Wisdom Project

‘In the hope of thereby preserving from decay the remembrance of what people have done.”

Herodotus

Go to Site 

This manual prepares participants for the unique style and approach and to digital storytelling.

If done with care and enthusiasm, a digital story is an engaging and creative medium to preserve wisdom and share memorable stories that have the power to quickly become a person’s and this organization’s most valuable asset.


A LITTLE BACKGROUND

Digital storytelling has been practiced since the early 1990s when consumer-level technology, including personal computers, video cameras and scanners, proliferated to make home video production possible.

However, as an accepted definition, digital storytelling is the modern manifestation of the ancient art of storytelling. Throughout history, storytelling has been used to share knowledge, wisdom and values.

Digital storytelling uses digital media to create visual stories to show, share and, in the process, preserve as history. Digital stories derive their impact by weaving together images, music, narrative and voice to give depth and dimension to the narrative.

By using the Internet and other forms of digital distribution, digital stories can be seen across distances and boundaries to create new communities through a sense of shared meaning.

 

FINDING YOUR STORY

The Wisdom Project has two main goals in capturing your story: to preserve both history and wisdom for future generations.

Here’s how to prepare:

The video session will begin with your providing and chronological outline of your life to date. This includes the core elements:

When and where you were born; were you were raised, schooling, key relationships, military service if any, professional experience, children. This can be summed up in one or two minutes – the then we begin the process of adding depth to your overview in the form storytelling.

There may be an element of apprehension in the notion of creating something tangible or permanent and “getting the story right.” It is helpful to remember that these are your stories. Tell just you have been sharing them with friends your whole life. How they are told and supported through visuals is a unique and individual process; there is no one correct approach.

ABOUT STORIES
Our identities are filled with stories, which provide insight into who we are.
Stories mined from our lives are a direct connection to what our experience on
the human journey is. Stories can explain and illuminate:
Who we are
Where we came from
Our core values
What we care about
Our greatest aspirations

STORY IDEAS AND THEMES
In preparing for this process, browse through photo albums (we will want to scan some of the key images to supplement your interview).

Here is a small selection of common story themes. Yours need not fit into one or any of these categories. But once you begin to think about stories using common themes or memory triggers, you will find the possibility for a story worth digitizing is endless!

Some common personal story themes include:

REMEMBRANCE OR MEMORIAL STORIES

Stories that acknowledge, honor or reflect on the life of one who has died.

RELATIONSHIP STORIES

Stories of significant relationships in your life. Common subjects are immediate relations, including parents, grandparents, siblings, spouse or partner. Other meaningful relationships may include a teacher or mentor, childhood or lifelong friends, even pets. Who are these subjects and
what impact have they made on your life? Consider including stories of love, admiration, longing or loss, disappointment or a poignant reflection of a person.

Nearly every law enforcement officer draws inspiration early in their career from a veteran who they admired.

THE GENESIS STORY

Almost all people, groups or businesses can point to a significant moment or event in the past that was a determining factor in how things are today, e.g.,

“If I had not been drafted, I would never have become….. ….”

The genesis story is an essential part of almost all family histories, examining the question, “Where do we come from?”

STORIES OF CHALLENGE

Stories in which you have experienced challenge and how (or whether) you overcame it. They can be physical as well as mental challenges, i.e., the challenge of climbing a 15,000-foot mountain, conquering a specific fear early in your careers.

OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS

All of us have owned or known of a possession that held tremendous value in our lives and the compelling stories that accompany them. Objects or artifacts can be as varied as a lucky charm, a rock found on a memorable hike or a precious family heirloom handed down through many generations. What are these objects, how do they exist in your life and what value do you place
on them?

LOSS AND RECOVERY

Sadly, it is guaranteed that human beings will experience at least some element of emotional suffering. Stories about pain and the healing process are ultimately about resurrection and finding a way to continue.

STORIES ABOUT A PLACE

Stories about locations, specific or vast, capture memories. Geographical places hold intense memories and emotional significance in our lives.
Whether you have a fond memory of spending childhood summers on a grandparent’s farm or the painful recollection of a war combat zone in a distant country, reconciling stories and emotions of these places is a useful exercise in understanding ourselves—we might refer to it as narrative
Archaeology: What’s buried in this place?

THE SHOE BOX OF STORIES

Countless stories can be found in the well-worn shoe box or photo album filled with our treasured photographs. Each photo preserves a moment in time and each moment has a corresponding story: “Where was I when this photo was taken? Who took it? Who is in the photo with me? What was I thinking when this was taken?”

LISTING EXERCISES

List 3-5 specific experiences that have made you the person you are
List 3-5 relationships that have been important in your life
List 3-5 unique things that you do (habitually)
List 3-5 places that have been important in your development
List 3-5 experiences you'd mention if someone asked you to explain why you do the work you do

Conceptualize Your Story: Narrow the Focus

Telling the entire history of a beloved grandfather or your experience in the Army in a single short story could be an overly ambitious task. It is often hard to know where to start a story with a broad topic, and usually harder to know when to end it.

By thinking about a particular aspect of the relationship that was important to you or a specific event you shared—perhaps relating a bit of wisdom or transformation that occurred—you conceptualize a core story.

Conceptualize Your Story: A Point of View

Having and expressing a point of view is critical to any good story. All stories are told to make a point from a particular perspective. Without a point of view, a story is reduced to a mere recitation of facts. If the point is to tell something about yourself, it will be helpful to incorporate something emotionally engaging, something you care deeply about.

A point of view allows others to understand how you feel about your story and what compelled you to tell it in the first place. Emotional points of view can be derived from:
A dream
A wish
A disappointment
A fear
A belief
A loss
A discovery
A success

Using Digital Storytelling as a Resource for Change

Digital stories can offer insight and knowledge that others may otherwise not know. Digital stories can preserve part of your essence so future generations may one day learn something about you— something you cared about and thought was important.

And if you have any doubts as to the value of your own stories, imagine for a moment what you would give to have preserved your parents or grand parents’ thoughts and insights, or even the long line of law enforcement professionals who have preceded you in your current position.

We are the first generation with the technology to effectively bequeath the gift of our mind and experience to future generations. Together we can educate, encourage thought and initiate positive change.