Simple Storytelling Technologies - Shadow Puppets with Raymond Crowe

Sometimes the simplest technologies have the biggest impact. It doesn't get much simpler than an overhead projector with a cardboard matte frame and a little imagination!

Below is a video that one of my colleagues sent me (thanks Barbara). The performer is Australian Raymond Crowe who performed this at the 7th Annual Helpmann Awards in August (Australian award show for live performance).

Please give it a moment to download and turn up your speakers!

Classroom Ideas:
Students can use this technique for storytelling.
Have your students plan their story. Storyboards can easily be produced using PowerPoint.

How (for Windows):

1. Open PPT
2. Use 1 PPT slide for a large storyboard templates or 3 PPT slides for smaller storyboard templates.
3. In PPT choose File --> Send to --> Microsoft Word.
4. I usually choose "Blank lines next to slides"
   
5. Word will automatically create the storyboard template and it can be saved or printed.
   

How (for Mac):

1. Open PPT
2. Use 1 blank PPT slide for a large storyboard templates or 3 blank PPT slides for smaller storyboard templates.
3. In PPT choose File --> Print
4. In the Print properties box choose "Print What" --> "Handouts (3 slides per page)"
   
5. You can select how many storyboard boxes (slides) you want per page.
6. Then choose to print to .pdf (to save the template) or print straight to your printer.
   

The students could use 2 different pathways to produce their story.

1. Work through it using their hands/light or cutouts/light. This can be video taped, edited with Premiere Elements or Premiere Pro, adding audio with programs like Soundbooth or Audition afterwards.....then published into a video podcast.
   OR
   
2. Create the silhouette characters and animated them in Flash CS3. Easy to add a soundtrack (music or script) with Soundbooth or Audition afterwards. This too can be published as a video podcast or as other video formats.
   

Students could use this short video as an introduction to a digital portfolio or as a part of a project presentation....have fun with this and let your imagination go :)

Links for the classroom:

• Puppets in the Drama Classroom
• Build a Puppet Shadow Theatre
• Make a Spider, Make a Dog, Make a Swan (pdf)
• Shadow Puppets and Their Presentation
• Lights Out! Tell a Puppet Story
• Puppetbuilding.com