Narrative 1

The Junior Narrative projects taught us different ways of learning to tell a story. we would learn to communicate characters and their story arcs through descriptive storytelling and figurative language. In English class, we started off by reading the novel 1984 by George Orwell. Through this novel, we were able to learn about the function of language in political contexts. The book helped show how art and communication relate to your personal social responsibility. In film class we were able to demonstrate our artistic creativity through a film. The process involved brainstorming, storyboarding, filming, editing, and revising. We were able to further improve our film abilities through the use of Adobe Premiere Pro, lighting equipment, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop. I really valued the Visual Narrative Project as it showed me how to manage my time and set priorities. It would mean working diligently every weekend rain or shine. I learned how to become a better storyteller and improved my editing skills working with video and audio clips.

We were assigned a short story for our English class. In this assignment we were prompted to create a short story that includes the development of a character so that the reader is able to bond with this character and follow their story arc. I created a story about a young boy who isn’t able to afford a pair of shoes and develops into him working hard to achieve his goal, buying the shoes. We’ve all had to work hard for something so I guess I would say that was my inspiration. Here is an example of an exercise we did to develop a characters story arc.

After finishing our short story, we were prompted to create a audio version of our short story. I used Adobe Audition to record and edit my voice. To make things more interesting, I added music and a few sound effects to add ambience to the story and place the reader in the story. Once I finished that, I used Adobe Illustrator to create a story cover. Here are both:

Below is the process of audio editing:

I was able to expand my horizons on illustrations using Adobe Illustrator. I learned how to properly shape, color, and edit any illustration I wanted. Once I got the hang of it, I was able to show my creativity in these illustrations:

This was called the exquisite corpse assignment, where me and 2 other students had to create a different part of the image. We had no clue what the others were creating and this was the result.

Here is the illustrator project where we had a wide variety of choices in which we would create a design for an item. I chose a sweater and I designed this 8 ball with waves. Once I finished it, I printed it out with special clothing ink. I would then iron on the design on the front and back.

This assignment pushed us to create a parody of a song. Each person would write a verse, and collectively we’d write the chorus. The melody and music were all completely the same. We then would go on to record our song and edit our voices to our liking. Our group decided to write a very important topic of interest. Chicken. We love it and that was enough to write about it.

Lyrics:

I ain’t get to mickey d’s, I ain’t get to eat no chicken

I was cooking up on Christmas, and I ate up all my chicken 

Ain’t get to fry my chicken, couldn’t even give it no kisses

Can’t even post on my Instagram ’cause these dudes gon eat my chicken

Everybody acting suspicious, might probably say that I’m tripping

When I’m all alone at my kitchen stove, I tend to get in my feelings

And all I eat is some chicken, don’t be handing me no veggies 

And I’ma eat all of my pain away, ’cause that’s the only thing that gon’ heal it

I don’t understand these chefs who go around pretending

As if they really mess with me, so I doordash from a distance

‘Cause the same dasher say she down to drive be the main one who switching

Got hungry when i went to sleep 

’cause every time

I wake up in the morning, I got chicken on my mind

Bacon and some lettuce, with a big mac, on the side

And all these crazy vegans hating, tryna knock me off my grind

But I can’t let ’em do it, I got chicken on my mind

bro, I got chicken on my mind (bro, I got murder on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind (on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind (I got murder on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind, I got chicken on my mind

Yellow dressing on my body, on my brand new collared tie

chicken face is on a T-shirt and these vegans traumatized

didn’t even mean to offend him, he just caught me by surprise

Reloaded my utensils, cocked em’ back, and cut the thighs

the juices dropped down to the floor, and he got teardrops in his eyes

He grabbed me by my hands and said he dont wanna see it die 

I told him, “It’s too late, my friend, it’s time to say goodbye”

And he fried inside my kitchen, grease all on the counter

I wake up in the morning, I got chicken on my mind

Bacon and some lettuce, with a big mac, on the side

And all these crazy vegans hating, tryna knock me off my grind

But I can’t let ’em do it, I got chicken on my mind

Bro, I got chicken on my mind (bro, I got chicken on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind (bro, I got chicken on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind

I got chicken on my mind, I got chicken on my mind

(I got chicken on my mind)

Bite on the leg, just like it’s chicken 

Berto a savage, no he not no amateur

Muckbang ina kitchen,, eat it on camera

Yeah I’m a murderer (yeah, yeah)

I might just kill the boy, don’t wanna kill the boy

Bake him up, say he want beef, boy here’s some chicken

(Grill the breast, we gonna grill the breast)

Its cooking so good, I might dip the leg in it and spill the soy

Haha, chicken on my mind, whoa, whoa i got chicken on my mind

I got chicken on my mind

I got chicken on my mind

Bacon and some lettuce, with a big mac, on the side

And all these crazy vegans hating, tryna knock me off my grind

But I can’t let ’em do it, I got chicken on my mind

bro, I got chicken on my mind (bro, I got murder on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind (on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind (I got murder on my mind)

I got chicken on my mind, I got chicken on my mind

Whoa oh oh

Whoa oh oh

Here is the audio editing process:

The narrative film was by far the hardest and most demanding project we produced in film class. Throughout the course of the next few months, we would be planning, creating, filming, and editing. The process went like this, we first brainstormed an idea with our partner. After, we would storyboard our entire movie on flash cards. Next came the filming. Filming, filming, filming. We would film every weekend, and squeeze in any weekdays possible. And lastly, we would edit our clips together, find appropriate audio, and make the finishing touches. I will say this project was difficult, but I learned valuable lessons. I learned how to stay focused and set priorities. I bettered my filming abilities. And I also value learning to work with my partner and have the difficulties we were able to work through. In the end, we were able to create Meet Me at our Spot:\