Reading Due Friday

Read in Dotson’s book pages 55 thru 71. Then:
1. What do you find most interesting about what he says on these pages? What stands out as particularly useful to you as a storyteller? (75 words)

What I found most interesting in these pages was the "Graphics" section.  It explained the how beneficial adding in little amounts of graphics that could potentially improve your story and help tell it.  What you don't want to do is overuse them; no "spinning numbers".  Keep it "low-tech, yet instantly clear" in order for these graphics to be beneficial rather than overbearing. I found this interesting because I do like graphics and I think they are best when you almost don't even notice them because you think they are naturally in the story.

To answer the rest, you must visit the site for Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories(http://www.kare11.com/news/investigative/extras/stories.aspx). Pick two that look interesting. Watch them. Then, pick one of those and answer the following prompts about it, please:

2. What is the name of the story, and on what date did it first air?

Race for the Cure, May 13th
3. List and describe four instances of natural sound. 

Crowd cheering before race, people walking, people talking while walking, drummers in a band that played while they were walking
4. List and describe (including the type and what they are showing) four camera shots that you find interesting.

birds eye view of the crowd cheering, WS from the ground up of people starting the run, CU of the shoes of the walking people, from the back of someone (their race number)
5. Write a possible focus statement for the story (strong verbs; no “-ing” words)

Getting the most out of what you have, do what you can
6. How does this story utilize Dotson’s “Building Blocks” (from Page 68)? Discuss a few of them, please. (100 words)

This story utilizes Dotson's building blocks specifically in it's pictures, silence, natural sound, and soundbites.  However, it doesn't use much graphics, not that it is needed.  With the pictures, this story does a good job of switching off between the big group of people walking and a few interviewed that in some way have been affected by breast cancer.  There are occasional silent parts throughout the story also that are filled with natural sound such as the drums that are being played as walkers walk past, or the sound of the crowd cheering while starting the walk.