Introduction To Storytelling

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“Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” – Ira Glass

Prior to the development of recorded language, be that graphic or text based, ideas and narratives survived vast expanses of time through the oral tradition. Passed down from generation to generation verbally in the forms of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants, these spoken stories helped to define and shape the societies we find ourselves in today. Such narratives are all around us now and play a pivotal role within the discipline of Illustration Animation. Key ideas that the image-maker or writer must almost always address when dealing with a story is character, action and setting. How do we make these elements work together, give ideas structure and deliver them as stories to an audience? Whereas you may be well versed in picturing these ideas and articulating them on paper, how would you fair with just your mouth and your body to give life to your imagination?

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Brief

 

Over the course of the next four weeks as part of the Friday Seminars you will be asked to strip narrative back to its essence, the spoken word. You will analyse classic texts, take them apart to understand what makes them tick. You will use what you have learnt to assemble new narratives through your own observations and experiences, giving life to them through your presence and your voice. This is not a visual project but one that deals with text and the spoken word. Do make sure that you document and evidence the seminar activities, homework tasks and find interesting ways to represent your final presentations as part of your Seminar Blog. Activities will be briefed on each day with relevant resources posted under the Timetables and Further Resources button for this module.

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Continuation

 

Continue to explore storytelling and narrative structure by reading stories, watching films and going to the theatre. Use your RSJs to deconstruct and analyse them. Create more stories using what you have learned from how they are formed, written and visualised.