Mary Hess

We are convinced that the “create/share/believe” circle is never ending, and an essential way to describe how storytelling works. You can enter the circle at any point, and go in either direction — share/believe/create, for example, or share/create/believe, or any endless number of combinations — but no matter how much we believe that to be […]

A lot of people have pointed to the auto-tune remix of Mister Rogers that was floating around the net this spring, but Clayfire media is the first attempt I’ve seen to draw lessons from it for designing worship. Their primary point is that our curiosity is the first place to begin — and they offer

Well, this is not what I would call a positive example of a digital story. This is an example of digital “karaoke.” That is, you could probably sing along to this video — since the organ accompaniment is there and the lyrics are provided — but the images constrain the meaning rather than adding layers

Here’s a great digital story that tells a story without really using words. Yes, there’s a song going on in the background which deepens and layers meaning, but to the extent that there is a narrative it’s one that you, as the person who engages the video, helps to create.

Here’s a powerful short video story about a group of women who regularly prepare and offer food to the people clinging to the sides of freight trains as they seek passage into the US from Mexico.

There’s a lovely piece up at The Atlantic introducing a new documentary film about Ken Burns that is premiering. I can’t wait to see the film itself, but in the meantime, there’s a short excerpt available: Among other notable comments, Ken Burns suggests: The kind of narrative that I subscribe to trusts in the possibility

GiveMN has launched a video contest in which they are making available a free download of a Mint Condition song, and asking people to use it to create a video about an “unsung hero.” The prizes include $1000 that you can give to an organization of your choice. It’s a fun idea, and a great

Here’s a fun contest that’s being offered by Loyola Press. As the Cyber Pilgrim notes: Loyola Press is inviting catechists and their students to be part of a contest that encourages children to explore the inspiring and sometimes-surprising ways they experience God’s presence in their everyday lives. Catechists and students can team together to create

Here’s an interesting take on Mark 7, done by a youth group (with a little help from their youth ministry leader, Craig Mitchell):

Here’s an interesting essay about the ways in which narrative shapes learning, and how important transmediation has become in that process.