Make a Photo Story
Students make a digital photo presentation using software such as ‘Photo Story’ and ‘iPhoto’ as a starter project for making videos. This will enable students to gain skills in making an audiovisual presentation, making it easier to create good videos later.
What is a digital photo presentation?
In a digital presentation, you can make a story by connecting pictures, which you can edit yourself. You can also add visual and sound effects, soundtracks, and your own narration to your photos
Why a digital photo presentation?
・It is good for organizing an outline
Making an outline is the first step to making a video presentation. In a digital photo presentation, you lay out your digital photos to make an outline. Students can try various patterns of layouts and find the best one. Through this process, students can reconsider their presentation ideas and perfect their work.
・It is easy to record narration in Japanese
Narration and sound recording are very important aspects of video works. With some digital photo presentation software such as Photo Story, sound recording is very simple. You just plug in the microphone to your PC and record. So you can record your voice again if you make a mistake.
・You can type in titles and subtitles
When you make a video, you need to consider the audience. Subtitles make it easy for the audience to understand your presentation. In Photo Story, you can easily make titles and subtitles in Japanese and English.
・Students can become familiar with copyright issues
How to use digital photo story software
Photo Story:
http://download.cnet.com/Photo-Story-3-for-Windows/3000-12511_4-10339154.html
iPhoto:
https://www.apple.com/macos/photos/#enjoy
Tips for making a digital photo presentation
Although the software is very user friendly, in the end it is not the software but humans who make a presentation!
・Speak clearly
Although the visual image is very important in video presentation, spoken language is equally important for expressing your message. Speak clearly, and don’t forget to use the microphone.
・Use subtitles effectively
Subtitles in Japanese or in English are a very helpful tool to emphasize or reinforce what you say. Pick up key words or key phrases from your presentation and show them as subtitles.
・Effects are useful, but don’t overuse them
Sound effects and visual effects are a good tool for entertaining the audience, but be careful not to use them too much. If there are too many effects, they will take away from the content of the presentation.
・Check the presentation from the viewpoint of the audience
A peer check can be done as a classroom activity. Students can show their presentations to each other and make comments about how to improve them.
Sample scripts on these topics are provided.
(My) family 「私の家族」
(My) day 「私の一日」
(My) town 「私の町」
(My) school 「私の学校」
Suggested props and techniques
- Costumes
- Puppets
- Soft toy characters
- Manga
- Kami shibai