That’s a wrap for COMM 197
All the mobile storytelling skills I didn’t know I needed to learn
Boy, did the past six weeks fly by.
As Lehigh University’s COMM 197–012 Mobile and Social Media Storytelling course comes to an end, there’s certainly a lot to reflect on.
I knew coming into this class that I would be out of my comfort zone, and I even considered dropping it up until the last possible registration day. However, one thing I pride myself in is my ability to leave my comfort zone and find new ways to succeed. My willingness to try new things is what has taught me more about myself and the opportunities around me than anything in life.
COMM 197 dove into the world of mobile storytelling. Mobile storytelling is the idea of sharing a story using all elements of a mobile device. Essentially, it’s a way to tell a short story using only the smartphone in your hand. These stories are then typically shared on social media.
To be honest, this is something I have never put thought into. After this class, I now realize the value of having the skill to share a story through a video or photos. Today’s world is run on social media, and we are exposed to these mobile stories every single day. The ability to tell a compelling story from the small device glued to our hands is a skill that can get us pretty far in the technology-based society we live in.
There are so many elements that go into mobile storytelling, whether it’s the visual aspect, subject interviews or storyline as a whole. I can confidently say I have learned a lot about each of these areas over the course of this class.
For starters, I was no photographer six weeks ago, but I am quite impressed with some photos I’ve taken recently. I learned a lot of new photography skills that I’ll certainly use moving forward. I now know how to work with lighting and object position, which is something I was always decent at but had room for improvement.
The best skill I’ve learned is how to tell a story with the camera by layering objects and making sure every element has a purpose. The best part is all of this can be applied with my simple iPhone camera.
Beyond photography, I have learned a great deal about video filming and editing. I practiced filming at the right angles and distances as well as sequencing the shots to make scenes more visually appealing. I had little to no experience editing videos before this class but have now put together two short documentaries. That’s quite an advancement.
Finally, I must admit I learned the most about Twitter these past few weeks. I never used Twitter before and am not one to post on other social media platforms, so the Twitter aspect of the class was what pushed me the farthest from my comfort zone. In the end, I learned how to navigate the app quickly and learned about all of its cool features including lists, moments and the Twitter analytics page. I am now knowledgeable on what content gets most recognized as well as the importance of adding hashtags, photos and mentions to optimize posts. This knowledge can be carried over to other social media platforms as well.
As an engineering student, I never thought I would find myself in a social media-based communication class, but I can surely say I learned a lot and had fun along the way.
