Learning to blog

We returned from our workshop to usual lectures feeling happy to be young film- makers.Today as we were having a session on blogging, the net got disconnected.
Disappointed we began watching our films and all we could get was enthusiasm that was lost a few seconds ago.We saw a small dst "Encountering Mario" by Ms. Pamela D'Mello. It was a great learning experience.

Day 5: Curtain Call

Over the past 5 days, participants of the Digital Storytelling Workshop have been pouring over their scripts, painstakingly drawing storyboards and visuals, recording voiceovers, visualising transitions and all the while grappling with the intricacies of the software. And boy, did they come through tops! The enthusiasm with which they began the workshop was just as palpable on the 5th and final day, with each participant seeking to give their best for their first-time efforts.

While the process was exciting enough, the highlight for all was the screening of the 8 films from each participant. Some members of the faculty of Goa University and artist/arts teacher, Apurva Kulkarni too were in attendence. The efforts of our young storytellers and DST as a whole were highly appreciated by the audience. The participants it seems, will now go on to submitting their class assignments in this format. That's a good beginning!

And here are the final films for your viewing pleasure...

Meri Life Meri Hai! by Jay Joshi




Mango Moods by Munira de Souza




Tongue in Ice by Venisha Fernandes




Memories Sweet & Sour by Carol D'Souza




View from Above by Navrishka Seebaluk




Lost Love by Vernul Sequeira



Avita's Anger by Avita Gonsalves




Pending by Janet Sam

Day 4: Making My Film

Everyone returned after a Sunday busy finalising their stories and collecting pictures. Today was the day marked for starting one's own story. Sharing story boards, discussing motion and transition, backgound music and above all geting our voice just right while telling our stories.

In the midst of this the University Grants Commission XI Plan Committee visited the Laboratry we were working in. Their purpose is to evaluate the University and propose additional funding for the University.

Professor Dahiya, MD University Rohtak and Professor Prithvi Yadav (IIM Indore) stopped by the Social Science Computer Lab, acquainted themselves with the facility and took keen interest in the Digital Story Telling Workshop.

To showcase this initiative we showed them Jay Joshi's film from day 2 titled 'The Journey of Man'. They had a word with participants and the facilitators. We do wish that DST gets a shot in the arm at Goa University.

At the end of an exciting and tiring day, we have complete the rough cuts. We shall work on fine-tuning tomorrow and create the final cuts and the end of the workshop.

Watch this blog tomorow for the final output - our very own digitial stories.

A Film in 60 minutes

So how do you react when told you must complete your first digital story and you have just 60 minutes? Panic? Zapped? Laid-back? Can-do-will-do? We had all of that and more on the second day of the Digital Storytelling workshop at the Goa University.

Why 60 minutes? The GoCreat DST workshops believe in learning using a hands-on method. And so, as part of teaching MS PhotoStory on day 2, participants are given a set of 20 images and 10 audio tracks. From these, they go on to script a story using no more than 6 images, their own voiceover and the available audio tracks as background music. And yes, there are just 60 minutes to do this in. There's no better way to learn a new skill than under pressure! Is there? Well ok, they did get some extra minutes, but hey, you get the drift, right?

And here are the films that came out of day 2...

The Big Question Mark by Avita Gonsalves




The Journey of Man by Jay Joshi




Life is Beautiful by Venisha Fernandes




A New Beginning by Munira de Souza




Dreamland by Navrishka Seebaluk




Success by Janet Sam




Its my Dream House by Carol D'Souza



The participants now work on their story draft, storyboard and collect visuals tomorrow, and get back on day 4 to create their very own movies. Stay tuned.

Digital Storytelling Workshop July 2008

On July 18th, 2008, the Department of Sociology, Goa University began a four day workshop conducted by GoCreat for students who wanted to learn digital story telling (DST). Students who signed up for the workshop began by sharing why they joined the workshop:

I have watched the movies in class and I was amazed by the power that the movies had. The impact of storytelling on ones life is very impressionable and I do believe that everyone has a story to tell.
- Navrishka Seebaluk

Digital story telling will certainly give me a better platform to put my views across. Through this workshop I will be learning the techniques of writing interesting and powerful stories.
-Carol Dsouza

Today, youngsters shy away from reading, but a new medium like this will surely attract them and give opportunity to get exposed to thoughts of various writers more effectively.
- Venisha Fernandes

The main purpose of joining this course is to relive memorable moments of my life, I would like to make movies for my friends and add it to my list of life and live it forever.
-Avita Gonsalves

I found it interesting and I would like to learn how to make digital stories

-Munira Ursula de Souza

After I complete this course I can even share my ideas with others which will also help them to develop their interest in this workshop.
- Janet Sam

After spending several years in our education system I have come to feel that my liking for stories and my imagination have been suppressed. Digital story telling will provide me with a rare opportunity to open up and reinvent myself as a story teller.

- Jay Joshi (Political Science)

I am interested in this workshop because it will help me express myself the way I want to.

- Vernul Sequeira (English)

Welcome to GoSocial

Welcome to the GoSocial site, home of the students of the Department of Sociology, Goa University (India) who have chosen to explore multimedia expression.