The Final Cut

In the media production process the next phases take a digital storyteller from preproduction stage all the way to the actual performance.  Preproduction phase allows students to begin a formal production process so that they are fully prepared to begin developing their project.  Next phase is the production phase or assembling the story. This is where the students take control and actually put their story together.  In my opinion the most important tip Ohler (2009) gave teachers in this phase, "Find out who the software and hardware experts are in your classroom or workshop and feel free to call on them.  You may be sheriff in your classroom, but you can use all the deputies you can get.  Kids make GREAT technology deputies" (loc. 1962).  Teachers need to relinquish control (because most of us have been  labeled control-freaks) and allow for students to develop, learn, and explore technologies used for the the production.  After this phase postproduction of finalizing the students' story includes adding titles, credits, music, transitions, and  effects. Lastly, the final phase is actual performance and distribution of their stories.  This is where Ohler suggests find venues, marketing the perormance, actually demonstrate the video or post to an online format.  The only disagreement I have with this phase is that I would think that considering who your audience is in the final performance should be evaluated in the first phase of media production.  I find that my students write better stories when they know who they are writing for.

The section that focused on time management for digital storytelling had useful information that I thought needed to be addressed.  I think it is important to make it clear to your students that creating  a project from scratch or using found media will effect how much time is needed to produce their project.  After considering this idea, if I were to implement digital storytelling in my classroom I would be very specific on what type of media they can use and give them enough time for either scratch media or found media.