7 Elements Of Digital Storytelling

 After watching the youtube video on the seven elements of digital storytelling, I searched the web and found a blog on the Richmond School of Arts & Sciences website.  While the protocol is fundamentally the same; POV, Dramatic Question, Emotional Content, Voice, Soundtrack, Economy and Pacing, the website gave a better explanation of the different elements.

http://blog.richmond.edu/digitalstory/2009/03/03/7-elements-of-digital-storytelling/

 Point Of View – This is the underlying theme in a story. Often the point of view lives on or takes a role of its own within the story.

 Dramatic Question – This is the meat and potatoes of the story. This is the main theme that the story revolves and is answered by the rolling credits.

 Emotional Content- This element adds depth, meaning and a connection with the viewer.

The Gift Of Voice – This element makes the story your own. The narration wins the audience over with the way his or her words flow out.

Soundtrack- The soundtrack is a great way to connect emotionally with the audience. To me, the soundtrack makes a film.

Economy – Being able to tell your story efficiently.

Pacing- This is one of the most important elements. Many times a great film will suffer when the pace is completely wrong. Sometimes the beginning is too slow and the story picks up after the audience has lost interest, or the ending drags on and on. Having a great pace and being able to get the story out is something that requires a tremendous amount of skill.

 After reading and researching these elements, I began evaluating my own work in the past. I started watching a couple of my old projects and started to critic them as if they were a classmates or any other video off of youtube. I came to a project that I did for a media arts class last summer. This project was something that I shot and did a few small 2d cartoon animations for based on an old world book that my family had when I was a kid. My voice, as narrator worked well for this project. I had a very emotional attachment to this book and the memories of childhood so the emotional content was there as well. My pacing I feel worked well, I flow through the story of my book without losing interest. Of all the elements that we learned about, the only ones that I feel were not met or for better words, lacked in my book project are soundtrack, and dramatic question. I am a bit puzzled by the question element in this project. While from the mentality of an outsider or first time viewer of the project, I understand the narrative. I just get caught up on the why? Portion of this element. Why the book? I mean I know the importance of it and it is special because of the past emotional direct connection with the narrator, but maybe that is what makes it all relevant. Perhaps the question doesn’t matter for this project? Perhaps the importance of the book and it’s emotional content are strong enough?

 Here is the video. What do you think?