storytelling

More Than Robots Sketch-notes

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Jason doesn’t just deliver an illustration. He absorbs the complex ideas and helps you explore them in a very human way.

Cliff Manning

I had the pleasure of being able to hook up as resident scribe/sketchnoter with Cliff Manning and his superb More Than Robots meet-up last week for the second time.

The terrific thing for me about this gathering is that it combines some personally significant strands. In Cliff’s own words:

Inspiration, evidence and ideas around digital engagement and participation. Irregular updates and quarterly meet ups for anyone interested in the tech/youth/support venn.

Here are the finished panels:

Some process notes

There is a weird time-related tension with scribing - trying to find the important ideas and portraying them without overdoing it. It’s a fleeting moment where you have to strike before the opportunity has gone. My preference is to combine some preparation with a live element.

Below are three snapshots from my work on one of the panels:

  1. Roughs in my sketchbook while the presentation is happening

  2. Some pencils as I process and refine things

  3. Final tidy inks where I pull it all together

all mastered final.png

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The St Wilfrids School Film

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Back in October 2020 I was given the opportunity to make a short film for one of the local primary schools.

Here is the delightful result:

For me the best filmmaking experiences are when there is a degree of spontaneity and playful engagement. I had such a laugh interacting with the kids on this day and I think this comes across pretty clearly. It is a common misconception to think of a film as a set of pre-planned powerpoint slides that you move through. The planning and organisation are crucial, but they are mainly setting the context for the emotional magic to happen.

I think it was either WiIliam Wilder or Sydney Lumet who said that there is a knack to telling an actor to relax in front of the camera without actually telling them to relax. Related to this are the famous jumping photographs of Philippe Halsman:

Starting in the early 1950s I asked every famous or important person I photographed to jump for me. I was motivated by a genuine curiosity. After all, life has taught us to control and disguise our facial expressions, but it has not taught us to control our jumps. I wanted to see famous people reveal in a jump their ambition or their lack of it, their self-importance or their insecurity, and many other traits.

What Halsman instinctively knew was how to disarm his subjects and draw something fresh from seemingly predictable wells. This is something that I have reflected on (and tried to practice) many times over the years.

Jason came to film our school for the day, he had a huge amount of energy and worked tirelessly to ensure he captured everything amazing about our school! We were thrilled with the final version and so proud of what has been achieved to showcase our children. Jason was fabulous, he listened to our vision and created an exceptional piece of film which reflects the ethos of our school! Thank you so much for going the extra mile and for putting in all the hours of hard work.

Sharon Reynolds - Headteacher, St Wilfrids Angmering