STORYTELLING IN WORD AND IMAGE: “PRECIOUS STONES” FROM THE AFRICAN ORAL TRADITION
Photo Book Available
Ages 16-29
Summer 2019, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus
In this storytelling workshop, student fellows will explore stories from the African oral tradition, using them as inspiration for their own original “storyboards,” visual outlines for short films. Storyboarding is an essential part of preproduction for film and animation, and consists of a series of images that map out the main ideas and key compositions for a moving picture. Storyboards are often hand-drawn; in this workshop they’ll be photographic, encouraging fellows to enter into their stories through the lens from the start. The African oral arts are rich in history and myth and offer insight into universal human experience. Fellows will collectively analyze a range of stories, discovering and connecting with their principles, finding reflections of their own lives and interests. They’ll create individual narratives grounded in the African tales, and design three-shot storyboards for exhibition and for possible future development into short films. Each fellow will also write an artist’s statement highlighting the qualities and principles expressed through the work, and including a brief story synopsis. Storyboards and statements will be shared on the program website and at a public exhibition. Limited to 12 student fellows
David Fakunle, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and CEO of DiscoverME/RecoverME: Enrichment Through the African Oral Tradition. A Baltimore native, David is currently a research fellow at Morgan State University. His career as an African storyteller, African drummer, and researcher operates at the intersection of arts and public health.
Olugbenga Osikomaiya, a Morgan State University graduate, is a freelance cinematographer and photographer who focuses on creating compelling images that also tell a story.
Siddhi Nargund is a Johns Hopkins University grad student who indulges in video content writing and creation. She has created YouTube videos and believes in learning through multidisciplinary fields and contemporary methods to make the best of her love for videography.
