Audible Creativity

Dec 12

One of our most animated campers Erica used a program called Scratch, where kids can build interactive stories and animations through basic coding. She used scenic photos, cartoon clippings, and text to share about the values of building good habits and breaking bad ones. The Oslo group started out by watching the animation with no narration--only by reading the text on the screen, and we agreed the lesson was valuable and the silly elements in the text were fun details in the overall piece.

After digging deeper into our own experiences as viewers, many of us agreed that though we couldn’t hear Erica’s voice directly, we somehow managed to hear her reading it to us in our minds! Since we are familiar with her bright personality and the flair that comes with her own voice, it became all the more engaging to know that Erica’s voice was behind the animation.

For the second viewing, Erica proudly read it aloud in her hilarious, enthusiastic voice and the project came alive in a way that it didn’t the first time! There was more emotion, deeper engagement from the audience, and a curiosity to know what will come next in the story. Thanks to Erica’s spirited presentation, we were reminded of the value in exploring creativity in a multi-dimensional manner. Her voice added a new element of excitement and it reinforced the humor in the text because we were able to hear it aloud.

Visual cues are great, but how can the viewer’s experience change if a tactile element or audible element were also involved? Or scent and taste? Be mindful of your surroundings. What sensory experience makes you feel calm or silly? Portray it in your creations!

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” - Peter Drucker

Challenge 1

There is a Korean saying that your habit from the age of 3 sticks with you until you become 80. This means the habits you develop at a young age are super important.

What are the habits you think you would like to develop now and stay with forever?