Storytelling for Podcasts
This workshop focused on non-fiction narrative shows - the documentary-style, often serialized, story-driven podcasts like Serial, Missing Richard Simmons, and Wind of Change that are known for telling expansive, immersive stories. The best ones leave listeners feeling like they’ve been on a journey, and maybe even with a new perspective on the world. This workshop delved into the choices that
Talking to the Media
In this online workshop, long-time journalists Courtney Cowgill and Anne Bailey discussed practical tips for conveying a story effectively to the media. Attendees learned best ways to contact journalists, what to do when a reporter calls for an interview and what information television, radio and newspaper journalists need from to best tell a story. Through practice and feedback, instructors helped
Podcasting 202: Marketing Your Show
Lots of people are making amazing podcasts. But there are more than 2 million podcasts and 48 million episodes today. It can be hard to make a show stand out amongst the rest. In this course, Arielle Nissenblatt shared tips and tricks for getting a podcast out to the world. Participants discussed getting featured on Apple Podcasts, pitching shows for
Heart Butte student reporters document solar project
In Heart Butte, Montana, students reported on news unfolding right in their backyard using skills they learned at a News Literacy and Digital Storytelling Workshop. Construction crews were installing a new solar array that would supply energy for the school and for community members. Students made a radio feature that included the sound of construction equipment and wind whistling across
Young Polson filmmakers investigate the Flathead Monster
Middle school students in Polson spent the week of their News Literacy and Digital Storytelling Workshop gathering stories about the Flathead Lake monster for a video story. An elder shared the Kootenai story of a lake monster creating Flathead lake. The students visited a judge who believed he saw a monster in the lake. A museum director shared her theory
Hays-Lodgepole students report on Native language textbook
Students at Hays Lodgepole school spent a week this summer navigating fact and fiction on the internet and creating an audio story about a new Nakoda language textbook at a News Literacy and Digital Storytelling Workshop. Students interviewed the school principal, the illustrator of the book, and their peers. The Nakoda language was once forbidden in schools. Their story captures the
Box Elder students produce videos about community happenings
Box Elder High School hosted the first Montana Media Lab News Literacy and Digital Storytelling workshop of the summer. Box Elder students made two videos about their community. One focused on the new school garden—Bear Nation Garden. They got footage of the garden intern planting seedlings and pulling weeds. Their reporting took them to the local convenience store, the school cafeteria,
Summer 2021 news literacy and digital storytelling workshops
In June 2021 the Montana Media Lab hit the road for a series of news literacy and digital storytelling workshops at schools in rural Montana. Teens in Box Elder, Hays-Lodgepole, Polson, and Heart Butte participated. Students at each school told stories about their communities using audio and video skills they learned. Along the way they mastered strategies for identifying disinformation
Intro to Adobe Premiere
Montana Media Lab director and multimedia journalist Anne Bailey introduced participants to the basics of video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro. Using provided footage, participants learned project organization, importing, cutting interviews, assembling sequences, working with b-roll, incorporating text and exporting final projects. This intensive, online workshop gave attendees the editing skills to turn video footage, photos and audio into polished, professional videos. The
Seeley-Swan High School Channels Empathy Through Storytelling
Students at Seeley-Swan High explore the theme of empathy through interviewing strangers in their community of Seeley Lake, Mont.