Creative Narrations is a social enterprise consulting firm specializing in participatory multimedia production and training. Bringing together narrative, technology and advocacy, our mission is to provide organizations with the ability to document and represent the voices and images of their communities that illustrate the important issues around them. Since 2001, Creative Narrations facilitators have trained diverse communities on a statewide, national and international level. We know that multimedia can be an elusive tool for many organizations. We make these tools accessible by teaching you hands-on, story-based strategies to document program successes and challenges for outreach, advocacy, fundraising, and program evaluation.
We support organizations in a range of areas, including:
Digital Storytelling
Digital storytelling is an approach that allows media novices to produce brief (2-3 minute) videos by blending their own voices, still photography and video clips to create short movies about their real-life experience with these issues. Funders use stories to better understand the issues facing communities as well as to highlight the success of specific programs. Organizations can use stories for education and outreach, for fundraisers, to document successful outcomes, and for advocacy purposes. Our vision is for communities disproportionately impacted by policy decisions to have the capacity to produce, disseminate, and utilize these culturally and linguistically relevant media projects to spark dialogue and create change.
During a typical digital storytelling workshop, up to twelve participants will learn the basics of digital story development and production over a course of three intensive days. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have completed one 2-3 minute video highlighting his or her own experience with the topic.
PhotoVoice
The process of PhotoVoice offers insights into ways of life that decision-makers don’t often see. Rooted in photojournalism and international development, PhotoVoice enables participants to document their own lives from the inside and represent themselves to the outside world through photography and discussion. The aim is to increase the involvement of marginalized groups in decision making that affects their lives. PhotoVoice can improve social cohesion, catalyze community leadership, highlight unheard voices from a diverse community and create long-term ownership and participation.
Integration and Materials Development
How will the stories that your organization creates be shared? We can consult with you to incorporate media literacy, multimedia production and advocacy into effective, community-centered plans. Creative Narrations has over two decades of experience in teaching, community organizing, participatory curriculum, discussion guide development and event planning.