Tools and Reflections

With all the choices available to create stories, I couldn’t figure out what kind of product I wanted to use to create and distribute my work that would look good, be user-friendly and accessible.  I played with a few options – like Animoto and even an app called  PowerDirector.  I found both tools clumsy and to be honest I didn’t like the options I had when coming to either playing music OR recording voice.

I found AdobeSpark to be the easiest to use.  This platform gave me the ability to add photo, video, music, and narration.  It was also easy to edit the vocal narration if I wanted to record again.  The software also told me when I was talking too long for one slide, and pretty much warned me to speed it up.

For my first digital story, #Resist, I utilized my own photos and videos from various marches and protests I have attended in the last month.  I plan to utilize my own pictures, and videos to create the stories I put forth this semester. 

I wanted this class to be organic, and mine, utilizing my own work and artwork to get my story across.  If I decide to use other people’s work, images, or media it will be very important to give artistic acknowledgment.

I have chosen a social issue for my first project, namely the marches across the US and the world protesting some of the orders of the newly elected president of the United States.  This is dangerous ground, since I am sure there are people who will agree and others who will take offense to the side I have taken.  It was easy to develop this story, because we have been inundated with issues and things to cover and having the tools at our hands to make a difference is extremely important.