Digital Storytelling II lead to the development of Columbia University School of the Arts’ Digital Storytelling Lab (Columbia DSL) as well as helping to inform a new MA in emerging media that mixes theory and practice. We now offer Digital Storytelling I, II, III, World-building Creative Coding and New Media Art and soon the offering will expand with additional courses plus Executive Education and Master Classes.
Over my time at Columbia I’ve experimented with creating a lab-based atmosphere on campus and within our classrooms. This is directly informed by my time spent helping to design and/or mentor at labs for organizations such as Sundance, Tribeca, Microsoft, PBS, Refinery29, the World Economic Forum, and UNICEF among others.
The Columbia DSL brings together students and faculty from across the University along with outside practitioners to collaborate on a series of complex problems. The outputs from our classes often make their way into the world through public exhibitions, open resources and monthly meetup events at Lincoln Center hosted by Film at Lincoln Center.
The following contains details on the course as well as a series of resources that have been updated.
Digital Storytelling: Building Storyworlds
Prof. Lance Weiler
Columbia University School of the Arts
Day & Time Mondays 6 pm to 9 pm
Office Hours: available before or after class
Welcome
Welcome to Digital Storytelling “Building Storyworlds: the art, craft & biz of storytelling.” This syllabus is intended to be a living document that will evolve over the course of the semester. In order to accomplish this we are utilizing medium.
Course focus
The democratization of the tools to create has enabled anyone to become their own media company. Disruption has ripped through the entertainment industry, challenging how things are made, distributed and consumed. But what does it take to build engaging stories in a fragmented digital landscape? What models will emerge and how can one take advantage of new opportunities?
Digital Storytelling II: Building Storyworlds examines the art, craft and business of storytelling in the 21st Century. The course takes a deep dive into theory, process and design as it combines practical experience with insight into emerging trends. A mixture of lectures, collaborative design exercises and guest speakers, Digital Storytelling: Building Storyworlds provides a detailed overview of what it takes to produce projects that combine story and tech.
Grades are based on prototyping assignments, class participation and a final team presentation based on an RFP (request for prototype) which will be provided in the fourth class of the semester.
The RFP and a note about the final presentation
Over the course of the semester, teams will work to craft a pitch presentation as well as develop a prototype that represents a moment from the experience. At the close of the class, teams will pitch to a panel of industry experts. Teams will have 10 minutes to present. Full details about the RFP will be presented within class.
In this course, students will learn . . .
Students prepare an “Existential Haunted House” centered on Climate Change at Wildrence. In the fall of 2019 my Digital Storytelling III class collaborated with Wildrence’s co-founders Yvonne Chang and Jae Lee.
RECOMMENDED READING
While there is no required reading for the course there is a recommended reading list that works as a nice companion to the class. You can see the list at the end of the syllabus below.
Welcome and Intros
An overview of the course, how it will work and what is expected
Opening exercise
The class takes part in an opening exercise
Lecture
Building Storyworlds: the art, craft & business of storytelling in an ever-shifting digital landscape
Play Test
Browser Based Stories
Checkout
Closing remarks and assignments for the following week is given
Check in
Discussion around the previous week’s assignment
Lecture
Decentralized Storytelling: storytelling in an ever-shifting digital landscape
Collaborative Exercise
Surfacing Design Principles
Play Test
Narrative Based Games
Checkout
Closing remarks and assignments for the following week are given
Check in
Discussion around the previous week’s assignment
Lecture
How emerging trends are impacting film, TV, gaming, and publishing
Fireside Chat
We’re joined by an industry vet who unpacks how project briefs are created and the underlying role of strategy in the process
Exploring the Brief Process
Collaborative exercise where our guests lead us through the creation of a brief
Checkout
Closing remarks and assignments for the following week are given
Check in
Discussion around the previous week’s assignment
Lecture
Finding the story you want to tell and crafting the world that will support it — an in-depth look at the making of Where There’s Smoke
Field Trip to Solana Foundation
We’ll be visiting the Solana Foundation to explore the potential of Web3 to bridge physical and virtual experience
Panel discussion
A group of Web3 artists share their creative practice
Social Mixer with Practitioners
We’ve also invited 40 practitioners to join us so that you have a chance to network
Checkout
Closing remarks
Check in
Discussion around the field trip to the Solana Foundation
Lecture
Exploring Frameworks for Crafting Immersive Experiences
Overview of final pitches
An RFP (Request for Prototypes) is provided to frame what is required for the final project.
Marketplace of Ideas
Class forms teams based on an exchange of ideas
Prototyping Cafe
Working in teams the class will explore the ideas that surfaced during the marketplace of ideas
Checkout
Closing remarks and assignments for the following week are given
Check in
Discussion around the previous week’s assignment
Lecture
Working with Story & Code
Fireside Chat
A conversation with Creative Technologists pushing at the edge of story and code
Case Study
Creative Code: Finding a New Grammar for Storytelling
Checkout
Closing remarks and assignments for the following week are given
Check in
Discussion
Exploring Personas
Group exercise
Form Teams
Class breaks into teams
Group Work
Teams develop a “play like” experience for their final projects
Checkout
Each team will determine assignments based on what they feel needs to be accomplished. Teams also will prepare to give a status report during the next week’s check in. Status reports must include team documentation.
Field trip to a top immersive storytelling company in NYC
Check in
Discussion around the previous week’s assignment
Lecture
Embracing Ambiguity: How to Produce Immersive Experiences
Fireside Chat
The role of Creative Producing in emerging media
Group Work
Teams work with our guests to vet and refine their concepts through a creative producing lens.
Checkout
Each team will determine assignments based on what they feel needs to be accomplished. Teams also will prepare to give a status report during the next week’s check in. Status reports must include team documentation. We’ll also discuss logistics for the next class which will take place off-campus (depending on covid protocols).
Class trip to a leading new media company. We’ll be getting an inside look at how a new media company operates. Please note that teams will be expected to present their work. Please be prepare to present your pitch and prototype offsite.
Check in
After reflecting on their prototype presentations from the week before teams give status reports on final projects
Lecture
An overview of emerging and traditional business models for entertainment properties.
Presentations and Discussion
We’ll be joined by the programming and production team from The Music Center in Los Angeles.
Group work session
Teams work on their final projects
Checkout
Each team will determine assignments based on what they feel needs to be accomplished. Teams also will prepare to give a status report during the next week’s check in. Status reports must include team documentation.
Check in
Teams give status report on final projects
Guest Lecture
Narrative Design at the intersection of story and play
Play test
An opportunity to experience some games that mix storytelling and play
Class Exercise
Filtering and feedback loops — understanding what participants are thinking, feeling and doing.
Group work
Teams work on their final projects
Play test
Please make sure to bring a laptop and headphones. We’ll be playtesting a number of projects that tell stories with data.
Checkout
Each team will determine assignments based on what they feel needs to be accomplished. Teams also will prepare to give a status report during the next week’s check in. Status reports must include team documentation.
Check in
Teams give a status report on final projects
Lecture
Pitching and the art of listening
Special presentation on pitching
Nick Braccia (Former Creative Director at Campfire) will share his process for pitching. He has successfully pitched studios, game publishers and major brands. Nick will spend time with each team to help them hone their pitches.
Group work
Teams work on their group pitches and Nick visits each team acting as a sounding board.
Checkout
Overview of logistics for final presentations. Each team will determine assignments based on what they feel needs to be accomplished.
Final team preparation for pitching
Teams pitch to a panel of industry experts.
Final session: Q&A with our industry experts
Stepping into a Disruptive World — what can one expect in a changing digital landscape?
“Information Doesn’t Want to Be Free”
Author: CORY DOCTOROW Publisher: McSWEENY
“MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research”
Authors: Robin Hunicke, Marc LeBlanc, Robert Zubek
https://users.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/MDA.pdf
“The Misfit Economy: Lessons in Creativity from Pirates, Hackers, Gangsters and Other Tales of Informal Ingenuity”
Authors: ALEXA CLAY & KYRA MAYA PHILLIPS Publisher: SIMON & SCHUSTER
“The Art of Immersion — how the digital generation is remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the way we tell stories”
Author FRANK ROSE Publisher: NORTON
“Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals”
Authors KATIE SALEN TEKINBAS & ERIC ZIMMERMAN Publisher: MIT PRESS
“Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming”
Authors ANTHONY DUNNE & FIONA RABY Publisher: MIT PRESS
“Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries”
Author PETER SIMS Publisher: SIMON & SCHUSTER
“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration.”
Author ED CATMULL & AMY WALLACE Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE
“Enchanted Objects: Design, Human Desire, and the Internet of Things”
Author: DAVID ROSE Publisher: SCRIBNER
These titles were pulled from a list of 41 books on story, design and play compiled by prominent and industry leaders working in film, TV, games, theater and publishing. To see the full reading list click here.
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