Tell the story.
Or it will tell you.
Or it will tell you.
Welcome to
The Story Way
The Story Way
a path to greater understanding through the telling of a personal story
On this page, you can learn about the digital storytelling workshops I give
Hi, I’m Rhea Wessel,
an American freelance writer based in Frankfurt, Germany.
Besides writing for magazines, newspapers and companies, I also teach digital storytelling workshops in which participants tell a personal story with images, music and voiceover.
Using a story circle group process, I help you find the story you want to tell, craft that story into a script, and then turn it into a deeply personal 3-minute video.
The act of telling your story can be healing or transformative for some people. Sometimes this happens because you are able to get distance from an emotional or other event that needs further processing. Other times you are able to see your own story in a new light.
For companies, I offer workshops with a similar story-finding process. The narratives we produce in an organizational setting can be used by leaders to illustrate important lessons learned (usually the hard way), to initiate change or to inspire action.
Steps to creating a digital story
Brainstorm and do free writing
Write what comes to mind after the prompt. Avoid self-editing at this stage.
Write what comes to mind after the prompt. Avoid self-editing at this stage.
Define the angle from which you will tell the story
Consider the where and when of your story to find the starting point.
Consider the where and when of your story to find the starting point.
Write and edit your script
Keep in mind that your images and voice tonality will also tell part of your story.
Keep in mind that your images and voice tonality will also tell part of your story.
Perform your voiceover
Do your voiceover in one go, not in small segments. Be sure to record about 5 seconds of room sound before you begin. If you misspeak a sentence or a word, stop and repeat that sentence or begin again.
Do your voiceover in one go, not in small segments. Be sure to record about 5 seconds of room sound before you begin. If you misspeak a sentence or a word, stop and repeat that sentence or begin again.
Gather still and moving images
Create and gather still and moving images. Remember that an abstract illustration can be
more powerful than a descriptive one.
Create and gather still and moving images. Remember that an abstract illustration can be
more powerful than a descriptive one.
Select or create your music
Use license-free music, create your own or decide for no music in your video.
Use license-free music, create your own or decide for no music in your video.
Put it all together
Combine your voiceover, still images, moving images and music using the WeVideo software.
Combine your voiceover, still images, moving images and music using the WeVideo software.
Sample personal narratives
from the Story Center in Berkeley
Seething
by Milmon F Harrison
A story about a man who is angry about the discrimination his children face and what is going on in American politics.
Tears in every step
By Rocio Villescas
A story about dancing to escape, to fight, to forget, to recover, to forgive, and to live.
Henri & me: The Secret of Survival
By Arlene Goldbard
A story about a love of art and being an outsider.
Bree Salazar
A story about a woman’s connection to nature and the lessons it has taught her.
Knowing
By Mai Vang
A story about a woman’s experience working with the homeless and underserved, and her dreams for the future.
Your move
By Brett West
A story about chess, a man named Kevin, and differing worlds on either side of the U.S.-Mexican border.
Participants Videos
Electrical Storm
By Emily Wiebers
One girl’s struggle with epilepsy and how it changed her outlook on life.
A story of me and my violin
By Joana Bruecks
What happens when you want something so bad, but you can’t seem to get it?
Lyme Disease
By Leo Fimpel
A scary disease, an emergency evacuation, a close call.
quiet
By Darren Ibold
Sometimes it takes time to come to terms.
Pushing too far
By Alex Grasse
A lesson learned. The hard way.
my storytime
by Pascal Kalitzke
Learning to cope. Learning to hope.
Stroke of Fate
By Umut Akbaba
A boy and his dream to become a professional soccer player.
A special thanks to Anja Fink and her students at the Humboldt Gymnasium in Bad Homburg, Germany.
Fall 2017
