Dear Henry

https://iversity.org/courses/the-future-of-storytelling.

AUNT RENE FROM POTSDAM

 

 

https://iversity.org/courses/the-future-of-storytelling.

 

 

The Future of Storytelling - First Creative Task.

The Future of Storytelling,
First Creative Task.

Think about a story that has impressed you, write down a summary and explain what made it so special to you.

Long After Midnight
by Ray Bradbury

In this short story by Ray Bradbury three morgue attendants discuss their thoughts and feelings about a young 19 year old girl who has been found hanging from a tree one cold windy night. The youngest attendant, a young man probably only a little older then the woman in the gossamer dress who has apparently committed suicide, is shocked and moved, while his older colleagues advise him to keep some emotional distance and detachment. Nevertheless, as they drive the body to the morgue, they indulge in speculation as to why a young woman would choose to end her life. Before they know it they have invented a vulnerable and impressionable young woman who has been wronged by her uncaring boyfriend, with whom she had become desperately in love. It is not until they take a closer look at the body, that they discover that things are not always what they seem.

 

I originally read this story in my late teens/early twenties, at a time when I hadn’t completely formed my own opinions about gender, roles, and identity, and it must of touched some nerve in me as it has stayed close by me ever since. For me this story examines our perception of gender and sexuality, and of assumption and acceptance. What does it meansto be male or female, old or young, or even gay or straight, and the potential hierarchy of compassion that society allows to exist in regards to these identities. Would the protagonists have reacted differently if the victim was an old man for instance? What was it that allowed the protagonists to empathise specifically with a speculated story of a young woman, wronged by an uncaring boyfriend, and what will their reaction be now, now that they know the woman is not what she seems. As the youngest protagonist says in the final line “Do we stop feeling bad now? Or do we feel worse?”

As a teenager at the time, this story tapped into my own insecurities of who I am and whether I was worthy of acceptance.

UPDATE: The Future of Storytelling

The Future of Storytelling

I have enrolled on this free online storytelling course from ‘iversity’, and I have just completed the first unit, which was really interesting, and I would recommend it to any writer, performer, or designer as it is aimed at storytellers of all types.

From what I have completed so far, the course material looks really good, and it has been very interesting. It is an 8 chapter course that ends on the 20/12/2013, and includes topics on storytelling basics – serial formats (on the TV, web and beyond) – storytelling in role-playing games – interactive storytelling in video games – transmedia storytelling – alternate-reality gaming – augmented reality and location-based storytelling – the role of tools, interfaces and information architectures in current storytelling.

The course is a MOOC (a Massively Open On-line Course), and the whole thing started on the 25^th October. The second chapter will start around the 31^st I expect, so don’t get left behind.

To find out more, click here.

The Future of Storytelling

The Future of Storytelling

I have enrolled on this free online storytelling course from ‘iversity’. From what I have read and watched so far, the course material looks really good, and it has been very interesting. It is an 8 chapter course that ends on the 20/12/2013, and includes topics on storytelling basics – serial formats (on the TV, web and beyond) – storytelling in role-playing games – interactive storytelling in video games – transmedia storytelling – alternate-reality gaming – augmented reality and location-based storytelling – the role of tools, interfaces and information architectures in current storytelling. The course is a MOOC, or ’A Massively Open On-line Course’.

I would recommend any writers to take a look. It is aimed at story tellers of all types. I have just completed Unit One, and will post my end of unit 'creative activity' on this blog.

Check it out here: The Future of Storytelling.