E- Learning 2

Please click the hyperlink below before you read my analysis:
http://www.storycenter.org/stories/.

The digital story I chose is entitled, “Kim’s Story.” Produced as a culminating project in a Digital-Storytelling Workshop, it narrates a simple yet moving personal account of self-discovery by Kim Walker-Dennis, a social worker in New York, as she grappled with letting go as a prerequisite to personal growth, both her own and that of adolescents under her care.

In less than three minutes, the digital story sensitizes us to the need for a balance between needing and being needed, loving and being loved, and caring and being cared for. I chose it for the clarity of the message and for its universal or timeless appeal—a message which may resonate to a range of audience of both genders from teenage and adult age groups, particularly those who are seeking something that is lacking in their lives. I also chose it for the sincere and engaging storytelling, evocative images, and non-invasive musical scoring. It exemplifies how sounds and images reinforce or enhance a simple yet effective narration to drive home a powerful message. Finally, I chose it because it demonstrates some problems that ought to be minimised if not avoided in making a digital story.

One can read too much into it, but the title against plain black background, in rather unassuming fonts, at the bottom right corner evokes in me a sense of simplicity, humility and honesty that I in fact have encountered in the succeeding scenes.

Plainly entitled “Kim’s Story” it begins with an intriguing lead-in note, “It’s not about you…It’s about me.” One might be struck by its absurdity. Of course it is about her, who else? But soon one gets the sense of what this note alludes to. Disclosing in the following scene of birds flying way that letting go is difficult for her, and that she is gripped by fears of ceasing to be needed or wanted—metaphorically shown by a lonesome bird—by those whom she used to help, the narrator flags her deeply felt anxiety that she seems eager to expunge through self-confession. Effectively, the tension or problem around which the entire story revolves has been established smoothly with the astute use of the black-and-white initial backdrop, apt sound and ample silence, as well as reinforcing images that put together raise the viewers’ anticipation.

The storyline follows closely the techniques Ohler prescribes. It begins with a problem, thru change, to resolution. It contains Ohler’s three basic elements: (1) a problem that builds the tension in the story and dictates its forward momentum, that is, Kim’s difficulty in letting go; (2) transformation of the character who is no other than Kim herself; and, (3) character’s resolution, Kim’s actions and change of views that lead to the resolution.

As a result, Kim’s digital story displayed an öld Kim”and a “new Kim.” There is an underlying structure akin to a timeline that strategically flows to engage the viewers all throughout: from the beginning (problem presentation) - to development (presentation of assessment of others and the self) to climax (the peak of the story wherein Kim realised what she had to do)- denouement (the changes in effect)- ending(her change of views in terms of relationships) Overall, the narrative, the choice of words and her emotive way of speaking facilitates the transfer effect on the viewers.

With still and moving pictures serving as a backdrop—both as metaphorical and literal translation or enhancement—to her narration, Kim’s autobiography unfolds swinging between the present and the past and also looking into the future. Unlike Randy’s “Lyfe-N-Rhyme”, her digital story successfully told the whole story. She traces, for instance, the roots of her preoccupation to helping vulnerable youngsters to the influence of her grandmother who selflessly devoted her time to taking care of abandoned children. Echoing what others think that likened her to a hen that shields her chicks from harm, she was keen to help friends and other youngsters since her teen years. Her being a social worker now merely formalizes what she has been doing for long. From technical standpoint, the easing in of the hen, showing fairly closely the chicks under her wings effectively enhances the message. The same may be said of the film age-effect that she employed on her picture with (presumably) a brother in their grandma’s house. However, if Kim intends to highlight her views, maybe a gradual easing in of her own picture (when she was young) with her grandmother would have had a more dramatic effect to reinforce her statement, “When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time in my grandmother’s house.”

I would have to say that the picture of a big house may be symbolic of her grandmother’s generous heart. The use of the images of a tiny window, stairs and a door effectively elucidates “caring for others” and “bringing people home”. The gray colours of the photos brought forth an apt effect of a memory of the past.

From the beautiful memories she had of her grandmother, she moved to her teenage years when she obviously adopted her grandmother’s ways. The colourful picture with her friends plus the gradual easing in of the image suits perfectly to illuminate the impact of her grandmother’s life on her.

Interestingly, what follows is an empty black slide, as she continues her expressive narration of what she learned from her past experience. Flashed next are three phrases: “a reason, a season, a lifetime” reinforcing her narrative that people come to one’s life because of them. The use of big lettered words zooming in stark black and white contrast effectively highlights the importance of the message. It also breaks the flow of images and sound that could be predictable or monotonous at times. In contrast to the silence she employed in the introduction, she opts to be straightforward this time, providing a nice balance. At this point Kim implicitly tells the audience about the reason why she decided to choose social work as a career—a mission to show utmost concern for the disadvantaged. For transition, she again employs the gradual easing in technique that seems to work well.

The resolution starts to unfold in the next scene. She walks past a row of medium-sized, gated houses with leaves swaying on the front yard. She sounds triumphant, even self-congratulatory for being able to help the youngster, but at the same time, she accepts with humility that she also learns a lot and was helped by them in the process. From technical standpoint, using her own moving image, lively as she appears, while a window opens gives the impression that she derives much joy from her work with the troubled youths.

Meanwhile as she continues her narration, she reveals the problem she herself encountered each year. The image to a mother duck swimming with her ducklings, one of which is shown negotiating the waters by herself points to learning by oneself and growing in the process. This is in contrast with the image of the hen which was overprotective of its young. The scenes are emblematic of the realisation that letting go is part of growing up, a lesson which Kim claims it took her a while to learn. “In order to grow, you must let go.”

The next scene goes back to Kim who is now seated on the stairs, deeply engrossed with her thoughts as she reflects on what had happened to her. I like the close-up effect used here, which along with the juxtaposition of herself with friends, former wards and family seems to say that the self that has been lost has now been found, thus, effectively putting a closure to the narrative.

Kim is an effective narrator. Her voice speaks of sincerity as the storyline is well motivated and it flows smoothly. On the other hand, perhaps it is also the fundamental source of the problem. In its paramount aim to be clear, it leaves not much space for ambiguity, artistry and imagination, addressing itself perhaps to a presumed unintelligent audience. By talking too much, especially after the initial powerful scenes, the narrator assumes a domineering in stance, perhaps too intrusive such that the still and moving images are there merely to translate, not enhance, the essence of the narration. They are not allowed to speak by themselves, to serve as vehicle of meanings. They are but an adjunct to the narration. I tried listening to the sound alone and I have been struck by the uni-dimensionality of it all. It heard like a program on the radio, flat and predictable. Silence should have punctuated the narration as the still and moving images are allowed to tell the story. This is, I believe, a serious shortcoming, but overall I find the digital story worth watching and examining.
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