Spring 2025
4 Credits
Wednesdays 12:20-3:20 pm, Room 407
“To me, the computer is just another tool,” Ms. Burns once said. “It’s like a pen. You have to have a pen, and to know penmanship, but neither will write the book for you.” -Red Burns
Instructor: Sharon Lee De La Cruz
Office: North End Faculty offices (by the Design Lab)
Email: [email protected]
TA: Alyssa Kalbus
Available at 370 Jay St and via Google Meet - email me to let me know which you would prefer
Email: [email protected]
We will spend the beginning of the semester researching and engaging in small assignments based on storytelling basics, primarily focused on writing and prepping storyboards and scripts, basics of visual design, and interaction design. Our midterm will ask the class to retell the same story by translating a prose text into the medium of your choice. The last section of the course will focus on a survey of new media storytelling. Students will concentrate on a final project that asks them to present a story (original or adopted) via the medium of their choice. Final projects are critiqued based on storytelling techniques discussed in class, clarity of story, and presentation. You do not have to come in with a project in mind; however, if you do, there will be plenty of space in your final assignment to explore it, considering the techniques practiced in class.
In this course, we will dive into the dynamic world of non-linear storytelling structures, producing projects that challenge traditional narratives and open pathways to imaginative storytelling. Designed for participants looking to strengthen their voice, ground themselves in storytelling fundamentals, and explore worldbuilding, this course encourages experimentation across a range of mediums—no prior expertise is required.
We will begin the semester by exploring storytelling basics such as point of view (POV) and worldbuilding while engaging with global storytelling traditions. Through research and small assignments, students will develop foundational skills and broaden their understanding of diverse narrative forms.
For the midterm, students will reinterpret a short story into a TWINE experience, inspired by storytelling structures derived from patterns in nature. This exercise emphasizes the creative potential of digital tools while integrating natural forms and processes into narrative design.
In the second half of the semester, we will move beyond digital screens into physical spaces, layering user experience design and environmental considerations onto storytelling. Students will examine the affordances of both high-tech and low-tech approaches to create immersive physical experiences, reflecting on the complex relationship between humans and their surroundings.
Final projects will be critiqued based on storytelling techniques covered in class, clarity of narrative, and overall presentation. While students do not need to have a project idea at the start, those with pre-existing concepts will find ample opportunities to integrate them into their work, applying the skills and techniques developed during the course.
This course is ideal for anyone ready to experiment, explore, and expand their storytelling repertoire while reimagining the possibilities of narrative structures in diverse and innovative ways.
By the end of this course, students will: