Category: StoryCorps

Digital Story Critique: StoryCorps – Willie Harris and Alex Brown

HarrisWNPR13-636x424I just can’t get enough of NPR’s StoryCorps. This week, I wanted to take a listen to one of their audio-only digital stories. One that stood out was a recording of Willie Harris and Alex Brown, the founding members of the Black Stuntmen’s Association. These movie daredevils talk about the adversity of getting into the film business in the 1960s and the recognition they have received for their tireless efforts. As in previous critiques, I judged this digital story on the following assessment traits (as established by Jason Ohler in his book Digital Storytelling in the Classroom):

Story – Harris and Brown share vivid details of how practicing stunts in a public park in the late 1960s drew the attention of the Los Angeles Police Department, who assumed they were Black Panther members.  There’s a nice interplay between them, even when discussing the racism they endured on Hollywood movie sets. Their story flows in a simple chronological order, which gives the listener a solid historical context.

Originality, Voice and Creativity – At times, the listener can hear the subtext of emotion from Harris and Brown. It’s a revealing first-person account from two individuals who have been at the forefront of changing hiring standards in a company town such as Hollywood.  Harris’s mention of the emotion he felt going back to post-Jim Crow Mississippi to be recognized for his accomplishments is especially poignant.

Media Grammar – StoryCorps productions are always know for their impressive recordings and this is a perfect example.  Every word and subtle emotion from Harris and Brown comes through clearly.

I think I’m addicted to the adversity stories on StoryCorps.  That’s a good thing.

 

 

 

Digital Critique: “Clean Streets”

For the most part, I’ve been focusing on the theme of adversity in my critique of digital stories in my Learning With Digital Stories class (INTE5340) at the University of Colorado-Denver.  This week, however, I’m going to take a break from this theme.  At times, I like to hear stories about people discussing pride in their work.  The StoryCorps video “Clean Streets” is a perfect example.  For this critique, I judged this digital story on the following assessment traits (as established by Jason Ohler in his book Digital Storytelling in the Classroom):

Story – Sanitation workers Angelo Bruno and Eddie Nieves do an impressive job of telling their short story about working together in Manhattan’s West Village.  It’s very much a first-hand account of how both loved their job and enjoyed working together.  Bruno shares an interesting anecdote about his early days on the job when an old-timer showed him the value of a good day’s work.

Originality, Voice, Creativity – There’s an genuine earnestness in hearing Bruno and Nieves tell their story with their New York accents.  Their voices give the listener a definite sense of place.  Their camaraderie shines through when they mention requesting vacation time together and how Nieves misses “my partner” after working with him for nearly 10 years.

Media Grammar – Excellent.  The StoryCorps production team created a first-rate story.  In addition to the high-quality vocal recording that NPR is known for, the animation team, The Rauch Brothers, draws vivid animations that compliment the richness and tone of Bruno and Nieves’s narration.

This is the second digital story I have enjoyed on the StoryCorps site.  I look forward to delving into more stories.

Weekly Reflection: Spring (Break) Has Sprung!

1280px-Daytona_Beach_Sunrise_from_La_Playa_MotelToday is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.  For students at the University of Colorado-Denver, tomorrow is the first (official) day of spring break.  A perfect time to get away from school work and rest the mind.  At the same time, students at several major universities will be thinking of their schools in the downtime as their basketball teams compete in the NCAA basketball tournament.  The men’s team of my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will be playing Xavier University tonight, so I’ll be heading to a sports bar later to cheer the Badgers on to victory!

So it’s fair to say right now that my mind is not occupied with my studies, but I did want to mention something about my Learning With Digital Stories (INTE 5340) class.  This past week, I explored a unique digital storytelling cite called StoryCorps.   If you’re an avid listener of NPR, you’ve probably heard these personal stories from time to time.  Many of them involve people discussing how an adverse event or situation has changed their lives.  In my previous blog post, I wrote a critique of a moving digital story entitled “1st Squad, 3rd Platoon.”  With StoryCorps, I was amazed how much emotional detail can come from an audio recording of a person.  This gives me some ideas of what I might be able to accomplish when I create my own digital story later in this semester for this class.  I’m glad Lori, our instructor, gave us some flexibility in submitting future assignments.  Routine can dull the mind.

So now it’s time to sit back and relax.  Granted, I won’t be going to a beach in Cozumel, but at least I’ll have time to get outside and enjoy the (mostly) sunny terrain of Colorado and cheer my team in the Big Dance.  Go Badgers!

 

Digital Story Critique: “1st Squad, 3rd Platoon”

From time to time, I’ve listened to episodes of StoryCorps that have aired on NPR.  The simplicity of personal stories using audio recordings is remarkable.  At times, you can hear the emotional undercurrents as people discuss pivotal moments that have forever altered the course of their lives.  A number of these audio recordings have been supplemented with  animation.  To be honest, I’ve often associated animation with comedy genres (“Looney Tunes”, “The Simpsons”, “Futurama”, etc), but I was amazed how the animation work done by the Rauch Brothers complimented the adversity story “1st Squad, 3rd Platoon.” This reflection is told by Marine Lance Cpl. Travis Williams, who talks about how he’s been able to cope with life after a roadside bomb killed all his team members in Iraq back in 2005.  For this critique, I judged the digital story on the following assessment traits (as discussed by Jason Ohler in his book Digital Storytelling in the Classroom:

  • Story – Williams unfolds his experience in chronological order, which gives the viewer time to absorb his story.  The narration feels genuine.  I could hear the sadness and struggle in Williams’s voice as he talks about returning to an empty barracks after the roadside bomb killed his comrades.  Fortunately, the story ends on a positive note as Williams admits he is finding ways to reflect on his good fortune and cherishing every day in civilian life.
  • Originality, voice, creativity – In addition to Williams’s earnest narration, the Rauch Brothers animation’s adds visual context to the digital story.  The expressions on the faces of the characters match the tone of Williams’s voice over.  At no point did I feel the visual element draw my attention away from his narration of tragic events.  The StoryCorps project producers (Lizzie Jacobs, Maya Millett & Mike Rauch) deserve a lot of credit for giving Williams the room to tell his story.
  • Media grammar – Excellent.  Having working in television production, I could recognize the stellar production quality of the entire StoryCorps production team.  Williams’s audio recording was crisp, clean, and rich in detail.  In one instance, I swear I could almost see him crying by listening to the narration.  The video and sound editing are smooth and efficient.  There is some nice instrumental music that adds to the tone of the story.  As I stated earlier, the animation by the Rauch Brothers was impressive.

This was a very emotional story to absorb.  It took me a while to condense my thoughts in a blog review.  Still, I plan on coming back to StoryCorps to check out more personal reflections about people dealing with adversity in their lives.