For this assignment, I read Steps in creating a multimedia story and Multimedia storytelling: when is it worth it? I think that multimedia storytelling is a creative and visual way to tell a story. It’s different and for young adults, judging by the DiSEL survey, are more interested when it’s presented that way. Personally, I didn’t care for the Dancing Rocks in Death Valley story. I felt it took awhile to get into the story, I thought that particularly when I read the text on the web site. I found it confusing and really missed having a nut graph as a whole. This is clearly a more commercial, magazine-y piece. As such, it can take its time getting to it. However, I prefer a piece that that gives more context up front. It was also really annoying to be constantly scrolling while reading the text. I thought that the print article was more clear than the text on the website. To be totally honest, I thought the web site was so boring. Even the video on the site was boring.
I don’t have a problem learning how to create a multimedia story. And I’ve enjoyed learning more visual ways to tell stories and adding more emotional and humanizing effects in telling stories. But sometimes I feel like I’m being pushed toward using visuals more than text. I keep hearing and reading that video, photography and graphics are more “expressive”, “dramatic” mediums than the printed word. Print is “Out-dated” and “constricting.” Words are like so been there, done that. It’s too passive. The lack of emotion in Shakesphere’s written words is so clearly felt in the movie Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
Okay, I’m being a bit bombastic (and alliterate). The point is that multimedia storytelling is a tool. If a story would be better told visually, then that’s the way it should be told. I think the DiSEL study is helpful so we can learn this tool to help tell the story. But photos, audio, and the written word have told insightful, complicated and delightful stories in themselves. Combining these tools to intensify the depth and emotion to the original medium is a good thing. But, I also think that just because you can tell a story multiple ways or using multiple platforms doesn’t mean that’s the best way to tell it.
October 24, 2009 at 9:38 pm |
The written word always will stand strong, and will never be completely replaced by multimedia. Let’s figure out ways to use multimedia to tell stories in different ways. Reporters and editors need to carefully evaluate which stories will best benefit from pictures, audio and video. That in part, as we discussed in class last week, is going to be dependent on the resources available.