Digital storytelling 2016-17

ATTIVITA' ACCADEMICA

PUBBLICAZIONI

PROGETTI DI RICERCA

CONVEGNI

CORSO

... DI CHI

 

writer's guide

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The reader

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his/her MONSTER

 

Is there an IDEA about life they want to talk about?

How do they represent themselves?

How do they give sense to their life, as a sequence of chronological events?

How do they talk about themselves?

 

 

 

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‘space drama’

 

how can I let the reader in this ‘other world’?

How can he familiarize with my space?

How can he interact with my world?

 

 

 



GIVE A TWIST TO THE EVERYDAY

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An IDEA

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Who is the main character + Who is the narrator

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HERO + Anti-HERO

 

Characters should be involved in a CONFLICT : the character should be in imminent danger of losing something of importance.

The main character cannot be weak. At least he is not strong enough.

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To be effective, characters need conflict. There are four types of conflict:

INNER CONFLICT - Characters are unsure of themselves, or their actions, or even what they want.
SOCIETAL CONFLICT – The character can be against a group of people who represent society (a political group, a team, town leaders).
SITUATIONAL CONFLICT - Something happens suddenly to the character (it could be a personal situation). How will s/he handle it?
COSMIC CONFLICT - The character has to face supernatural forces. [[Mara Logaldo, English for the Media, Arcipelago Edizioni 2014-15]]

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an everyman thrown into extraordinary circumstances,

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an extraordinary person in ordinary circumstances

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CHARACTER’S NAME SOCIAL
BACKGROUND
CULTURAL
BACKGROUND
PHYSICAL
OUTFIT
PROFESSION
PSYCHOLOGY/
PERSONALITY

 

John Smith

 

         
Pippo Potamo          

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Characters should be plausible – although fictional – beings. The following aspects should always be taken into account:

DRAMATIC NEED - What does the character want? What is he/she going to get or going to achieve?
POINT OF VIEW - Ways the character views the world
ATTITUDE - Manner of opinion
CHANGE - Characters must change

[Mara Logaldo, English for the Media, Arcipelago Edizioni 2014-15]

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To create empathy, the hero should share the virtues we usually admire in life: : generosity, honour, humility, compassion, selflessness.

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some flaws to be believable

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VILLAIN: negative main character >> DANGER

the reader usually hates the villain.

The more the villain acts hideously, the more the reader dislikes him

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MINOR CHARACTERS; with or without names


CHARACTER IDEAS >> more believable and more consistent

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EXAGGERATE

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Past
Present (a social circle, a home, an occupation, hobbies, …)
Future

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SETTINGS must be pertinent to the story, vibrant and real. Don’t overdo it.

Settings should be able to create the MOOD

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primary emotions and secondary emotions

1. Love

. Affection, lust, longing, adoration, fondness, liking, attraction, caring, tenderness, compassion, sentimentality, arousal, desire, lust, passion, infatuation

 

 

2. Joy

 


. Cheerfulness, amusement, bliss, gaiety, glee, jolliness, joviality, joy, delight, enjoyment, gladness, happiness, jubilation, elation, satisfaction, ecstasy, euphoria, zest contentment, pride, triumph, optimism, enthrallment, relief
3. Anger

 

. Irritation, exasperation, rage, disgust, envy, jealousy, torment, outrage, fury, wrath, hostility, ferocity, bitterness, hate, scorn, spite, vengefulness, dislike, resentment, revulsion, contempt, loathing, agitation, annoyance, grouchiness, grumpiness
4. Surprise

 

. Amazement, astonishment, bewilderment
5. Sadness

 

. Agony, suffering, hurt, anguish, depression, despair, hopelessness, gloom, glumness, unhappiness, grief, sorrow, woe, misery, melancholy, dismay, disappointment, displeasure, alienation, isolation, neglect, loneliness, rejection, homesickness, defeat, dejection, insecurity, embarrassment, humiliation, insult, pity, sympathy, mortification

6. FEAR

 


. Alarm, shock, fear, fright, horror, terror, panic, hysteria, anxiety, nervousness, tenseness, uneasiness, apprehension, worry, distress, dread

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IDEAS: ask questions until you find conflict!

Who is your main character, and what is his objective?

Who is the opposition, and what is his/her objective?

What other characters are needed?

What is the conflict?

What stands between characters and their objective?

 

Give your reader a reason to be for or against your characters

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IDEAS < VS > STORY

story

plot

discourse

 

voice, the viewpoint, the mood > STYLE

 

set the stage, explain the conflict, give the resolution

 

 

 

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