Even as I write this, Digital Storytelling (DS) practitioners and academics around the world are meeting CREATE, ACT, CHANGE: 5th International Digital Storytelling Conference and Exhibition hosted by Hacettepe University, Faculty of Communication, in Ankara, Turkey from 8-10 May, 2013.
The conference includes paper presentation sessions, digital story screenings and exhibition that touch on topics such as:
Gender, Identity
Activism, Inclusion, Participation, Democracy
Community building, Intercultural encounters
Belief stories
Sustainability
Resilience, Health
Heritage
Voice
Social media
Online DS workshops
DS was first introduced in Singapore in 2007. Singapore hosted Asian Digital Storytelling Conferences in 2008 and 2010.
Greek philosopher Plato said, “Those who tell the stories rule the world.” Digital storytelling is a powerhouse that is yet to be tapped. It is my dream to see it become a movement in Asia.
The conference programme can be downloaded here.
Archive of conference tweets here.
“Since first emerging in the 1990s, DS has grown exponentially…
However, DS has not been taken up evenly ‘around the world.’ For example, while DS is widely used across North America, Europe, Australasia, it is less developed in Asia, Africa, and South America. Most of the workshops held on those continents have been run or led by Western organizations or Western workshop facilitators and, by and large have not resulted in ongoing local programs…”
– Story Circle: Digital Storytelling Around the World, 2009
DS was first introduced in Singapore in 2007 when the National Book Development Council of Singapore brought Denise Atchley to run a workshop. Since 2009, Digital Storytelling Asia has been quietly keeping the Story Circle going. Besides Singapore, workshops have also been run in the Philippines and Indonesia.
16,000 people lost their homes during the 1961 fire that hit the Bukit Ho Swee estate in Singapore. The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (first PM of Singapore) promised to provide them with homes within one year.
Havelock View Estate which evolved from Bukit Ho Swee was launched this past Sunday 4 November 2012. I had the honour to work with blogger and fire survivor James Seah to create his digital story. The story pays tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew and all who helped turn Singapore from a mud-flat swamp to a metropolis. Mr Lee was the Guest of Honour. The event made front page today (5 Nov). The video was mentioned in the news report.
The DVD was later presented to Mr Lee Kuan Yew together with a personal letter to him.
Digital Storytelling is still in its infancy stages in Singapore. I hope stories like this one will stir up greater interest to tell stories… Singapore as a nation needs storytelling.
“Stories for Good” is Digital Storytelling Asia new tagline.
The new tagline better reflects who we are: a social enterprise. What we do: help people tell stories. But more importantly – why we do what we do: promote the Good of individuals and communities. We want to see doing good go viral.
“Good” means they are simply good stories. It also means they promote good or are long lasting “forever” stories.
Storytellers define their “Good”. Our role is to help them show rather than tell about their “Good” through a story.
For an individual, their Good can be as simple as saying
“Thank you”
“I’m sorry”
“I forgive you”
“I love you.” Like what Bernard did in his tribute to his mum and dad.
An organisation can better explain their “Good” by telling a story. That’s what Dr Vikki Delos Reyes does when she takes us into her world of applied epidemiology. A corporation can build their brand (their “Good”) through a story.
You can put a 10 carat diamond in a shoe box or you could set it on a ring to be worn, displayed, and properly appreciated. Wonderful stories happen everywhere. But they aren’t any good till they are properly told and appreciated.
Renew. Rehab. Restart
We care enough to listen
Beyond disabilities. Maximising Potentials
Dream it. Live it.
These are Great “Goods”. I’ve love to have these appropriately displayed through the stories of real people who live it.
Every good product or business has a great story. This is an opportunity in one full day to discover your own story, the hidden power of metaphors and exploring both oral and digital techniques in the retelling of your own tale.
Session 1 /3 hours/ Johnny Gillet
The great stories passed down through time are metaphors for all human experiences. This is what makes them so compelling. Johnny Gillet revels in metaphor. He retells tales from the past, from distant lands and then weaves new myths to speak from his own life experience. Through stories, exercises, creative activities and lots of laughs, Johnny will enable participants to firstly identify their own true stories then marry them with their own natural metaphors. Introducing the ‘storyweb’, he will show how experiment with narratives and how this model can be used to strengthen retelling.
Session 2 /3 hours/ Angeline Koh and Carl Rognstad
Nothing is more satisfying and memorable than to see a story realised. This part of the workshop will introduce participants to the process of producing a one-minute video that powerfully communicate their personal story with their own voice and image/s. The workshop is a condensed version of the Premium digital storytelling workshop which can be learned at a 3-day workshop or learned by modules. Participants will have a hands on experience developing Story, Voice, Digital Skills (iMovie/Movie Maker), Images, and Design. (Please see note below on what to bring)
Showcase / Kennelists
The event will create a space to have your story appreciated and showcased by Kennel’s greater community of honest, accepting and diverse individuals.
iPad2 (and above), MacBook or PC Laptop (please inform us what you will be using)
Pre-installed with iMovie* (iPad and Mac) or MovieMaker (Windows)** or any other video creating software that you are already familiar with
Three to 10 photos scanned and placed in a folder on your desktop
Earphones
* iPad2 (and above) users need to purchase and pre-install iMovie App from iTunes.
** For Windows 7 users, please note that the Windows Live Movie Maker which comes as part of the pre-installed PC software is highly automated and stripped of many of the functions that is available in the older version Movie Maker. It allows little control when making your movie. Click HERE to download and install the free Windows Movie Maker 2.6 version which works on Windows 7.
Storytelling in a Digital Age. 19 & 24 June 2013 (Wed & Mon)
9 am to 5 pm. Institute of Adult Learning. Register
PM Lee emphasises need to capture stories.
In his National Day Rally speech on 14 August 2011, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong quotes DSA's founder Angeline Koh's Telling the Singapore Story. The article which emphasizes the need for Singapore to capture stories was published in the Today papers on 10 August 2011.
Customised Workshops
DSA customises workshops for your group Please contact us for more information and consultation.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning the ropes and telling my digital story. Digital storytelling is a very powerful tool to nurture creative writing and help all to discover their voice.
- Chui Yuen Phun, Educator
About the stories
The stories in this site are owned by the storytellers and used with their kind permission. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Digital Storytelling Asia and are posted for your enjoyment and for educational purposes.
Thank you storytellers for sharing your stories.
Stories for Good
To bring about transformation in individuals and communities through storytelling.
