digital storytellingLearning to listen

Peace RadioUganda

What is listening?

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each person's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

How do we tell stories?

• Vox Populi• Narrationless• Personal Diary• Radio Feature

Vox populi

One question, many people

If you had one wish, what would it be?

Who is your hero?

what happens after death?

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

What do you think about the recent election?

Htar Htar YuBurma to Middlebury College

Only Htar Htar’s voice is heard.

The story stands alone, without narration.

Narrationless

Personal Diary / Audio Postcard

Greetings from Bol

ivia!

Don’t tell me. Show me

Off the cuff or written narrative

ambient sounds

One or many voices

Other Ideas

• Radio Feature• Personal Essay: This I Believe• Sound Essay• News/Policy Report• Youth Radio• Story Corps Form• Many, Many more!!

Story Development

• Listen!• Relevancy

– How does this story relate to your location, • the people around you?

– Who is your target audience?

• Interest• Feasibility

– Create a concept map– Decide on a Scale– Community Partners

The Interview

• Background Research• Pre Interview / Trust• The Slate

– Basics: Name, Age, Hometown

Press Record

• Setting– Comfort– Soundproof– Listen!

• Headphones and Levels• Mic Placement• Are you recording??

the sound of

silence• Silence = Reflection• Fidgeting = Rejection• Body Language• Stay quiet!

The Question• The complete sentence• Be interested• Listen Proactively• Autobiographical

• Multi-Barreled Questions• Leading Questions

– Do you not think that…?– Isn’t that irresponsible?– Trigger/Biased Words– Either/or

CAUTION!

Sample Questions

• Who, What, Why, When, Where, How?• What did you see?• What did it smell like?

• How did you deal with that?• Why do you care about that?• Who are you?• What was the moment in which you felt most…

Ambient Sound

• Listen!• Music

– Mood– Emotion

• Room Sound• How do you paint a picture with sound?

• Language– Translation– Captions– Written Essays

• Cultural norms– Cognizant of Social Customs– Remember who you are and who they are

• Trauma, Violence– Trust versus Duty– Openness– Time!!!!

Language/Cultural Barriers

Questions?

Editing

– Audacity• Your sound editor

– Switch• Converts Files

– Sound slides• Audio-visual slideshows

Software

Audacity

Files should be in MP3, WAV or AIFF formatUse Switch to Convert

The basics

Files should be in MP3Use Switch to Convert

Import Export

Imagery

- Context- Relationships

- Pertinence- Layers

- Timing- Still/Moving

Outlets

• Radio• Blog

ExhibitionClassroom

NGOEco-Tourism

Ethics

• Trust• Release Forms• Representation

– Negative Effects

• Context• Give Back

– Photos, CDs

• Share your story

Resources

• The Radio. Listen!– NPR, PRI, The Moth

• Compassionate Listening• PRX.org• Sound Portraits / Story Corps• SALT Institute• Transom.org• Zone Zero• Studs Terkel: Working• The Kitchen Sisters