UNIT 8 - Storytelling - Research

We're making stories based on and in South London. Automatically, I know I want to end up with something handmade (either a book or a game) because I find those the most motivating.

I've started my research by looking at some of the references listed in the brief to get an idea of storytelling and the different ways it can be done.

Geoff already introduced kamishibai to us during our lecture which is an interesting method I'd never seen before. It's a Japanese method involving an illustrated story and a mini stage device where somebody narrates the story using the illustrations.

I really like the video we watched in class. Even though I didn't understand a word, I found it really funny.

I also found the Cambodian shadow theatre shows really interesting. I don't particularly want to perform my piece but I do like the cutout designs in these.

Its really nice that there are many different ways to tell stories including performances, dance, singing, theatre, even paintings, games and 3D models.

I made a game last year which I found really enjoyable so I might make something like that for this project. I've been looking at various puzzle books and activity books because I think this is the approach I want to take.

I like the idea of an adults activity book and think its helpful for de-stressing and letting out your inner child. I think I could give this back to South London quite well.

I looked through my primer and have decided that I want to create an activity/puzzle booked based on the Old Dispensary pub and the people in it. The old drunk man with his dog was the most interesting I found during this primer and think it would be cool to make a humorous adults activity book. I think it will work because it'll be interactive, it will tell a story and be based in south London.

I've found some adult activity books to get some ideas.

UNIT 8 - Storytelling - Making stuff

Today I was a CCTV camera :)

We had to get in to groups and create a sculpture/performance using hand made props thinking about South London, using our primer research to help us.
This task was kind of poorly organised. I don't think anyone really knew what was going on but it was actually pretty fun once we got the hang of it.
I made a box which I painted black and performed as the CCTV camera in South London.
This helped me to think about the kind of thing I could make/do for the brief.

UNIT 8 - Storytelling Primer

This new project is all about South London. The primer work was to go to an area in South London for a few hours 3 different times and take notes/photos etc of patterns you find.
Also there were links to various websites with information on South London that I researched and took notes from.

I went to Waterloo first which was a bad idea because you don't really get a sense of community in an area like that. I was mostly near the station so it was just a typical London day with crowds of people looking pissed off going in and out of the underground - Something you'll find at every station in London. I decided to then go near the Hayward gallery to find a cafe or somewhere more small/intimate where maybe I could find something better.
I went to the Understudy bar and took some notes. Mostly it was just a few people on laptops drinking coffee.

I also took some notes in Camden a day after because I had a bad cold and didn't want to travel far but still wanted to be half productive.
Finally, I went to the Old Dispensary pub near uni and the Costa there too. I think these two places were the most useful. I spent a fair amount of time in both places and started to notice familiar faces in the pub, a pattern of what kind of people come in to Costa depending on the time.