be willing to negotiate creative expression. I’d also like to do something that could be a split piece, with each of us working on something that could stand alone, but also connect. (Think video game with two main characters: each character has their own story, but share some interaction and plot points, and both stories serve to tell a bigger, more complete story.)
October 8th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
My skills lie strictly in knitting and baking. and that’s all.
I am pretty okay at telling stories and being funny…ummm I am good at listening and learning and sharing.
I want to make a movie….with music…
I wish I had more to report about…
c’est la vie.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Narcissist though I may be, I always have a hard time talking myself up. You guys saw my narrative; I’m a pretty decent writer, creative and into coming up with really ridiculous situations (check the blog out again… you can get eaten by angry wild turkeys if you play it right). I have a pretty twisted sense of humor, but I feel like in this day and age, most people do.
For the second narrative I was thinking about a web comic… Maybe. I can draw a bit… I just think it could be cool to poke fun at the administration and red tape of college (not necessarily at UVM… I don’t want any problems). I don’t know. Of course, I’m totally flexible and can go in any direction. It doesn’t have to be a comic. I just want it to be fun.
What kind of group members am I looking for? I’d love to work with someone cynical who wants to put together something funny that speaks to college kids (in the same genre, perhaps, as the humor in “Bro Rape” on YouTube). Technical skills are a plus, but if not we can just struggle together.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
For skills: Digitally I am pretty well rounded in the sense that I have sort of dabbled in lots of different mediums. I wouldn’t say I am particularly strong at anything in particular. I am pretty good on photoshop with graphic design stuff. I am best at speaking my mind, and in the right context I am sometimes known to be amusing.
What I want to do: No idea really. I am open to mast anything. I do like the idea of a web comic, but I’m not attatched. I’m open to thinkng outside the box.
Who I want to work with: Someone who wants to get creative with this, who doesn’t mind working with someone who has an opinion, and who doesn’t mind my behind-the-times technological ways.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I think my greatest skill as a digital story are my ideas. The problem I have is chosing how to present my ideas and the lack of knowledge I have about most of the resources we have at our disposal.
For the second narrative I’d like to go back to my original idea for narative one. You might remember the idea I had about making some sort of story that involved listening to it while living through it, such as a mystery in Burlington and listening to the narrative on your ipod. I’d want to incorporate not only the story, but a voiceover of the characters, and perhaps get a person outside of class to be the “guinea pig” and videotape them experiencing Narrative 2.
The other possible type of narrative would be one with music and/or movie. I really liked watching the videos some of you came up with and “Sountrack to my life” keeps popping into my head as an idea for a movie.
I’m definitely open to anything but I think those ideas might come out really great if a few people with good computer skills (because I definitely don’t have any of those) could work on this together. Also working with someone with a creative mind and a good sense of humor would work well for both.
October 9th, 2007 at 12:20 am
I think that one of my greatest strengths as a digital storyteller is that I can convey humor and my own voice well to the readers.
Two projects that I am most interrested in right now would be
1. something like Liz’s but to a poem that has already been written. I would like to put something to gether with illustrations and stuff like that to show my interpretation of the poem or how it makes me feel.
2. I would like to maybe use one of my dad’s scary stories that he used to tell us and some how present it on line.. I am not sure how. If I do that, I would also like to see if my father would possibly draw a couple pictures to go along with it.
As to working with some one else…. to be honest, I really don’t want to. I actually really like working alone on stuff like this. I know it sounds selfish but that’s the truth. But skill wise, it would be nice to work with some one who knows how to make things like Liz’s 1st project or who could help design a cool way to present a scary story.
October 9th, 2007 at 5:20 am
The most technologically- savvy thing I can do is copy and paste this from Microsoft Word to make sure I don’t have spelling errors. I do a lot of art in a broad range of mediums. I also enjoy writing, but I am more interested in a very visual piece this time around. I would like to make a good, funny, movie. I have an idea involving people’s shoes, and music. I have also been thinking about claymation and stop motion recently. If whoever I work with has any more computer or equipment skills than I do, and could maybe teach me something, that would be good.
October 9th, 2007 at 6:56 am
If I have a strength as a writer, it has to do with the composition of dialogue. If I have a strength as a composer of digital narratives, I don’t know what it is yet, although my technical skills aren’t too bad and my knowledge of webcomics is extensive.
I haven’t put nearly enough thought into what sort of narrative I’d like to work on next. Having struggled a bit with interactivity in this past narrative, I think I might like to do something more traditional– maybe a film? maybe a branching narrative? maybe I’m obtuse enough to want to do another comic?
I would prefer to do something in a lighthearted vein, but I’m pretty flexible.
I’d like to work with someone who has a really fantastic and fully fleshed-out idea, and is prepared to do all the work and share all the credit.
Otherwise, I’d be happy to work with someone who has a good idea but isn’t sure how to make it work technically, or has a better talent than I for plot and story structure.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:28 am
My skills are probably in the area of video making, specifically filming, editing, lighting, etc. I have made several videos for classes and also enjoy doing it for fun. I would really like to make another video for narrative #2, but would like it to be very different from the first one I made. In this narrative I would like to tell a story more so than with my last project. I’d like to work with someone who is good at telling stories and being creative.
October 9th, 2007 at 9:49 am
My strength as a composer would probably deal with bringing the story from your head to a digital platform. I am pretty skilled with all areas of a computer and have a pretty good learning curve for learning new programs. For this next narrative I have thought about doing a movie or something that is different from my last project. A partner for this next narrative that I would probably pick would be someone who is very good at writing or someone who is good with movies. My last movie attempt flopped from it being boring and my writing skills aren’t the best.
October 9th, 2007 at 10:50 am
My main strength is probably my desire to learn new technology. I’m not afraid to try a new program and I’m able to learn software quickly.
I would like to try another film, and am interested in maybe some sort of comedy, documentary, or a shock piece. I would be interested in creating a documentary that plays devils advocate to a societal norm.
I would like to team up with someone with better writing skills than me. I’m not the most super writer.
::Clock Model::
October 9th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I think that my greatest srength in composing digital narratives would probably be writing. However I really enjoy the design aspects, whether it be designing a web page(even though Im not too compuer savvy), or in drawing pictures to accompany the narrative. Im pretty creative and can find fun ways to spice up narratives that might be somewaht plain and boring without some type of design or picture.
I enjoy writing, but find it hard to come up with good story ideas, so it would probably be smart for me to pair up with someone who as lots of creative story ideas.
I am also interested in using imovie, i think it would be really fun to make some sort of movie, however I have no imovie or film skills…
October 9th, 2007 at 11:17 am
My greatest strength would probably be in coming up with creative ideas to display my narratives. I also have experience in film making, editing, etc. It is because of this reason that I fell that I would like to do some sort of video project for narrative 2. I have liked the videos that people have made in this class so far and I would like to try my hand at it. While I enjoy writing, I feel more comfortable in the medium of film. I’m not sure what skills I would like for in someone to work with because I tend to like to work alone on projects like these (nothing against anyone in class, simply bad past experiences with working with others on class projects). I guess I would look for someone who also film experience and was interested in world issues.