Digital Storytelling Workshop Week Three

The third session of the Digital Storytelling Workshop sponsored by the Palm Springs Unified School District took place in Matt Hamilton's classroom at Cathedral City High School on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010.

Teachers, specialists and administrators from across the district are taking advantage of the workshop offered by Hamilton, Lee Grafton, media mentor David Vogel (left) and music director Michael Boustead.

Projects from this workshop will be entered in the Digicom Showcase May 4, 2010 at Palm Springs High School.

DATA STUDENTS PRODUCE REALITY SHOW SIZZLE REEL

Students in Matt Hamilton's Digital Storytelling Class at Cathedral City High School recently finished shooting a sizzle reel for Healing Horses founders Marcia Levine and Gabriele Lawrence who are hoping to turn their everyday challenges into a reality television show. Levine said that Melissa Rivers is interested in producing the reality show based on the reel put together by the DATA students who started shooting footage in November and finished the editing in February of 2010.

Healing Horses Sizzle Reel from Matt Hamilton on Vimeo.

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Michael Boustead Works With DATA Digital Storytellers

Music Director Michael Boustead (left) spent a class period offering critiques of student music videos during Matt Hamilton's Digital Storytelling Class on Feb. 17, 2010.

Boustead was the music director for "The Pursuit of Happyness," "Phat Girlz," "Curious George," "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. "

"I'm really impressed with the serious attitude of the students and the quality of their work, specifically with matching the mood of the music to their video," Boustead said.

Q&A with Kimjongilia Executive Director and Producer

Cathedral City High School digital storyteller Laura Padilla interviewed "Kimjongilia" executive producer James Egan and director N.C. Heikin Feb. 12, 2010 in Palm Springs. Padilla is a student in Mr. Hamilton's Digital Storytelling Class at CCHS.

"This film is about the human rights crisis in North Korea, which, in my opinion, is the worst on the planet," said Heikin. "It's always important to defend our fellow human beings and help them get out of the horrible trouble they are in. After watching this documentary, most people say 'I had no idea that was going on.'"

Egan said this was a breakthrough film in documentaries. "People are startled by the dance and the music that Heiken brings to this production," he said. "Because of her background as a dancer, singer and artist, she has created a documentary that is not only a call to action, but also a beautiful artistic palette that hasn't been seen before in documentary filmmaking."

DATA Students Create Music Video

DATA digital storytelling students Aaron Armstrong, Mario Serrano, and Spencer McQuinn earned $250 for their music video "I'm Just Me," created for singer John McLeod.

(From left to right) Sari Gelfman, John McLeod, Mario Serrano, Spencer McQuinn, Aaron Armstrong.

The video is being played on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and MTV Canada.

McLeod will be the headliner March 12-14 at the Frank Bogart Memorial Rodeo. The rodeo, located across the street from the Palm Springs Convention Center, runs March 12-14. McLeod's performance is March 12 at 5 p.m. For more information, contact johnmcleod.com or palmspringswildfest.com.

DATA Students Partner With Nellie Coffman

DATA juniors and seniors are working with students from Nellie Coffman Middle School in an after school program that meets every Thursday afternoon. The goal of the program is for the students to complete and submit a video for the PSUSD Digicom Showcase May 4, 2010. 

At left, DATA student Cynthia Reyes talks with Nellie Coffman students Katelynn Stover and Victoria Gonzalez who are involved in documenting the garden on the middle school campus.