Digital Storytelling in Norway

Since March 2004 Flimmer Film, a film production company in Bergen, has organised workshops in Digital Storytelling in Norway. We arrange workshops and training-the-trainers courses in collaboration with a variety of organisations all over the country.

What is a Digital Story?

A Digital Story is a short personal documentary (2-4 minutes) about something the film maker has experienced in his or her life. It combines a narrated piece of personal writing (a voice over), personal photographs, drawings, letters, art work etc. and a musical soundtrack. The film is produced in intensive workshops that last between 3-5 days. Everybody can make a Digital Story. The participants do not need any previous experience in media production to join a workshop.

For more information about Digital Storytelling in English visit the BBC Wales web site Capture Wales.

Ongoing or planned projects

• January 2008-May 2008: My days. Workshops with elderly people living at old people's homes in Bergen. The project recieved the The 2008 Heritage Trust Grant in April 2008.
• November 2007-August 2008: The new generation: Workshops with 100 teenagers/immigrants. The project is part of the programme for Stavanger: European Capital of Culture 2008.
• January 2008-August 2008: "Møtepunkt himmel og jord": Workshop and interviews with 6 teenagers about their religous believes.

Previous projects

• February 2007: Workshop in Digital storytelling in collaboration with NRK - the Norwegian public broadcaster.
• January 2007: Mini-workshop in Digital storytelling for kids in collaboration with Nykirken (a church in Bergen) and the ongoing project The Children's Cathedral.
• December 2006: Workshop in Digital storytelling for teenagers in Kristiansand.
• October 2006: Training-the-trainers course for media students at Bergen University College.
• Mai 2006: Workshop in Digital storytelling at Bergen cinema.
• April 2006: "Fortell, fortell"-event at the Bergen cinema. During a weekend people were invited to tell a story about their special thing. A lot of young children came and told stories about their favorite toy or pet. The stories are available in Norwegian in our archive.
• March, April and May 2006: Traning-the-trainers courses for teachers
• November 2005: Workshop in Digital storytelling in Kristiansand for emigrants in collaboration with Filmverkstedet in Kristiansand. The participants in this workshop came from Angola, Liberia, Mexico, England and Norway.
• September/October 2005: Workshop in Digital storytelling in collaboration with Haslum congregation. The participants created stories about faith.
• April and May 2005: Two workshops in Digital storytelling at the Noroff Institute in Bergen. Students at the Multimedia programme at the school created Digital stories on a self chosen subject. The workshops were part of their curriculum in video production.
• March 2005: Workshop in collaboration with The School Museum of Bergen. The participants, four women between 52 and 78 years old, created stories about their time in the kindergarten. These films are part of the exhibition “Ladegården kindergarten 120years” at The School Museum of Bergen in spring 2006.
• October 2004: Workshop for teenagers in collaboration with Bergen Internasjonale Kultursenter.
  

The team

	The team working with Digital storytelling at Flimmer Film: From left: Rune Smistad (production manager), Hanne Jones (project coordinator), Eli Lea (project manager) and Christer Fasmer (producer)