Nara's Story: The Evolution of Storytelling

“Nara’s Story: The Evolution of Storytelling” features a storyboard and a motion graphics video about a girl with a unique birthmark on her collarbone who struggles to tell a narrative about her brother in her town’s annual story contest. As she is consumed with disappointment and frustration, her soul enters the scene and takes her on a journey through time to discover the different mediums of storytelling to help her tell her story. The storyboards function as a blueprint for the video to determine the characters, movement, and narrative structure. The video is the final product derived from the storyboards. 

Transcript

2. Once there was an island where the world’s best oral storytellers were born and raised.
4. Every year there is a story contest where the winner is crowned best storyteller on the island.
7. And who am I you ask?
8. I’m Nara, winner of this years story contest!
10. Okay well not yet, but I will be!
11. I have an incredible story to tell about my brother being a superhero!
12. He passed away last year. This story will keep his legacy alive, he was a real life superhero.
13. Let’s go to the story contest rehearsals!
15. Once upon a time there was a boy ...
16. A boy who ... um ... um ...
24. Hi Nara! Don’t cry!
25. Who are you? What are you? Why do you look like my birthmark?
26. I’m your soul! I’m here to help you tell your story. Storytelling is a part of human nature and humans have created many ways to tell stories.
27. Lets go explore the evolution of storytelling to find a better medium for your story!
29. The first form of storytelling known is cave paintings. Look up!
30. Hi! We are the remains of ancient cave paintings. Humans used us as a tool to represent their observations and understandings of their world.
31. Nara: That’s great! But we don’t have any caves on the island. Soul: Lets keep going!
33. Soul: Music is a very expressive form of storytelling. Look over there!
34. Hello! We are the first musical instruments found in Africa. Humans use music as a universal language to tell stories that convey emotions and feelings.
35. Nara: I love music! But I can’t sing and I don’t have rhythm. Soul: No problem, Lets go!
37. Soul: A descriptive form of storytelling is writing. Look down there!
38. Hi! I’m an ancient cuneiform tablet. Cuneiform is one of the earliest writing systems invented. Humans invented me as a tool to record stories and information for future generations.
39. Nara: Nice! But, I’m not a good writer, I’m a visual person. Soul: Ah yes, let’s look at a more visual medium.
41. Soul: A storytelling medium that shows and tells is theater. Look over there!
42. Hi! I’m a Greek amphitheater. Humans began to practice theater to express the stories they told with more than just words, but with actions!
43. Nara: Theater sounds great! But, I can’t act like my brother, I could never do his character justice. Soul: Let’s keep going!
45. Soul: Some of the best visual stories have been told through traditional art. Look over there!
46. Hello! I’m a painter’s palette. The Renaissance gave art a deeper value, defining it as a tool to depict the individual and their experiences.
47. Nara: Great! But, I don’t think I can fit the complexity of my narrative into one art piece. Soul: Yes, I see, let’s go!
49. Soul: The invention of the printing press revolutionized human communication. Look over there!
50. Hi, I’m a printing press who was invented in France. Humans invented me to speed up the production process of written texts, providing greater access to stories from all over the world.
51. Nara: Amazing! But, I’m really not good at putting my story into words. Soul: Right, let’s keep going!
53. Soul: A storytelling medium that uses the human perspective is photography. Look over there!
54. Hi there! I am a Kodak film camera. Humans use me to capture a moment in time to tell a story from their point of view. Smile!
55. Nara: Cool! But, my narrative is not just about one moment in time. Soul: Right! Let’s look at how we can expand this idea of image making.
57. Soul: Cinema combines an array of images to create a moving image. Look behind you!
58. Can I get a close up? Hello, welcome to the Lumière Brother’s first movie showing! I’m a film reel. I contain each frame of a movie and when I am spun around fast enough I produce a moving image. Humans gather together in a room to enjoy the stories I present.
59. Nara: I love how visual and complex cinema is! Unfortunately, I can no longer film my brother. But, SouI think we are getting closer! Soul: Awesome, let’s keep exploring!
61. Soul: The next medium uses the human voice to tell stories. Look over there!
62. Hi, welcome to the first commercial radio station KDKA! Humans have used me to tell stories with the motive to inform the public.
63. Nara: That’s great! But, I don’t think I can convey the emotion behind my story with just my voice. Soul: Let’s keep going!
65. Soul: This storytelling medium brought stories into the house. Look over there!
66. Hello, I’m a television set first invented in San Francisco. Humans created me so that they could experience stories from the comfort of their own homes and then share what they thought with others in their community.
67. Nara: Great! But, I want people to experience my story together, not in their homes. Soul: Let’s keep going!
69. Soul: A form of storytelling that gives the audience a role in the story is video games. Look over there!
70. Hi! I am Computer Space, the first arcade game invented. Humans enjoy video games because they can play a part in the story and change how it ends.
71. Nara: That’s so fun! But, I don’t think I want to make my story into a game. Soul: I understand, let’s look a little more!
73. Soul: The next form of storytelling has connected people from all around the world! Look over there!
74. Hi! I’m one of the first computers made for the general public. Humans used me to connect them to the world wide web! On the internet humans tell informal stories about current events and what they are doing in their everyday lives in small snippets.
75. Nara: Nice! But, I don’t want the whole world to hear my story right away, I want the island to experience it first. Soul: Yes, that makes sense, let’s look at one more medium!
77. Soul: Virtual reality is the newest form of storytelling that fully immerses the viewer! You’re going to need to put on a VR headset to experience this!
78. Hello, welcome to Facebook’s Headquarters where virtual reality is developed! I’m a virtual reality headset. I allow humans to experience stories as if they are physically in them! When you put on the headset you can move around and the setting changes to your point of view!
79. Nara: This is it Soul! Virtual reality is the medium I have been looking for! I don’t have to tell the audience my story, I can show it to them and let them experience it! Soul: I knew we would figure it out together!
80. Nara: VR headset, Would you mind coming with me to the story contest? VR headset: Yes, I would love to!
81. Soul: Let’s go! We can make it back just in time for the story contest!
83. Soul: It’s time, Nara you got this. Go out there and tell your story!
84. Hi everyone, I’m going to do something a little bit different. I’m not going to tell you my story, I’m going to show it to you with virtual reality! Today I learned that storytelling is a part of our human nature and there are endless amounts of ways to tell a story!
85. If you are having trouble telling a story, don’t give up! Your stories are important, let them be heard.
86. Please put your virtual reality headsets on and enjoy my story!
87. Once upon a time there was a boy who was gifted with a youthful spirit. Anytime someone was feeling down, he was there to save the day and put a smile on their face.
88. Host: Congratulations to our new story contest winner, Nara!
90. Soul I did it! … Soul?