StoryCamp HVAP Surkhet 2015

Harvesting Stories Form Field

StoryCycle in collaboration with Nepal Infopark organized StoryCamp HVAP for High Value Agriculture Project in Mid hills and Mountain Areas (HVAP) in Surkhet from July 13-18, 2015. The five-day camp was attended by HVAP project staff along with some local journalists. The participants actively engaged in the uniquely designed output-focused story workshop from developing initial idea from to production and post-production. HVAP is a joint endeavor of the Government of Nepal (GoN) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). It is executed by the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD) in partnership with the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and the Agro-Enterprise Center (AEC) of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI). The six-and-half year project is being implemented in 7 districts of mid and far west Nepal since July 2010.

StoryCamp participants learned concepts on specific topics within storytelling and immediately practiced them by engaging in related tasks. After being introduced and oriented into the basics of storytelling the participants worked in groups of three to brainstorm story ideas, test the workability of such ideas, to conduct preliminary research of the story, and plan the shooting and interview for the stories. They continued working in groups in field production and post-production dividing roles for shooting, interviewing, and editing. For all concepts learned in classroom sessions including technical skills of photography and video shooting as well as less technical sessions like story mapping and interviewing, participants first practiced the concepts immediately afterwards in the classroom and later on applied it in the field work with necessary feedback.

The camp took a unique approach to utilize whatever gadgets and software are readily available with the participants to make videos. The camp also took the approach of incorporating creative innovations into storytelling so as to make them more effective even without high-end gadgets or technology from initial story idea development to uploading on internet and promoting through social media and blogging.

Storytelling is an art that is applicable and useful in all trades. It’s the most effective method to share information and persuade or convince the target audience about one’s ideas. Knowledge transfer from one generation to another generation and from one place to another has been taking place through storytelling. The forms and modes of storytelling have been evolving with various inventions being made by human beings over the years. Introduction of new technologies have played important roles in changing the forms of storytelling. While the beauty and charm of verbal and written storytelling being practised since ages will always remain, blending of multi-media technologies and using Internet to disseminate adds value and effectiveness to knowledge management and knowledge flow. StoryCycle believes in adding value to storytelling by blending new technology to the art of traditional storytelling.

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