Activity 6: Your First Story

It’s time to put your skills to use and create your first story!

Let’s start off simple. Consider this story to be practice for longer stories that you will create. For this story we will practice using our creativity to tell a short story using pictures you already have on your camera roll.

1. Create a New Spark Video project and name it “My First Story”

2. Add slides until you have 7 slides total for your story (Slide 1 will be your Title slide, and Slide 7 will be your credits slide)

3. Pick your Theme.

4. Add pictures to slides 2-6. As you look through your camera roll or media folder, look for pictures that have “story potential”. Be creative. Is there a sense of mystery in a location picture? Is there a fun picture full of action?

5. If you don’t have any pictures, use your device to take a few still pictures around your house/backyard. Make sure you have 1-2 location pictures and the rest could have a person or animal in action.

6. Don’t worry about making up a whole story before you pick your pictures. We want a quick practice story so you can show yourself that you can create a Spark Video.

7. Record Voice-Over for each picture. Now that you have some pictures added, use your imagination to make up a story that ties these pictures together. Don’t worry if the story is good or not. Just make some things up and have fun.

8. A simple story timeline:

   • Describe Location
   • Describe Character and what they want
   • Describe Actions, Successes and Hardships
   • Describe Resolution

9. Pick some music from the music tab. See if any of the songs fit the mood of your story.

10. Think of a good title for your story. Add it to your Title screen. Don’t forget your credits slide!

11. Once you are finished, it is time to Publish your story! See the Publishing Your Story activity for more information.

Example Story using Still Pictures