These days, the Internet has given everyone the power to become a digital storyteller. The American Center in Moscow’s workshop will provide ideas on how to use digital storytelling to market yourself or your brand, and how to create compelling stories that engage your audience.
David will introduce the concept of digital storytelling, discuss some of the best practices for telling compelling stories, and share real-world examples from his experience telling individual stories in various countries (Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia, India) for both professional and personal purposes.
Benjamin will help participants with brainstorming ideas for their media product. He’ll focus on storytelling prompts with a clear framework on hook and emotion. He’ll share tricks and tips for effective content creation using different tools and platforms. Particular focus will be placed on Instagram/Facebook. By the end of this session, participants will have an action plan for telling a personal story using photography. They will also have a homework assignment to select a photograph with significance from their life and bring it to the next day’s session.
Speakers will discuss technical areas of photography such as composition and framing. Groups will then breakout in pairs to create photographs based on their action plan from the previous day. Participants will edit photographs and match them to their stories. Finally, participants will use the photograph they selected as homework and create a narrative around it. Speakers will introduce common storytelling tropes that they can use to tell the story of their existing photograph that are both personal and resonant
Participants will share their work with one another and provide feedback. Speakers will move around the room and help facilitate. At the end of the session, participants will come together to reflect on learning and plan next steps.
Discussion of how digital media can be used to tell personal stories for an individual social media account, for a small business, and for an NGO.
Participants will be engaged in an interactive two-day workshop with Benjamin Thurn and David Malana. During the first day, attendees will have a chance to listen to presentations, ask questions, and brainstorm ideas for Day 2. During the second day, participants will work with interactive tools in digital media development.
