Class Assignment

Creative Writing - SACS                              13Dec2013          

Storytelling in the 21st century –

Storytelling has many platforms, and the platforms used in storytelling have changed over time. But, with many things, what was old is now new again, but with some slight changes.

Below is a list of some of the more prominent platforms used over time –

Ancient
      Oral traditions          
      Epoch poetry
      Legends/myths
Traditional
      Written Word
            Fiction/Non-fiction
                  Novels
                  Novellas
                  Short Stories
                  Poems
            Journaling
      Visual arts
            Painting
            Sculpting
      Performance Arts
            Drama
                  TV/Movies
                  Plays, opera, exct.
            Music
Modern
      Video Games
      Roll Playing Games
      Target Driven (“Choose Your Own Adventure”)
Post-Modern
      Digital Games
      Location Based Storytelling
      Augmented Reality
      Virtual Reality
      Transmedia
      New Oral (Check out on YouTube…)
            Snap Judgment
            This American Life
            Sarah Kay
      … (Who knows what will come next)


YOUR TASK!

Think of a story you know well. It can be one you grew up with, one that you created yourself, or one that you have recently discovered. It can be from any platform, as long as it is, to the best of your knowledge, told in only one or two platforms. Pick something that you would like the chance to retell in your own way.

What platform is this story normally presented in?

What do you think you could add to the story by changing its traditional platform?

What platform would you like to see it in?
(And please, don’t just go for the standard “This book would make a great movie!”)

What materials would you need to bring it to that new platform?

… (You need to figure out what comes next!)

Don’t stop here! Your goal is a finished product!


Note: This activity was designed specifically for this class, based on conversations that Mrs. Cyr and I have had, our two previous encounters, and that one strange afternoon I stayed for the American Lit class.