Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

10.31.06 | Artists have always appropriated and transformed other artist’s work. Beginning artists undergo an apprenticeship phase during which they try on for size the styles and techniques of other more established artists. And even well established artists work with images and themes that already have some currency within the culture.

Despite the pervasiveness of these cultural practices, arts and creative writing programs often remain hostile to overt signs of repurposed content, emphasizing the ideal of the autonomous artist. Yet, in stressing “original work”, schools sacrifice the opportunity to help kids to understand the ways culture gets built from shared resources, the ethical and legal implications of repurposing, and the relationship between critical analysis and creative expression.

With our Transmedia Improv exercise, Project nml tried something different - encouraging students to build upon the unrealized narrative potentials suggested by the Cantina sequence in Star Wars. 

Students select one of the alien characters, develop their profiles and back stories, improvise dialogue with their classmates, search the web for images that might illustrate their stories, and use PowerPoint or similar tools to create storyboards. Along the way, participants learn how to use a range of different media tools - the profiling functions of social network software, search engines, and PowerPoint, among them - which they can use to create their own original stories.

At the same time, the activities motivate discussions about the craft of storytelling, getting students to think through issues of character, setting, conflict, and plot. As our study guide suggests: “By using curious-looking, non-human aliens as the basis for character and plot development allows for conversations on gender, diversity and multiculturalism without having to talk about specific human races.”

Finally, the exercise allows a context for talking with students about the ethics of appropriation. We want them to both understand the role which previous works play in inspiring artistic expression and also the importance of respecting the integrity of other artist’s creative expressions.