StoryMaker Trainer's Guide

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STORYMAKER
TRAINER'S GUIDE
FPU
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STORYMAKER
TRAINER'S GUIDE
VERSION 1.0
DEC 2014
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STORYMAKER INTRODUCTION
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The Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate with each
other. It brings people together from all over the world on subjects of
interest and concern. It allows for greater discourse on local, national
and international issues and creates a space for sharing and exchanging
content and ideas.
Smart-phones play a huge role in expanding the reach of internet in
todays world by giving people access to the web in the palm of their
hands, everywhere they go. There are over a billion smart-phone users
in the world, and the numbers are expected to increase. Smart-phones
have allowed people to do almost everything on their phones; call, text,
email, capture images, video and audio and share content online straight
from your phone.
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StoryMaker, is a mobile application developed to improve the quality of

content produced by mobile phones and to disseminate it in a secure
way. It enables people to create, edit and share their stories with the
world in an easy, safe way.
Citizen and traditional journalists, human rights defenders and activists
rely on smart-phones to produce and disseminate news. However, many
times the quality of the content is lacking and in oppressive countries
with little internet freedom, security and anonymity is important. StoryMaker makes it easy and safe to create quality content on a mobile
phone.
StoryMaker is a mobile phone application that can be used as a stand
alone modular training course in mobile reporting. The combination of
an integrated training curriculum with a comprehensive editing suite is
the first in its kind for a mobile application. The free, innovative app is
designed to be open source so that users and media organizations can
adapt the platform in ways that are useful to them. StoryMaker wants to
help people help enhance their journalism skills and their safety.
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The app consists of a comprehensive editing suite that allows for quick
and simple, professional editing with trimming, voice over and re-ordering scenes. Save those hours of editing on expensive, complicated
editing software and do it right on your smart-phone with the
StoryMaker app.
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In addition to the editing features StoryMaker includes over 60 lessons to

train users on fundamentals of journalism, digital security and more. The
lessons include over 300 multimedia examples of stories and quizzes at
the end of each lesson.
The lessons focus on basic journalistic skills, creating quality content,
digital and physical security and information ethics and different versions
of the lesson content are available that have been adapted to regional
contexts English International, English Arabic, English Sub-Saharan
Africa and Arabic. The app is available in Arabic, French and English with
translations in Farsi, Russian and more languages to come.
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Free Press Unlimited has been training journalists across the globe with
StoryMaker at the core of the trainings. With the app at the center, the
StoryMaker project is composed of interactive training of the targeted media actors with consecutive on the job coaching and mentoring
through a moderated secure website where participants can upload their
assignments and get professional feedback.
StoryMaker reporters are not just locally trained in securely observing,
recording and uploading information, but they are also taught to select,
edit, research and analyze this information. In addition they are trained
on digital security and circumvention of cyber attacks. The app offers an
easy, sleek tool to create and share stories with the world.
The StoryMaker app is a free, open source application that continues to
be improved and adapted with the help of local feed back from the users
in the implementing project countries and beyond and the consortium
partners.
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OVERVIEW
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Welcome to the StoryMaker Training Guide. This guide is designed to

provide trainers with a comprehensive roadmap to organize and run a
five-day storytelling workshop with StoryMaker. The guide includes a
workshop outline, tips for effective workshop management and a variety
of examples and exercises.
The trainers guide will walk the trainer through how to teach the following key concepts and skills:

Principles of mobile journalism

How to shoot and edit, photo, video and audio with StoryMaker
How to publish/upload work
How to identify and reach a target audience
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Below is an abbreviated workshop outline.
Day One
Intros
Workshop Overview
Journalism - Fundamentals of Good Journalism
StoryMaker
Day Two
Photo - An Introduction to Photo
Audio - An Introduction to Audio
Day Three
Video - An Introduction to Video
Story Pitches - Any Media or a Combination
(continued on the next page)
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Day Four
Half Day Recording a Story
Production/Export - Narration, Troubleshooting, Editing, Upload
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Day Five
Review of Work - Group Critique of Each Assignment
Additional Business
Closing Remarks
Certificates
A more detailed outline is presented in section five of this trainers guide.
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Good media training begins with good trainers. That is our commitment
to you. We will give you the tools you need to be the best trainer you
can be. Lets get started!
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I.
THEORY OF
LEARNING
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Good workshops are well organized and run by knowledgeable trainers. Good workshops are relevant the to community from which the
participants come and they address the real-world challenges to better
journalism within those communities. To make this happen, we believe a
good training must be based on a specific theory of learning: Targeted
Practiced Learning.
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If you are a trainer you have likely been a participant in one or more
workshops. Some media workshops are very good but many -- too many
-- are not. They fail in ways that prevent them from effectively teaching
the material they set out to teach. Even worse, it can undermine a communitys confidence in the power of StoryMaker and diminish interest in
future programming.
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Free Press Unlimited and Small World News want to share that theory
of learning with you. We believe it to be the most effective way to run a
workshop in which the goal is not just to provide information but also to
teach a skill and change attitudes about what journalism should be.
It is important that trainers embrace these concepts because the trainer
is essential to their the success of participants.
How do people learn best? More importantly for the purposes of this
workshop what is the best way to teach adult and young adult learners
not just a new skill but new views or values about journalism?
Too often the structure used for a workshop is simply an extension of
how we were taught in school. Thats not the best way to run a workshop. In school the model is the teacher talks and the student listens and
takes notes. Occasionally there is a question. Success is defined only by
the students ability to memorize and repeat the material exactly as the
teacher presented it. This is called passive information transfer. It may
be effective for getting people to memorize material but it doesnt work
to engage people to really think for themselves and work as journalists.
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We expect something more. In a workshop environment designed to

teach adult learners material must be presented in a more dynamic way.
An effective model for learning in this environment requires that participants be engaged in their own learning and encouraged to think for
themselves. This is accomplished through robust debate, hands-on exercises and directly addressing barriers to learning such as an environment
that discourage debate. This is targeted practice learning.
Targeted practice learning is built on three key steps:
1.
2.
3.
A concept is introduced and discussed with ample use of real-world

examples.
Participants practice the concept during the workshop by applying
it themselves through a carefully designed hands-on activity.
The lesson concept is reinforced during a round-up discussion in
which participants are shown how to apply the concept to their
work after the workshop.
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As you will see in the workshop outline section, each step or segment
of the workshop has discussion and/or an exercise built in -- targeted
practice learning.
It is important to note that successful targeted practice learning requires
a lot from the trainer.
The key to a good workshop is organization and an engaging trainer. It is
essential that the workshop trainer be well prepared for this workshop.
Trainers should be:
Familiar with the content provided in this guide.
Comfortable with StoryMaker and the technology on which the
workshop is based.
Prepared with personal experience, examples, and exercises relevant to the issue prior to the workshop.
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The workshop outline and the suggested content presented below is a

roadmap for the trainer. The trainer should add material or adjust what is
presented as needed. The more comfortable the trainer is with the
workshop content, the better the workshop will be.
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Note: Trainers should be prepared to spend ten hours or more

organizing material prior to a workshop. This time will include gathering
examples of up-to-date, local news content and/or study of the outline
content material presented below. It is essential that example content be
both timely and relevant to the participants and their communities.
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The trainer needs to be confident in his or her abilities. If you are insecure about what and how you will present or if the workshop is not organized and in your control, it will undermine your success. Read this guide.
Prepare. Leave little room for error.
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II.
STORYMAKER
HOW-TO VIDEO
AND COMMUNITY
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The video below on YouTube is an introduction to StoryMaker. An

app for Android tablets and phones, both citizen and professional
journalists can produce better stories and share them securely from
their mobile phone.
The Free Press Unlimited YouTube Channel showcases great work

done by the StoryMaker community.
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III.
PLANNING A
WORKSHOP
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Building a good workshop starts long before the participants show up.
This section will address some of the key elements of good planning.
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Presentation tools, technology and supplies - From simple things like

whiteboards and erasers to more complex things such as a reliable Internet
connection and an overhead projector, the underpinning of a good workshop is functioning presentation tools. Something as small as whiteboard
markers that dont work can bring a workshop to a screeching halt. Make a
written list of the things youll need. Budget and arrange for them.
Here is a suggested checklist of supplies:
Whiteboard
HDMI connector and other essential cables
Back up modem
Erasers
Markers
Paper roll and stands
Overhead projector
Wifi
Adequate tables and chairs
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Technology is an especially important element of preparation. Different

countries and regions have very different access to technology like reliable
Internet and overhead projectors . Plan accordingly. DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CONTENT AND EXAMPLES PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP and always
have a backup plan in the event that technology fails.
Participants mobile data plans can be an important consideration for
StoryMaker workshops. You need to carefully think this through related to
assignments. Some projects will budget to provide participants useable
data plans. Encourage participants to take advantage of wifi at the host
location.
The Partner Organization
Depending on how a workshop is sponsored and arranged the trainer may

not be involved in some of the initial organization and decision-making.
Still, these decisions can impact the training and the trainer should be
informed and contribute to the planning as needed.
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Most workshops are arranged through a partner organization. Free Press

Unlimited frequently works through a local partner or a reliable network of
contacts. Good local partners can help navigate regulation and registration
of workshops with local officials, help identify solid participants and locate
a suitable home for training.
It is essential to have a good local partner.
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Look for partners with a track record of successful workshops. From the
outset it is important that the partner organization share our goals for
training. Be sure to have a contract that clearly states deadlines and goals
for the partner organizations responsibilities. The contract or agreement
should be clear on EXACTLY what the local partner provides.
If you find your partner organization is not doing its part during the planning, this a warning sign for what you can expect during the training itself.
Participant Selection
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A key role of the partner organization is selecting participants. Some workshops are organized to provide training to a single organization. Others
to a particular group. Free Press Unlimited organizes training for a diverse
types of participants including journalists, citizen journalists, bloggers and
activists.
If you are teaching the workshop alone a good target number would be
8 - 12. If you have a partner or an assistant, you might be push the number
to 16. For workshops of 20 or more there should be at least three trainers.
Participants can be broken into groups for exercises and to ensure more
individualized attention.
Ideally, participants will attend due to personal interest rather than requirement. Good partner organizations vet participants carefully, through a
rigorous application process. Bad partners often select participants without
a lot of thought or select participants that serve the partner organizations
interests.
If you have some control over the selection process it is always good to
have a variety of participants with a variety of skills and experience. In a
well-run workshop participants can learn a great deal from each other if
there is an environment that supports engagement. However, if there is
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too much of a range in skill, more experienced participants can become

bored and even disruptive. More on this in Section 7 - Trainer Magic.
Participant Assessment
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It is important to do an assessment of participants prior to a workshop. A

simple survey or questionnaire can tell the trainer a great deal about the
skill level and interests of potential participants. This will help you plan
your workshop appropriately for the specific audience. This is especially
important for hands-on workshops.
Training Location
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Another key element of workshop planning is the location. The workshop

location must be functional, secure, and easy to get to-especially for
trainers who have travelled to an unfamiliar city and are staying at a hotel.
Wifi is an almost essential required service of a good training location. The
office space of many NGOs includes a training center. You need to confirm
that the center or other location will be open the required hours for the
workshop. It might be helpful to make sure the location is open beyond
the scheduled finish time of the workshop in case it runs late. Air conditioning or fans need to be supplied if it is hot. Tea and coffee are a basic
service and should be provided. The number of tables and chairs should
also be confirmed.
A Certificate
A template for a certificate of attendance is included as a resource in this

outline. These can be very important to participants. The training organization needs to take it seriously too.
Evaluations
A standard workshop evaluation form used by Free Press Unlimited is

included as resource in Section Nine. The evaluation should be distributed
to participants, filled out and collected before the workshop ends.
Travel, Meals and Lodging
For larger workshops the responsibility for travel, local transportation,

meals and lodging may be beyond the trainer. But, it is in your interest to
confirm these things are properly managed. If they are not it can be very
disruptive to your workshop. Participants will hold you responsible.
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IIII.
WORKSHOP
SCHEDULE
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Below is an annotated outline for a five-day workshop on storytelling with

StoryMaker.
This outline is based on an eight hour day, including an hour for lunch and
time for several breaks. The outline is intended as a roadmap for the training. As the trainer, it is important that you own the workshop you present.
Trainers should adjust and present the material as they see fit.
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The times for each element of the workshop are approximate and will
change depending on the size and pace of the group. In total about six
hours of material is presented for each day. No matter the actual timing
for each element of the workshop you and any fellow trainer(s) should
maintain a structured tempo throughout, especially if confronted with
unforeseen disruptions. Do not let yourself get derailed.
FPU would like all participants to fill out the assessment questionnaire that
is included in Section Nine - Resource. It should take about 20 minutes.
Trainers should schedule time to fill out the questionnaire during a break
on either the first or second day of the workshop.
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Much of the instructional material in the following workshop outline is divided into three categories, each denoted by its own color. This is intended to help trainers better structure their preparations for the workshop.
The three categories are:
Presentation - This material provides some basic talking points and
some ideas to develop during each section.
Tip - This material provides suggestions on presentation or alerts you
to potential issues.
Excercise - This material provides suggested exercises or notes a
point in each section where you might encourage discussion.
Sample media content to be used for workshop demonstration and discussion is provided in Section Nine - Resources. This includes:
An assortment of photographs that illustrate how to compose a photo and
how to photograph a profile, an issue, and an event.
Three examples of successful video stories and three examples of
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not-so-successful video stories. These are intended to be used to present

both audio and video techniques.
* Additional successful StoryMaker videos if the trainer(s) wishes to show
more examples.
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This workshop is designed to build on the story paths and tip cards
presented to the user within StoryMaker. These are introduced during the
first day and reinforced throughout the workshop. Participants should be
encouraged to download and read the lesson material but because of the
size of the lesson files it should not be required.
TRAINERS MUST READ the StoryMaker lessons as well as the three
media guides produced by Small World News in partnership with the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting included in Section Nine Resources. They cover the basics of photo, video and narration for mobile
tools. The outline below is based on the three media guides.
Day One
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Introductions - 1 hour
The trainer should first provide a very brief introduction to the workshop,
him/herself and FPU. The trainer might then ask each participant to say
who they are, where they are from and to name one thing they hope to get
out of the workshop.
It can be helpful to write on a whiteboard some of the key examples of
what participants say they hope to get out of the workshop. These can be
used during the statement of workshop goals as explained below.
Tip - The introduction is the trainers first opportunity to set the goals and
tone for the workshop. Check out the team building exercises provided in
Section 7 - Trainer Magic. Any could make for an excellent introduction.
Workshop Overview - 30 minutes
The trainer should clearly present the schedule and the goals for the
workshop. This is also when the trainer should set the rules for the workshop as it related to mobile phone use, being timely, and being courteous to others in the group.
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Tip - It can be helpful to relate the list of participant responses from the
introduction to the goals. Make sure you are clear about what participants want. The idea is to demonstrate what they realistically can - and
cannot - expect from the workshop. You may wish to revisit this at the
very end of a workshop as a checklist to demonstrate what the group has
accomplished.
Intro to StoryMaker & the StoryMaker Community - One Hour
This should be a brief overview. The app is used throughout the workshop. The trainer may show the how-to video included in Section Three
- StoryMaker How-to and Community. The trainer should confirm that
each participant has StoryMaker installed on her mobile device and that
it is functioning properly. A list of tested device is available in Section
Nine - Resources.
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Excercise - Allow some time for people to play with StoryMaker. Encourage them to practice shooting and organizing clips. Keep it loose and
keep it fun. There will be more structured assignments in the following
days.
This is also where the trainer should introduce the StoryMaker community. The trainer might talk a bit about the history of the project,
the organizations behind the project and showcase some examples of
outstanding work from Section Nine - Resources.
Journalism - Fundamentals of Good Journalism
2 Hours (or more depending on the number of participants)
Exactly what material the trainer present here will depend on the interests and professional profile of the participants. No matter if they are
activists, journalists, citizen journalists or bloggers, the fundamentals of
good journalism and good storytelling apply and should be introduced
here.
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Preparation is key. The trainer(s) should find several examples of timely

media coverage about the country and province in which the training
is being done. These examples will be used in discussion. Encourage
discussion throughout the presentation by frequently asking questions of
the group.
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Presentation - Here is some material from which trainers can build a presentation about journalism. It is essential to make it relevant and make
it specific to the country and audience in which your training is taking
place.
What is good journalism?
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At its best journalism -- no matter what kind -- is a public service. Good

journalists work to gather and share news essential to the public interest
and safety. Journalism is a method of asking questions and analysis
of the responses. Integrity is essential to good journalism. Journalists
should be independent from outside influences, truthful and transparent
in their coverage. These principles apply no matter the medium print,
television, radio, computer or mobile phone. These principles also apply
to activists and bloggers. As an advocate for an issue you should still be
truthful in your presentation of the issue.
Your coverage should also be fact-based. What does that mean? Factbased journalism is a style of journalism that bases coverage on facts
rather than opinion or personal belief. It values things you can prove over
personal views or a publishers agenda. It values things you can demonstrate over speculation. Fact-based journalism typically begins with
answering six basic questions: who, what, where when, why and how.
These are covered in detail in the lessons and in the StoryMaker learning
guides in the app.
A journalist, citizen journalist, blogger or activists must also be a compelling Storyteller. THAT is what StoryMaker is about and THAT is what this
workshop is all about. If your story isnt well produced and presented in a
compelling way, no one will be interested.
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The changing media landscape
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The Internet and mobile tools have changed the media landscape
dramatically because traditional news organizations no longer have sole
control of the means to distribute information to large audiences. Mobile
phones and other tools are now in the hands of large numbers people
with important stories to tell. Citizen journalists, bloggers and activists
often represent communities and issues overlooked by traditional media
or, just as often, communities that traditional outlets could not access.
In some cases citizen journalists report on issues that government and
other groups dont want covered.
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Todays journalism is different than the journalism of only a few years ago
in some other important ways, too. Changes in the relationship between
journalists and the audience are one example. Traditionally news flowed
one way: journalists provided information and the audience consumed it.
Today journalism is often more of a dialogue in which the audience participates more directly in how events are covered and publicly discussed.
In a social media environment the audience contributes to the coverage.
In a sense, these changes have produced a more democratic kind of journalism in which the news producers and their audience are more closely
related. Even the big international outlets such as Al Jazeera and the
BBC, not to mention hundreds of regional and national outlets, now support their broadcasts with additional online and social network content,
especially for coverage of events to which they do not have direct access.
From elections to natural disasters to funny images of children, good
journalists can produce and upload material in real time that audiences
want. Here are some tips to help be a better journalist and storytelling:

Be as neutral as possible in the tone of your coverage, no matter

how dramatic the event or how passionately you feel about it. The
sources you showcase in your story should be passion, not you.
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Do research prior to an event so you can provide more informed

coverage when an event occurs. This will improve your judgment
about what questions to ask and what is important about a story
and what is not.
Do some reporting at the scene to contextualize your reporting
with basic information about the event covered -- exactly where it
is, when it is, who is there and other relevant details. (More on this
in in the reporting basics lesson)
Be transparent about your coverage techniques as well as any potential conflicts of interest you may have in discussions with editors
Attribute information in your narration to specific sources.
No matter the tool, the presentation should be technically professional. Good audio quality is important. Make sure things like a
subjects name and the location are properly spelled.
Try to understand what sort of story you are doing and how it fits
into broader coverage of the issue. What other reports have been
done and how might your work complement them?
Dont present what you dont know or cant verify. A more limited
but completely accurate story is more valuable than one that is
far-reaching but based on conjecture.
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Tip - This section of the workshop is designed to discuss standards and

establish some denominators for StoryMaker users. What the good
journalism is -- and is not -- varies from culture to culture and country to country. How the standards of good journalism apply to citizen
journalism and advocacy are also topics for debate. In many workshops
this kind of discussion becomes too esoteric, too abstract and too long.
Keep the discussion practical and keep it focused on stories that can
actually be produced.
Excercise - The trainer should screen several examples of local/regional media coverage appropriate to the audience. Ideally, these will
be examples of good and bad coverage. Good coverage will be well
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produced, thorough, balanced and fair. Bad coverage will be poorly

produced, one-sided, opinionated and influenced by the views of a
particular interest group. Participants should be broken into working
groups of three or four and asked to critique one of the stories. Each
working group will then give a 10 minute presentation to the entire
group followed by discussion. Each group should critique its story
based on the standards presented above.
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Day Two
Photography - Basics of Good Photography - Three Hours

Day two begins with photography. The trainer needs to be comfortable
with how StoryMaker handles photos.
There are three example photo sets provided in Section Nine - Resources:
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The Rule-of-Thirds - This is the fundamental compositional concept

for photo and video frames. It will help participants think visually and
compose stronger pictures.
Shot Type - This set of photos illustrates shot types. StoryMaker breaks
photos down into five categories of shot type. Each is designed to
achieve a specific goal. The first three are sufficient for the most basic
kind of story. The five shot types are:

character - introduces a character

action - illustrates a central action or behavior
result - shows the result of that behavior
Signature (advanced) - highlights the core idea of the story and/or
relates it to a broader issue
Place (advanced) - shows the location of your story
Photo Story - This set of photos shows how the shot types work together to tell visually compelling stories.
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Presentation - The mobile environment is a visual environment and photos are the basic building block. Photos are universal; you do not need
to speak a specific language to understand them. A single image can
convey more information about a scene than even several paragraphs
of text -- a picture is worth a thousand words. Most importantly, good
photography captures the universal human drama of important events in
a way that allows the viewer to empathize with the people pictured. At
the same time, it is faithful to the truth of the event portrayed.
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To be successful journalists, citizen journalists and advocates alike today

must provide excellent photos to news consumers. Mobile devices put
the powerful tool of photography in the hands of greater numbers of
people and image quality in mobile devices is getting better and better.
This has raised expectations of viewers. Todays mobile user is visually
sophisticated. StoryMaker is designed help you produce and publish
strong photos quickly.
When taking photographs remember the viewer cant see the totality of
the scene as you can. They cant know what you dont show them in the
photograph. You need to carefully build your image to best capture the
scene. The world can look very different in a photograph. Strong photojournalists capture not just the drama and action of an event in their
images, but also include visual elements that provide context as it relates
to physical location and the causes of the event being photographed.
This requires you to think visually, which can be a challenge for even the
best journalists.
Photojournalists become very good at seeing a scene as the component
parts of a good photograph. They organize those parts in the frame, to
tell a well-composed, visual story. They do this through position, timing
and angle-of-view. What is excluded from the frame because it is visually
confusing or will make the narrative point of the image unclear can be as
important as what is included in the frame.
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The backbone or fundamental principle of good composition is the rule

of thirds The rule of thirds is a medieval, European concept for composing pictures. It breaks down the frame (or canvas) into nine equal
rectangles. Many cameras from smartphones on up will allow you to see
the rule of thirds grid in the display screen.
Good photographers will compose along the intersections of lines in
the frame and work to use each of the nine rectangles to tell their story.
Amateurs tend to plop the subject in the middle of the frame and ignore
much of the remaining space, rather than use it to convey more information and make a more compelling image.
After presenting some version of the material above, the trainer should
show the rule-of-thirds photo set. Encourage discussion.
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Presentation - Another important principle for good composition

is called working the layers. A photograph is a rectangle, a two-dimensional space into which we compress a visual idea of the three
dimensional world. Creating distinct layers in your frame: foreground,
middleground and background (in practice, often just foreground and
background) helps you tell clearer, more complex visual stories with your
photography. This will give the image a clear subject layer (foreground)
and context (background layer).
In a well-composed photograph, important shapes or information
complete themselves in the frame. The cooks hands are not cut off
awkwardly. The personnel carrier that provides context to the picture in
the background layer isnt chopped in half at the edge of the frame. The
ball isnt cut in half after being kicked on goal by the forward. Photographers call this working the edges. On a more graphic level, eye-catching
or graphically powerful shapes like door frames or trees or objects of
strong color are used to define the edge of the frame by allowing them
to resolve within it.
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In news photography you want to move away from posed, static images. Human actions tells story. Think peak action the moment at an
event when the subject is most animated or demonstrative.
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Position and timing are important tools when telling a visual story.
Good photographers anticipate action and position themselves to
make the most of it. Dont be afraid to move around as a photographer.
Dramatic moments are key to good images.
Either while the trainer is talking about shooting technique or after he/
she should show the shot type photo set.
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Tip - People like photos but often they do not understand the amount
work involved in taking good photographs. They take one or two
poorly composed pictured at an event and that is it. Emphasize that
if participants want photos that are better than mere snapshots they
will need to invest time and really work at it. Encourage them to think
through the best way to visualize the story they wish to tell and to take
LOTS of pictures. Encourage them to apply the techniques outlines
above.
Presentation - Often a single photo isnt enough to illustrate the whole
story. StoryMaker provides five key shot types with which to build photo stories. Each is designed to illustrate a different elements of a story.
StoryMaker users should shoot a variety of images of each type -- some
wide shots, some close-ups or detail shots. Try and sequence the
images in a logical order. Exactly how this works depends on the type
of story: character, event or issue, and the format of your coverage:
profile, report, series or highlights.
Either while you are talking about shooting technique or after you
should show the story photo set.
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Tip - Point out that each images in the photo sets provided new information and a new perspective. Photo stories made up of several similarly
composed images of the same general subject are boring. No new
information is provided as the viewer moves from image to image.
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Excercise - There are two exercise choices. Depending on time and the
interests of the group you may choose one or the other.
1) An Environmental Portrait - Participants should find a partner and
they should photograph each other. This can be either a candid or
posed portrait. It should be well lit, well composed. The environment
should provide visual context that tells us something about the subject.
DR
2) A Scavenger Hunt - Photograph three of the following. You should

produce three images of each topic for a total of nine images:
1. Color: Images celebrating color. Image can either be monochromatic color or spot color, but showing rich, saturated bright colorful
scenes. Demonstrate solid technical control
2. Light: Dramatic light, early in the morning or late at night using
silhouettes, backlight, side light. Nightscape with neon lights.
3. Emotion: A photo that gives expression to a single, strong emotion
4. Moments: Photograph interesting interaction between people.
Family at park, couples, teenagers hanging together, interaction
between people. Can you tell a story?
5. Perspective: The view from the highest elevation you can access.
Take the same view from the lowest vantage point. (two image
series)
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6. Action: A street performance including action of performers and

features of audience OR A sports game with action and feature/moment photographs.
7. Portrait: A stranger during a five-ten minute portrait session.
8. Shutter Speed: Show movement with panning, blur, freezing the
action. Change shutter speeds. Get in close to your subject and
move with them.
9. Layering: Three scenes with action in the Fore-, Middle and backgrounds. Use perspective to help layer the image.
Participants should upload pictures to be submitted for critique. The
critique should be managed as a discussion and address photo-related
issues. Here are some questions to ask the group:
Is the photo sharp?
Is the the photo well lit?
Is the composition clean?
Does the photo fulfill the assignment?
What would make it better?
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Tip - A little practice goes a long way toward better photography. The
above exercises should be fun. Be sure and showcase some of the better
participant images during the critique. Deconstruct them and make
the point that participants should apply the techniques that work in the
images reviewed to their own work.
Audio - An Introduction to Audio - Three hours
The second half of day two is about recording audio with mobile devices.
This part of the StoryMaker workshop focuses on recording good audio
for video stories. Examples of video stories with both strong and weak
audio produced with StoryMaker are provided in Section Nine - Resources. The trainer may wish to play the audio from the examples provided
without the accompanying video during the introduction. Turn the projector lamp off or cover the lamp.
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Presentation - People love to tell each other stories. Sometimes these

stories are handed over generations by generation. Today audio is
perhaps the most dominant forms of communication on the planet. In
this workshop we will discuss audio in the context of video -- the audio
component of a video story is half the story. To record consistently good
audio requires practice to continuously improve your skills.
You can paint that picture in your audiences mind using different types
audio including peoples voices, your own voice explaining a story and
sounds that set the scene of your story. These types of audio recordings
fall into three categories: Interview, narration and ambient sound.
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An interview is the audio recording of the subjects in your story, typically

responding to questions. Here are some tips for recording good interviews:
Find Good Sources - Some people are more articulate than others.
Some people make more compelling characters than others because
they embody the core idea that your story is about. Finding good
characters for your interviews is an important first step for good audio
storytelling.
Explain the Process - It is important that your subject be comfortable.
Before the interview begins. Briefly explain your story and how the interview will work.
Ask Compelling Questions - If it is a public official ask questions designed to get the official to respond on the record with hard facts. But,
if you are interviewing a provide citizen ask for their emotional impressions. Good audio stories are often descriptive; people telling a story or
describing how an issue affects them in real ways.
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Ask Open-ended Questions - Phrase your questions to encourage

longer more thoughtful responses rather than short yes or no answers.
Also be careful not to talk over your subject or make noises while they
are responding. If your story is non-narrated, meaning the viewer will not
hear the interviewer ask the question, the question has to be clear from
the subjects response.
Control the Interview - While it is important to get thoughtful responses to questions you need to keep the interview on point and prevent
the from talking on and on. Keep your subject focused on the question
asked. If necessary rephrase and re-ask a question to get a clear answer.
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Play two or three examples of audio stories with exceptionally good

interviews and responses. Encourage a few minutes of discussion. Why
does it work? What are some other questions the interviewer might have
asked? The trainer can use material from Section Nine - Resources or,
better still, use local examples.
Presentation - Narration, sometimes called a voice over (VO), is the
reporters voice overlayed onto video images and used to explain the
story. Good narrations take a lot of work. They need to be carefully
scripted and professionally delivered.
Here are some characteristics for scripting and delivering a good narration:
Write for Audio - Write for the spoken word rather than for the written
word. Your narration should be written in a near conversational tone
rather than formal language to be read on the page. At the same time
you need to sound like an authority, so diction and word choice should
not be too colloquial.
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Keep it Simple - Be clear and concise, stick to the story and don't try
too hard to be clever. Avoid complicated words and phrases that are
tough to pronounce. Short sentences work best. If you deliver a long
sentence, follow it with a short sentence.
Be Specific - You should avoid being too general or vague in your narration. The point of the narration is to provide context for anything that
may cause confusion or raise a question for the listener. Be specific.
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Use the Present Tense and Active Voice - You're writing for flow and to
express what is going on now. Broadcast strives for immediacy. To convey this to the listener, use the active voice whenever possible. In English,
try to use a subject-verb-object sentence structure. For example: "Police
(subject) have arrested (verb) 21 activists (object) for staging a protest at
Bryant Park on Saturday afternoon."
Write to Pictures - TV and video audiences will see why something happened. The narration should add value. In television, the phrase write
to tape describes the way a story script is built around the visual images
you have gathered.
Write Descriptively - Audiences need to imagine the people, places
and things in your story. Use descriptive verbs instead of adjectives. For
example, if you say he struts or saunters youre giving a picture without
using an adjective. But don't let vivid, imagery-rich writing turn verbose.
Use words sparingly.
narration. Encourage a few minutes of discussion. The trainer can use
material from Section Nine - Resources or, better still, use local examples.
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Tip - Good narrations take time to produce. Narrations need to be

carefully scripted and practiced for a professional delivery. The IWPR
guide on narration provides a detailed outline on preparing narration.
Trainers may want to spend additional time on this as an exercise during
the audio module (see exercise options below) or revisit it in more detail
during video on day three.
Tip - Audio is being presented in this workshop in the context of video
which limits the way ambient sound is used compared to audio-only
stories for radio. Still, it is important to emphasise how valuable good
ambient is to storytelling even if collected along with video images.
DR
Presentation - The third category of audio is ambient sound, sometimes

called nat sound. These are naturally occurring sounds that help the
listener understand the mood or scene of your story. The sound of chanting at a demonstration, for example, or something as subtle as a dripping faucet in a hospital. Ambient sound for video stories in StoryMaker
is typically recorded with the video, which will be presented tomorrow.
With video or without, ambient sound is a powerful storytelling tool.
Here are some characteristics for collecting and using good ambient
sound:
Ambient to Set the Scene - Ambient sound can be a great way to start
your story. It can also work to punctuation transitions between scenes in
a story. Even if you are recording ambient sound along with video, you
may choose the clip because the audio is compelling
Captures the Energy of the Event - Be selective about the ambient
sound your record. Listen for the sounds that may not be immediately
evident but can help set the scene. Once again, even if you are only
recording ambient sound along with video, you may choose the clip
because it is the audio that is so compelling.
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Good Recording Quality - Good recording quality is always important

but it is especially important with ambient sound. Make sure your clip is
clear and make sure it is long enough to use in your final edit.
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ambient. Encourage a few minutes of discussion. Why does it work?
What else might the produced have recorded? You can use material from
Section Nine - Resources or, better still, use local examples.
Presentation - Remember: sound is an important part of your story.
Below are some essential technical tips for better audio quality. Paying
close attention to the quality of the sound youre recording is an easy
way to improve the overall quality of your video and increase the impact
of the story you have to tell.
DR
Quiet is Key - Find a quiet place to record your audio. Avoid room tone
- the sound of fans (turn them off), refrigerators (unplug them) and even
traffic (close the window). All of these will seem amplified and distracting
to your audience. If you have any sound problem or noise interference
that cannot be solved consider relocation. Background noise and poor
audio quality can ruin your audio. Audiences are more likely to tolerate
bad video than they are bad audio.
Always Use Headphones - It cannot be stressed enough. Headphones
allow you to hear everything that your recorder picks up (or nothing, if
you forgot to switch on your mic). You will hear whether you are recording properly, and quickly be able to detect and solve any problems you
might encounter, such as wind or additional noise. Wind interference, for
example, can ruin your interview and render your entire shot worthless.
Test Record First - Check your sound immediately after recording. This
will ensure that your equipment is in good working order. When conducting an interview, be sure to conduct a test. Once you are recording live,
you cant recreate what you failed to record!
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Turn Your Back on Noise - If you are recording your narration on

location and picking up noise you dont want, your body can form an
obstacle between you and the noise. Turn your back to the source of the
sound and point the mic your mobile device away from the source of the
sound. NOTE: know exactly where the mic is located on your device.
Stabilize and Protect Your Device - If you are holding your device take
care not to move your hand to avoid the noise of your hand against the
device. Keep your arm close to your body so that you can remain stable
for longer interviews.
DR
Tip - Getting good audio on a mobile devices without a mic can be

tricky. Remind participants of the limitations. They should be careful in
environments with lots of unwanted background noise or wind. A mobile
device will pick up sounds their ears block out. You may wish to spend
some time talking microphones. There is material about microphones for
mobile devices in the IWPR guide on narration.
Exercise - There are three audio exercises to choose from depending on
time. The first is the easiest and fastest.
1. Have participants record a small selection of ambient sound to
describe a location or scene.
2. Break participants into pairs and have them do brief interviews with
one another. The final edit should be no more than 60 seconds. It
could be a short profile or about an issue of interest.
3. Have participants write a script and narrate a 45 second video clip.
NOTE: This is by far the most elaborate of the audio exercises. Do
not attempt unless you have at least 60 seconds. Trainers should
supply a short video with the audio removed.
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Participants should upload audio exercises to be submitted for critique.

The critique should be managed as a discussion. Here are some questions to ask the group:
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Is the audio properly recorded and clear?

Does it fulfill the assignment requirement?
If an ambient recording does it evoke a scene? If an interview is it
interesting? If a narration is it well-delivered?
What is its greatest strength?
Day Three
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Video - The Fundamentals of Good Video

Presentation - This material provides some basic talking points and
some ideas to develop during each section
Day three is about video. Examples of both strong and weak video
stories produced with StoryMaker as well as additional video clips and
images to assist with framing are provided in Section Nine - Resources.
Tip - Remind participants to apply everything they learned in day one
and day two apply to video production.
Presentation - As with photo, often a single video clip isnt enough
to illustrate the whole story well. StoryMaker provides five key shot
types with which to build photo stories. Each is designed to illustrate a
different elements of a story. StoryMaker users should shoot a variety of
images of each type -- some wide shots, some close-ups or detail shots.
Try and sequence the images in a logical order that tells a story. Exactly
how this works depends on the story type: character, event or issue, and
the format type: interview, report, discussion, or highlights.
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Cameras see the world very differently than the human eye. By learning
some basic rules, you can begin to record events that allows an audience
to focus on the important elements of your story.
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In the middle of shooting your video it can be difficult to know exactly

what you should record. This is particularly true when you are starting
out. It is easy to get frustrated, confused, and be unsure of yourself.
Keep three things in mind while you are shooting to become an effective
videographer:
Have purpose
Have control
Have commitment
Tip - For an in-depth review of how cameras work, trainees can review
the Camera Basics lesson in StoryMakers photography lessons.
DR
Have purpose
Know what you want to record (See Video Clip 1 in Section 9 under Day
3)
Pay close attention to what action or subject you intend to record,
and make sure you can see it clearly in the frame.
Have control
Hold your camera steady. (See Video Clip 2)
Use your body to brace the camera, the individual above uses the
side of his body to brace the camera, while centering the camera in
front of him.
Remember to breathe. You may be tempted to hold your breath
to keep the camera from moving, but its best to set your shot,
breathe, and when you have a steady shot, begin recording.
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Do not pan. (Show Video Clip 3)

Moving the camera creates a lot of motion in the frame. This is
often more distracting than helpful. If you want another angle, stop
recording, change your frame, and start recording your new shot.
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Have commitment
Have a goal for your shot, and record the complete action. Do not stop
recording until actions have completed.
(Show Video Clip 4)
Knowing what you are trying to record before you begin will allow you to
know when you have completed the shot.
DR
When you are recording an action, be sure to have the camera recording
for 5-10 seconds before it begins and continue recording for 5-10 seconds after the action ends. Seeing the action in its entirety will allow the
audience to understand it.
Here's an example of how a complete action looks in a frame.
The subject pulls the bread drawer out, and two people score the bread,
then they slide the bread back in and pull out another drawer.
The action taken is scoring the bread before it is baked, and we see the
entire process. When we go to use this clip, it will be very easy to cut into
a close up of the bread being scored, or a reverse shot, reversing the
angle of the camera to record the subject as he is performing this action.
This is possible because it contains a complete action.
Before that shot was recorded, the videographer framed the shot and
interacted with his subject to explain what he was trying to document. It
may be necessary to ask your subjects to repeat an action or re-create it
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in order to properly document it. This is OK so long as you are not asking
someone to misrepresent themselves.
After discussing the basic techniques for making better video stories,
you should show the first video Event (breaking news). Now compare this with troubled project, the second Event video.
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Tip - Use these two videos to quickly highlight the differences, and how
the first video had clear purpose, and told a complete story, whereas the
second video is aimless and lacks story. Dont discuss too long, youll come
back to these later.
When new journalists start starts shooting video, they often become
frustrated when clips they record do not reflect the experience they had
shooting them. The problem they face is understanding cameras see the
world very differently than a person. By learning some basic rules, you
can learn to record events in ways that allow an audience to focus on the
specific elements you want them to.
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Hitchcock's Rule
"The size of an object in the frame should equal it's importance in the
story at that moment."
Alfred Hitchcock
The subject matter should be 50 percent of the screen focus.
One of the most common problems for new shooters is their most important element are lost in the frame. By ensuring that your most important
object fills the majority of the frame (as in 50 percent or more) your audience will see exactly what you want them to in your shot.
Lets look at an example. Review this shot and consider what you think the
story will be about.
(Show Video Clip 5)
You can see that you're probably going to see a story about a market, but
maybe it's the woman shopping. Overall, it's a good shot, but there are a
few elements competing for your attention.
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Now review this shot, and consider what the story is about.
(Show Video Clip 6)
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The apple fills over 50 percent of the entire frame, so the audience is
focused on that. As the story progresses to discuss apples, the audience
understands this a story about apples. That makes this shot successful.
You can now move onto another shot, and highlight the next important
element in your story.
Hitchcocks rule provides a great foundation to start making better video
stories. Nose space and head space are two other important rules that will
help you arrange your frame to support your story.
Nose Space
(Show Framing Graphic 1)
DR
Well composed shots have space in the direction the subject is facing or
moving.
In this medium shot, the subject is on the right rule of thirds line. She is facing the left hand side of the frame. You can see the direction she is facing
is where the remaining two thirds of the frame are.
If he were facing the opposite direction, you could either ask him to shift
the direction he is facing and follow the same example, or adjust your
frame, so the shot is framed on the right now that he is facing the opposite
direction.
Following this guideline will ensure your subject has appropriate room in
front of them. You may also hear this rule referred to as looking space or
lead room."
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Headspace
Headspace is the distance between the top of a subjects head and the top
of the frame. It is a guideline to make sure your subjects head does not
appear to high or too low in the frame.
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(Show Framing Graphic 5-7)
These three different shots all have very different headspace. But in all of
them the focal point of the subject rests on the top line. Headspace is a
balance of the rule of thirds and the top of the frame.
You should always keep these rules in mind to effectively use the space in
your frame. Follow these rules to keep your audience focused on the story.
(Show Bad Nose Space Framing Graphic 8)
DR
If you do not allow for nose space, your subject may appear to be speaking
to someone else. In general, if you do not follow this rule your subject
appears cramped in the frame, and the audience will be distracted.
(Show Bad Head Space, Framing Graphic 8 + 10)
If you do not allow for proper headspace your subjects head will be cut
off, or their head will sit very low in the frame. Both of these are very distracting to an audience as well.
Exercise - Have participants divide into groups of two and each shoot a
30 second interview with their partner. There should be two short videos
per group. Each group should choose one of the following options and
interview each other:
What is your experience with mobile journalism?
How was your trip or travel to the workshop?
What has been your favorite part of the workshop so far?
Participants should attempt to observe proper head space and nose space
rules as described. Participants should upload their videos exercises to be
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submitted for critique. The critique should be managed as a discussion.

Here are some questions to ask the group:
Does the video fulfill the assignment requirement?
Does the framing demonstrate Hitchcocks rule?
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Presentation - A successful shot is more than well composed. A good

shot provides specific information that move the story forward. Each shot
type is intended to achieve specific goal. You may be able to explain your
location with other shot types, but the wide shot is the easiest option to do
it successfully. For example, wide shots are filmed far away from a subject.
This distance often provides a clear image of the area around the subject,
which is why it is effective to depict the location.
DR
Each type of shot has a goal that also answers a specific question about
the story. By shooting a complete set of shot types, you can allow yourself
to focus on a separate part of the story with each shot, and as a group they
will tell a complete story.
Wide shot - Wide shots show the location or scene where the story takes
place. Wide shots are typically used once in a scene, usually at the beginning.
(Show wide shot video clip)
If you use wide shots multiple times, you should be showing a dramatic
change to the location. For example, an empty town square to a full town
square is a successful use of two location shots. Additionally you may use
new wide shots to indicate a change in the location.
Long shot - Long shots show how the characters interact with the location.
They show the character engaged in an action, or the result of the action.
(Show long shot video clip)
Long shots are best used to highlight a characters actions, and can be
effective for including multiple characters.
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Medium shot - Medium shots help the audience focus entirely on one or
two characters, and may not provide an understanding of the location.
(Show medium shot video clip)
Medium shots are good at showing the characters body language. Proper
head space and a strong eye line are important to using medium shots
effectively.
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Close-up shot - Close up Shots force the audience to focus entirely on a

single character, and emphasize the emotion of the character.
(Show close-up shot video clip)
Do not worry about incorporating the environment in close up shots. Pay

close attention to the eyes of your subject, and focus on capturing emotion.
Detail shot - Detail shots demonstrate an interesting detail, often focusing
entirely on an important action or object.
DR
(Show detail shot video clip)
Detail shots are best used to highlight details lost in wider shots. Frame
detail shots for the specific details you want; cut out everything else. A
subjects hands are usually good to start with, especially when performing
an action. This shot is best used to highlight details lost in wider shots.
STORYMAKER SHOTS AND CLIPS
StoryMaker takes the standard video concept of shot types, and treats
them slightly differently. StoryMaker divides the shots based on how they
are used in the story, and some clips may use multiple types of shot. These
clip types are:
Place - A place clip is framed as a long, wide or detail shot, and intends to
establish where the story happens.
Character - A character clip is framed as a close up or medium shot. It is
a specific response from a character to a question, or a character saying
something about himself.
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Action - An action clip is framed as a long, medium or detail shot, it must

clearly depict an action being done.
Result - A result clip is similar to an action, but closer, to depict the results. This should be framed as a detail or medium shot.
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Signature - A signature is most often framed as a detail shot. Signature

clips are meant to emphasize a key point of your story.
After discussing the basic techniques for making better video stories, you
should show both the first video and the troubled project video again.
Tip - Point out that each clip in the video provided new information and
a new perspective. Video stories made up of several similarly composed
clips of the same general subject are boring. No new information is provided as the clips change.
DR
Show the second video, the Profile, and have the participants discuss
the types of shots used, what works and doesnt. Discuss what could be
improved. Compare this with the troubled project profile video.
Exercise - Have the participants choose three types of shot to shoot a
process story, using no more than three clips. Participants can use Learning
Guide #1, or shoot freely with an open path in StoryMaker.
Participants should upload video exercises to be submitted for critique.
The critique should be managed as a discussion. Here are some questions
to ask the group:

Did they use three unique shots?

Does it fulfill the assignment requirement?
Does it tell a complete story? Is it a good use of video (does it
combine image and sound to tell a story that depends on both
elements)?
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Day Four
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In the Field - 3 Hours

The morning is for shooting. The trainer should not require that participants come to the training location before they shoot their stories. The
trainer(s) should be at the location and available to participants. Be sure
to have participants mobile numbers and that participants have yours.
Tip - Be prepared to troubleshoot. It is inevitable that some stories will
not work out and that some participants will have technical issues. There
is NO EXCUSE for not producing a story. Help participants solve problems
but BE DEMANDING.
Post Production - Times will Vary
Following lunch participants should return to the training location to edit
and export their stories. This should be treated as open workshop time.
Trainer(s) should work individually with participants to edit stories.
DR
Here are some things to be aware of while looking at participant material:

Are the video clips technically strong (stable, well exposed, well
composed)?
is the audio clear?
Is there a variety of clip types?
Is there a story arc with a hook and/or central question/conflict/
complication?
Are there sufficient interviews?
Is the story Interesting?
What is missing that would make it a better story?
Did the participant produce the story they pitched?
Tip - Some participants will come back with weak material. The story
didnt work or the content is technically poor or the participant simply did
not put forth much effort. No matter the reason, do not hesitate to send
them back in the field. If the participant cant complete the original story
idea, help him work out another. Be sure and explain specifically why the
material is weak so he can address the problem.
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Participants need to upload their final stories and confirm that is plays
properly before they leave for the day. Before each participant uploads
their final edit the trainer should review the story to make sure it is as
strong as it can be.
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Tip - If a participant is unusually quick to edit and upload, this can be a flag
that they did not work that hard. Encourage participants with prior video
experience to challenge themselves by producing a more experiment story
or edit.
Day Five
Final Critique - Time will Vary

On the final day the trainer(s) should screen each video or other projects. If
it is a very large workshop, the trainer (s) may opt to break the participants
into smaller screen groups based on the number of trainers. You may then
choose to show the best video from each working group to the group as a
whole.
DR
Following the showing of each video, allow a set amount of time for discussion. Five to ten minutes -- no more -- based on the number of videos
to be screened. Encourage participants to lead the critique. The trainer
might get discussion going by asking the following questions:

Is the video technically strong?

Is the story clear?
Is the story interesting?
Is the story relevant and timely?
Does it deliver on the pitch?
What do we like about this video?
What do we not like?
How could this successful element be applied universally?
Tip - Review the videos yourself before the screening. Be prepared to

make important observations. If possible, order the videos for the screening for the best effect. Try and intersperse good and bad. Try and illustrate
particular problems and creative solutions in a group.
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Closing Remarks & Certificates - 45 minutes

Participants often take certificated seriously. Make sure they are filled out
with names spelled correctly. A certificate template is available in Section
Nine - Resources.
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Closing remarks should reiterate some of the key concepts of the workshop -- the importance of good storytelling and the power of social media
as tools for building a more informed, open society. Also briefly assess
with the group whether or not the workshop achieved the goals set out on
the first day. If the trainer wrote them on a whiteboard or on a paper roll,
display them while assessing.
Tip - During your closing remarks or as the certificates are handed out try
and say something about each participant. Who was a leader? Who was
the most improved? Who produced the best stories?
Be sure and thank the participants on behalf of Free Press Unlimited and
Small World News.
DR
Have a good training!
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IIIII.
TESTIMONIALS
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There is no better way for new trainers working in the Middle East and
North Africa to become better trainers than to hear from experienced
trainers from the region. We asked three seasoned trainers to answer
several questions that address some of the most common issues that new
trainers confront.
AF
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Mohammad AlQaq is based in

Amman, Jordan, and the author of
the popular Blog "Khobbeizeh,
among the first video-blogs in the
Arab region. He is also the Art &
Space director of 7iber, a visual
artist, singer and filmmaker.
http://youtu.be/jvpaCoWvWbQ
DR
Mohammed Al-Maskati - is the

founder of the Bahrain Youth
Society for Human Rights. He is
currently the MENA coordinator at
Frontline Defenders and a digital
security trainer.
http://youtu.be/3rMVKTpuc-k
Hisham Almiraat - is a Global

Voices Advocacy Director and
long-time member of the
Global Voices community. He is
also a medical doctor and blogger.
Prior to working with GV, Almiraat
co-founded Talk Morocco and
Mamfakinch.
http://youtu.be/axUoZEPrdTI
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IIIIII.
TRAINER MAGIC
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Because so many StoryMaker users will not have the benefit of a workshop
and have to teach themselves how to use StoryMaker, FPU and Small
World are very aware of the need for the app to replicate as best as possible the experience of working with a good trainer to tell great stories. We
called this the Trainer Magic.
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A good trainer does far more than merely teach a skill. A good trainer has
practical experience and real-world wisdom. A good trainer inspires and
empowers. A really good trainer is more than just an instructor, a good
trainer is a mentor.
If you wish to be a top-notch trainer, you have to aspire to be a mentor.
You have to really understand the different personalities of the individual
participants and the dynamic of the group as a whole. A mentor teaches
people how to take that concept or skill and extrapolate from it, how to
think for themselves and continue to improve long after the workshop is
over.
DR
Guided discussion is a key part of good workshop instruction and mentoring. As you critique work or talk about new ideas, encourage participants
to figure out the answers for themselves rather than simply tell them
the right answer. Instead of telling a participant that a shot or audio clip
doesnt work, ask the participant or group what they think of the shot or
clip. Do they think it works? What would make it work better? You are
encouraging them to think for themselves and reason out a solution they
can apply themselves later.
Another important element of trainer magic is the group dynamic you
create in your workshop.
The introductions at the beginning of the workshop can be a first step. Experienced trainers will often begin workshops with team building exercises
intended to breakdown participant boundaries and build an environment
of trust.
Some team building exercises are built into the syllabus. Each in-class exercise for journalism, photo, video and audio require participants to engage
with another participant in the process. Require that each participant find a
different partner for each exercise.
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Below are three ideas for some additional team building exercises, ranging
from the simple to the more elaborate.
You may choose to do something as simple as ask each participant
to stand in the middle of circle of the other participants as they give
their introduction.
2.
You may ask the group to create a unified story from a set of sequential pictures or drawing you provide. The pictures are handed out
randomly. Each person has a picture and they must discuss with each
other how to build the best story. For a large workshop you might
break them into smaller groups to run the exercise.
3.
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1.
At the StoryMaker Camp Amman, Jordan, in January of 2014, workshop facilitator Chris Michael began each morning with some physical
exercises. Participants even danced the Zumba!
DR
If you want to try a team-building exercise make sure it is one that you are
comfortable with. No matter what you do it should be done quickly and
with energy.
While the group dynamic is important it is also important to get to know
each participant. Everyone has different challenges and barriers to learning. Figure out how to help each participant to be a better learner. Make
sure that everyone gets a bit of one-on-one time and build what you learn
into the feedback you provide to that participant.
You will inevitably get a variety of different skill levels and levels of enthusiasm among your participants. Managing this variety is one the toughest
challenges for trainers. There is also the issue of the difficult participant
or group of participants. Difficult participants can quickly hijack and
undermine a workshop. In almost every case difficult participants can be
managed by the trainer through simply addressing the issue directly and
constructively. Below are three common profiles for difficult participants
and some suggestions for how to handle them.
The-know-it-all - As with many difficult participants the know-it-all is frequently trying to overcompensate for insecurity by projecting superiority.
The know-it-all often overwhelms discussions. The know-it-all is too harshly
critical of other participants and sometimes of the workshop itself.
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As a first step in dealing with the know-it-all who overwhelms discussion

when he or she begins to speak during discussion the trainer can say that
the participants opinion is respected but youd like to hear from other
people in the group. Another technique might be to place a piece of
candy in front of each person during the discussion when they speak. A
participant with a giant pile of candy will quickly get the message.
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If neither of these techniques work. You can ask to speak to the participant
privately during a break or after the workshop. If possible have a third
person present, an assistant or workshop organizer. Respectfully explain to
the difficult participant the specific problem. Ask if they understand why
it is a problem. You might explain that it is disruptive to the group or that
you simply want to give other participants equal opportunity.
If this does not work, especially if the participant is overtly disrespectful of
you and others, you may need to move to the next level. Many workshop
participants are sent by an employer or by a partner organization. Make
it clear to the participant that if his/her behavior does not change you
will have to speak the organizer and may ask them to leave without the
certificate.
DR
It is very rare that you will have to ask a participant to leave the workshop,
but it is better than letting them prevent others from learning.
The Reluctant Participant -- Some are reluctant to participate because
they are intimidated by the material or just shy. Some participants are
made to come to workshops by their employer and do not wish to be
there. Sometimes older participants can be difficult because they are intimidated by the new tools and changing media landscape. They do not feel
younger participants are sufficiently respectful of their experience.
No matter the reason you need to make reluctant participants feel comfortable and engaged. If you sense a participant is not engaged, talk to
them about it during a break. It may be an easy problem to address. With
some older participant or those having trouble with the tools, it may help
to arrange a bit of extra one-on-one time to talk about technology. You
may be able to pair the participant up with someone who is more experienced. Always showcase the work of reluctant participants who make real
progress, especially if it is overcoming a barrier such as shyness or self-confidence. You might call on the older participant to share her experience
during relevent discussion.
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The Boss -- Sometimes workshops are organized for a single news organization. Often the boss can by an ally in a workshop. A boss can help you
identify key issues to address and identify the skill level of participants. But
sometimes the boss can be difficult. The boss may feel he needs to make
his superiority felt. He may contradict you during the workshop. He may
intimidate participants in such a way that they do not speak freely. He may
unfairly criticize some participants that he is not happy with or otherwise
insert his agenda into the workshop. The boss may also come to only some
of the training days yet expect a certificate. Or the boss may pull employees out of the workshop at random for assignments.
You need to assert your authority with the difficult boss. Be respectful but
make it clear that it is YOUR workshop. If it is going to be effective -- and
if his/her employees are going to get certificates -- he/she needs to follow
the rules. You may wish to have a third person present for this conversation. If the workshop has been organized through a third party you may
wish to have a representative there.
DR
The Exceptional Participant -- In an odd way, the exceptional participant

can be a problem. The exceptional participant can be disengaged or even
disruptive because he or she is so advanced. The work of the exceptional
participant can be intimidating to others.
It is important to acknowledge the problem with the exceptional participant. You might ask her to help out with others almost as an assistant. You
might also ask the exceptional participant to do a short presentation on
her work. Finally, you might alter the assignment or requirements of the
exceptional participant to allow them to experiment or try new things that
they do not have the opportunity to do on the job.
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IIIIIII.
TOP TEN
CHARACTERISTICS
OF A GOOD
WORKSHOP
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1. Built on targeted practiced learning - As outlined in Section Two,

good trainings are designed to introduce a specific skill, practice that skills
and then reinforce how the skill applies to the participants work after the
training is concluded.
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2. Inspiring - The workshop is designed to teach people how to use StoryMaker. That skill will mean very little if participants are not inspired to tell
great stories. Good storytelling and good journalism is hard to do. Many
participants face tough working conditions. You need to inspire them to
continue to apply what theyve learned after the training is over.
DR
3. Structured for engagement - Good trainings integrate presentation,

discussion, group exercises and hands-on assignments with review to keep
the participant intellectually engaged. No single element of the training
should last more than an hour without a break or change of activity. Good
workshops have a distinct tempo - not too fast and not too slow. They are
broken into distinct segments. There are sufficient break times for lunch,
for prayer and for informal discussion.
4. Relevant to the working environment of participants - Material
presented in good workshops have real-world applications for participants.
They focus on stories that can really be done. They use tools to which
participant have access. The real-world application must be constantly
reinforced during the workshop.
5. Enthusiastic and Informed trainer - Thats what this guide is about.
The trainer needs to be confident in his or her abilities. If you are insecure
about what and how you will present or if the workshop is not organized
and in your control, it will undermine your success. Read this guide. Prepare. Leave little room for error.
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6. Clear goals - You need to make the goals of the workshop clear at the
beginning and restate them throughout. You need to manage expectations
and not over promise or let the workshop go off track. Too often workshops become platforms for people to talk endlessly about abstract ethical
dilemmas, troubling regulatory issues and poor working conditions. These
are important issues but do not let them consume the workshop. Stay
focused on the goal of teaching people to use StoryMaker to tell great
stories. There is time in the outline during the final day of the workshop to
discuss other issues.
7. Participant involvement - It is up to the trainer to get people involved
in discussions, especially people who are reluctant to contribute. Conversely, a good trainer doesnt allow a single person or small group to overwhelm discussion. Even during a workshop structured well for engagement
you need to constantly work on participant involvement. Involved participants keep the workshop energized and keeps it real.
DR
8. Disciplined - Rules for the workshop must be laid out at the very beginning of workshop outline. It is important for you the trainer to maintain these standards throughout the workshop. You will undoubtedly be
challenged. Someone will show up late. Someone will miss days. Be firm.
Participants who do not respect the rules should not get a certificate. If
participants have a personal or work-related crisis you may make an exception. You must respect the rules yourself. Nothing is worse than a trainer
who arrives late or is clearly unprepared.
9. Good working environment - For a workshop to succeed participants
must feel comfortable and safe. This is can be as simple as a comfortable
chair and a fan or as complex as fast wifi and apps that work properly on
different generations of Android. Participants also must feel they can ask
questions and even question your authority. They need to feel protected
from reprisals in the group, especially if a manager or editor is present.
10. Flexible when flexibility is required - This trainers guide provides a
roadmap for how to plan and run a strong workshop. No trainers guide
can anticipate the unexpected. This might be a loss of electricity or an
important breaking news event during your training, or any one of a dozen
unforeseen issues. You need to adapt. You need to be proactive. Do not be
afraid to restructure the workshop in ways both large and small if required.
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IIIIIIII.
TRAINING
RESOURCES
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This section includes:

A variety of links to media examples for exercises and demonstrations

A link to the StoryMaker site
Recommend StoryMaker devices and device requirements
Participant assessment form
Certificate of completion form to be present to participants on the final day of
the workshop.
Additional educational material for trainers
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Day Two - Photo Examples

Below are three sets of example photos. They are intended to be used as
examples for demonstration and discussion of photo. NOTE: The workshop builds from photo to audio to video. Trainers should make the point
that the rules of composition and story structure introduced here will apply
to video.
DR
Photo Set One - Rule of Thirds

The first photo set is designed to illustrate
the rule-of-thirds. The rule-of-thirds is the
most basic compositional concept for
both photo and video. The idea is that the
participant should use the ENTIRE frame to
tell the story.
https:// bit.ly/storymaker_ruleofthirds
Google Drive
Photo Set Two - Shot Types

StoryMaker breaks shot types into five categories: character, action, result, signature
and place. The most basic stories have only
character, action and result. The good visual
narrative story will have will be made up of
one or more shots from each category.
https://bit.ly/storymaker_photo_shottypes
Google Drive
Photo Set Three - Photo Stories

This set provides several example stories
designed to illustrate the the concept.
There are examples of both narrative
stories and series.
https://bit.ly/storymaker_photo_story
Google Drive
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Day Two and Three - Audio & Video Examples

The six example videos presented below are to be used to demonstrate
and discuss audio and video. If possible during the audio portion of day
two the video should be turned off or dimmed so participants are forced
to concentrate only on the audio.
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The three stories below illustrate good examples of audio and video produced with StoryMaker. They are technically well produced, have strong
story arcs and are made up of visual variety of clips. The trainer should
show each of the videos and then encourage group critique and discussion
-- what worked, what didnt and why.
Profile
Event (Breaking News)
http://youtu.be/6sRf42cM1j8
DR
http://youtu.be/deKoXBnu3Hw
Issue
http://youtu.be/7JYsilz7S6U
The next three stories are examples of troubled projects. The profile starts
strong but the shots become repetitive and there is no clear ending. The
event story is visually boring. Not enough distinction between clip types
and no interviews. The issue story is poorly shot and has audio problems
(wind). The trainer should present the stories and solicit critique from the
group rather than tell them what the issues are. What would make them
better?
Profile
Event
http://youtu.be/jSwPpJqMhMw
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Day Three Only - Video clips and framing examples

The follow clips and framing examples should be used during presentations on day 3. The trainer should decide whether to use the throughout
the talk, or present and then demonstrate. The trainer may also choose to
use only some of the images and clips, preferring to rely on complete stories to demonstrate the concepts presented. The trainer should download
any clips or images that will be used, to reduce technical difficulties that
may arise by playing the content from a server.
https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.6/2.mp4
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Video Clip 1
Video Clip 2
Video Clip 3
Video Clip 4
Video Clip 5
Video Clip 6
Nose Space
Framing Graphic 1 https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.2/2.png

DR
Head Space
Framing Graphic 4
Framing Graphic 5
Framing Graphic 6
Framing Graphic 7
https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.2/5.png
Bad Nose Space
Bad Head Space

Wide Shot Video Clip https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.4/8.mp4
Long Shot Video Clip https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.4/9.mp4
Medium Shot Video Clip https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.4/10.mp4
Close-up Shot Video Clip https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.4/11.mp4
Detail Shot Video Clip https://storymaker.cc/appdata/lessons/en//5/5.4/12.mp4
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Additional Stories Produced with StoryMaker

Here is a collection of additional excellent video stories produced with StoryMaker hosted by Free Press
Unlimited on YouTube.
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StoryMaker Lessons
The StoryMaker site provided a link to download

the StoryMaker app. It also provides access to the
StoryMaker suite of lessons and examples of stories
produced with StoryMaker from around the World.
Recommended Devices with requirement:
DR
For use with StoryMaker devices must meet the following requirements:

Android OS v2.3+ (up to 4.4)
3.5 inch screen
3+ megapixel camera
1ghz processor
8gb internal memory (or upgradeable via microSD)
Based on preliminary specifications research Small World News suggests
the following models:

Moto G, Moto G 2
SONY XPERIA
Xperia Go ST27i, Advance ST27A,
SWN Tested - XPERIA U ST-25A
SWN Tested - XPERIA T
SWN Tested - OPTIMUS L7
SWN Tested - GALAXY S3 GT-I9300, Galaxy S2 SA-19100,
SWN Tested - Galaxy Nexus I9250,
SWN Tested - K Zoom, S4 Zoom
SWN Tested - Nexus 4, 5
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Participant Assessment
The Questionnaire is intended to assess
the knowledge and attitudes of participants on material covered in StoryMaker
workshops. The information collected
will be used to make training better. The
questionnaire should be administered at
the beginning of the workshop.
The questionnaire has six sections:
DR
1. Social media use

2. Journalism standards
3. Privacy and security
4. Audio, photography and video
5. Citizen journalists and their relationship with traditional media
6. Traditional journalists and their relationship with citizen journalism
Certificates of completion
Certificates should be filled out, signed
and distributed on the final day of the
workshop. See the guidelines in
Section 4 - Planning a Workshop.
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Additional Trainer Resources

The three modules below were produced by Small World News for the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting. The workshop outline is in part
designed based on the modules. They are included to provide trainers with
additional educational material for personal benefit or to be shared.
DR
https://bit.ly/socialfirstnewsroom
NOTE: An overview guide titled How to Craft a Social-first News Strategy

is also available. It covers how to set up and run a social media-based news
organization.
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ABOUT
AF
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Free Press Unlimited and Small World News are committed to providing
first-rate media training around the world. We believe that good media
training is essential to good journalism and the free and informed
discussion of important social issues.
DR
Free Press Unlimited is a media development organization working to

ensure that reliable news and information are and remain available to
people across the globe. Free Press Unlimited is active in more than 40
countries focusing on strengthening the capacity of local media
professionals and media organizations. Together, with partners on the
ground we create room for people to speak freely, debate social issues
and find out what is going on in their immediate environment.
https://www.freepressunlimited.org
Small World News trains community members and underserved

populations around the world to become journalists, storytellers, and
documentarians. With our partners, SWN produces a series of guides
and tools for creating social-first media projects in emerging markets,
broadening the geopolitical perspectives available to everyone.
https://www.smallworldnews.tv
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StoryMaker, is a mobile application developed to improve the quality of

In addition to the editing features StoryMaker includes over 60 lessons to

Welcome to the StoryMaker Training Guide. This guide is designed to

Principles of mobile journalism

Below is an abbreviated workshop outline.

A more detailed outline is presented in section five of this trainers guide.

We expect something more. In a workshop environment designed to

A concept is introduced and discussed with ample use of real-world

The workshop outline and the suggested content presented below is a

Note: Trainers should be prepared to spend ten hours or more

The video below on YouTube is an introduction to StoryMaker. An

The Free Press Unlimited YouTube Channel showcases great work

Presentation tools, technology and supplies - From simple things like

Technology is an especially important element of preparation. Different

The Partner Organization

Depending on how a workshop is sponsored and arranged the trainer may

Most workshops are arranged through a partner organization. Free Press

too much of a range in skill, more experienced participants can become

It is important to do an assessment of participants prior to a workshop. A

Another key element of workshop planning is the location. The workshop

A template for a certificate of attendance is included as a resource in this

A standard workshop evaluation form used by Free Press Unlimited is

Travel, Meals and Lodging

For larger workshops the responsibility for travel, local transportation,

Below is an annotated outline for a five-day workshop on storytelling with

not-so-successful video stories. These are intended to be used to present

Preparation is key. The trainer(s) should find several examples of timely

At its best journalism -- no matter what kind -- is a public service. Good

The changing media landscape

Be as neutral as possible in the tone of your coverage, no matter

Do research prior to an event so you can provide more informed

Tip - This section of the workshop is designed to discuss standards and

produced, thorough, balanced and fair. Bad coverage will be poorly

Photography - Basics of Good Photography - Three Hours

The Rule-of-Thirds - This is the fundamental compositional concept

character - introduces a character

To be successful journalists, citizen journalists and advocates alike today

The backbone or fundamental principle of good composition is the rule

Presentation - Another important principle for good composition

2) A Scavenger Hunt - Photograph three of the following. You should

6. Action: A street performance including action of performers and

Presentation - People love to tell each other stories. Sometimes these

An interview is the audio recording of the subjects in your story, typically

Ask Open-ended Questions - Phrase your questions to encourage

Play two or three examples of audio stories with exceptionally good

Tip - Good narrations take time to produce. Narrations need to be

Presentation - The third category of audio is ambient sound, sometimes

Good Recording Quality - Good recording quality is always important

Play two or three examples of audio stories with exceptionally good

Turn Your Back on Noise - If you are recording your narration on

Tip - Getting good audio on a mobile devices without a mic can be

Participants should upload audio exercises to be submitted for critique.

Is the audio properly recorded and clear?

Video - The Fundamentals of Good Video

In the middle of shooting your video it can be difficult to know exactly

Do not pan. (Show Video Clip 3)

(Show Framing Graphic 1)

(Show Framing Graphic 5-7)

submitted for critique. The critique should be managed as a discussion.

Presentation - A successful shot is more than well composed. A good

Close-up shot - Close up Shots force the audience to focus entirely on a

StoryMaker Trainer's Guide

StoryMaker Trainer's Guide