Tell your Story through Images

Learning to Tell Stories Through Images

As a part of the Manaiakalani Online Toolkits, I recently had the opportunity to lead a toolkit focused on creating short films by telling a story through images. It was a journey that completely changed my perspective on filmmaking.

Before this, my understanding of filmmaking was primarily technical—I knew about camera shots and storyboarding, but I honestly found it all a bit dry. It felt like a necessary but unexciting part of the process.

However, after diving into the research for this toolkit, I’ve had a massive shift in thinking. I now understand why these technical elements are so crucial, and I'm genuinely excited about them.

Finding My ‘Aha!’ Moment

My research led me to Alfred Hitchcock, a true master of suspense. What I hadn't fully grasped was just how much his work influenced modern filmmaking. His brilliant use of camera shots wasn’t just about making things look good; it was about masterfully drawing the viewer into the story and expressing emotions and ideas through visuals. He wasn't the first to do it, but he was a genius at it.

As I explored examples of visual storytelling, I realised that many of the films that had captivated me over the years were the ones with exceptional visual narratives. It turns out that my preference for thinking and creating visually aligns perfectly with this style of storytelling.

I was also delighted to find fantastic examples of visual storytelling right here in our Te Purapura Ngātahi o Manaiakalani Cluster. The same principles of telling a story through images were evident in work that teachers have created with their learners. I even found an example in an advert.

Drawing inspiration from Chris Betcher’s "4 Shot Film Project," I broke these examples down into four key shots. We analysed the images, and it was incredible how clearly we could still understand the storyline. This was a perfect starting point.

Creating a Visual Story

To make the creation task accessible for the shorter toolkit timeframe, I simplified the 4 Shot Film concept using still images. This approach provided a low-stakes way for participants to learn the principles. Teachers could use photos they already had on their devices or go out and take new ones. The resulting series of images became their storyboard.

Moving forward, I’m excited to use this 4 Shot Film idea as an accessible and engaging way to introduce storyboarding to my learners. It's a fantastic entry point for teaching them how to tell their own stories visually.

What started as a task to lead a toolkit on filmmaking turned into a profound learning experience for me. I feel like I've become a better storyteller and filmmaker in the process. Now, the real test will be putting these skills into practice with my ākonga | students—the proof will be in the pudding!