The Community Writing Center showed how to use digital media to tell a story during a workshop last week in the Publication Center.
Salt Lake Community College students who attended the workshop on April 19 created short films with video editing software such as iMovie and explored the use of digital tools to tell a meaningful story.
“This was just to foster some creative thinking about telling stories in a digital way,” says CWC writing assistant and special projects coordinator, Zach Frederick.
Most of the students in attendance were from English 2010 classes, after their respective instructors suggested they try it out.
The workshop was led by Frederick and CWC associate director Melissa Helquist. The atmosphere was very engaging, as the students and organizers helped each other and answered questions as they formed their own stories.
Using a projector, Helquist provided examples as she showed the step-by-step process of creating a three-act storyline. The three-act structure — which includes the setup, the confrontation and the resolution — is used to better organize and process storytelling.
Students experimented with video editing on iMovie using still images. Some students had brought pictures to be used for their videos, while others borrowed images online from Wikimedia Commons.
The event also brought attention to the upcoming ReelAbilities Film Festival. Film screenings will be held May 20 and 21 to draw attention to accessibility and living with disability.
After the festival ends, the CWC will ask for submissions of locally made films for their own event called ReelStories. This is not exclusively for students, as it’s an open call for locally made films.
