Using multi media
21-June-2006
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One of the problems with multi media is we have tended to view it as a separate thing in itself. We make and view multi media objects, which are alienated formt he context in which they are made.
I am trying to use multi media as part of my everyday work - normal boring stuff like evaluating education and training projects.
On Monday and Tuesday I was in Arras in France for a meeting of the 'Interests and Desires' project (best project name I have ever known). I am the evaluator for this project. I took along my bag of multi media kit - camera, video, microphone and assorted cables.
For the evaluation i set up a 'Big brother' booth. each of the participants had to sit in front of the camera and answer the evaluation questions asked by big brother (that's right - it was me). They had to keep talking to the camera until someone took pity of them and took their place.
It worked really well. even those who were not so confident in their English (and had spoken little in the meeting) were erudite and communicative. More than that, the presence of the camera seemed to focus peoples ideas.
the use of the media helps people in telling their own stories - this is digital tory telling - not as in sit down and tell me your life story - but tell as story as part of your everyday work life.
I will do a rough edit of the interviews as the participants said they would like a copy.
for the report I am going to produce a strip cartoon, using stills format he interviews and highlighting the main points coming out of the evaluation. The cartoon will be easier to read and will be much more directly and effective than traditional written evaluation reports. If the partners agree, I will post a copy of the report on this blog, not for its content (which is specific to the Interests and Desires project, but as an example of how to use the media.
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