Reading the Lines: storytelling

Entries Tagged as 'storytelling'

Let’s mess with the way people tell stories

July 1, 2014

First of all, I have exciting news to share: the proposal for The Socialholic Typewriter is amongst the winners of the mahallae challenge! I am so thankful to everyone who supported and believed in this idea. The Socialholic Typewriter is amongst the 5 winning ideas out of the 43 which were originally submitted to mahallae’s call, so it is definitely a great honour to be included in a diverse group of amazing tech-enabled peace initiatives: for example, i-vee, a game which aims to subtly encourage volunteerism or Yu-Biz, a platform dedicated to helping young entrepreneurs cooperate and initiate their professional career. Click the link below to read more about the rest of the winning proposals.

The @mahallae community announces awarded projects, implementation starts NOW! And here they are: http://t.co/IrDCKJ9apL @mehmeterdoganIV

— Ellada (@elladaeva) June 24, 2014

Last week I flew to Cyprus to attend a two-day intensive workshop led by Helena Puig Larrauri, a brilliant peace building practitioner who guided us through user centered design. Helena blogged about the workshop here. During these two days we got to really break down our ideas, prototype them and pitch them to a group of people. Here is a short video of the preparation.

Of course a lot of the content was tweetable, so there you go:

'The success of your product is its impact on people's lives' at @mahallae winners design and activation workshop!

— Louiza (@louizam394) June 25, 2014

Great way to think about the user/consumer of ur product: what they want and what prevents them from getting it! @mahallae #tech4peace

— Louiza (@louizam394) June 25, 2014

The journey to materialise the socialholic typewriter begins!! So excited @mahallae #tech4peace #prototype pic.twitter.com/B4jQiGSvW2

— Louiza (@louizam394) June 25, 2014

At the end of the two-day workshop I was exhausted, but happy! Helena says, ‘It’s been a fantastic, exhausting and messy few days.’ And I actually love the messy part best of all. Because I feel that innovation comes from connecting the seemingly unconnected, creating a mess, a beautiful one, that will hopefully succeed in doing what it set out to do.

Honestly, I am so excited to be able to work on an idea which combines creative writing, visual art and technology at this particular time, as I feel that the impact of a social innovation in storytelling can be great. Earlier this month, I attended a hackathon on publishing which had participants (hackers, developers, entrepreneurs) find innovative ways to merge books and technology in order to address challenges in publishing. What stuck with me are the opening remarks by Matthew Cashmore, Digital Director of Blackwell’s Bookshop:

So what are you waiting for? Let’s mess with the way people tell stories! Drop us an email on info@readingthelines.com

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day29

March 17, 2014

‘The Semi-Fictional Character of the Day’ is a joint, one-month project by Louiza Mallouri and Constantinos Xenofontos. Constantinos will be sketching a semi-fictional figure every day, and Louiza will be writing an accompanying storyline, as inspired by that character. The aim of this project is to explore the way two semiotic systems, the visual and the linguistic, interact and complement each other to tell a story.

He locked the church and walked down the cliff top, intoxicated by the scent of lemon trees in bloom-it was springtime. The sun was about to set and the view of the island was breathtaking. All was good in the world.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day28

March 16, 2014

S/he always changed. S/he used different names, clothing, accessories and stories to create the person s/he chose to be. Layers of make up, dresses, high heels, boots, wigs, jeans… A screenwriter, director and performer of her/his own life. S/he didn’t take anything seriously, not even people-it was all just a play. S/he didn’t linger within a particular skin for too long anyway, s/he felt confined, trapped, defined, so every once and a while s/he would do it all over again.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day27

March 15, 2014

The Semi-Fictional Character of the Day’ is a joint, one-month project by Louiza Mallouri and Constantinos Xenofontos. Constantinos will be sketching a semi-fictional figure every day, and Louiza will be writing an accompanying storyline, as inspired by that character. The aim of this project is to explore the way two semiotic systems, the visual and the linguistic, interact and complement each other to tell a story.

After Sunday mass, the old ladies were chattering, the sun was shining and God was groovy.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day26

March 14, 2014

I wait in the living room. Still in my pyjamas, messy bed hair, I pace back and forth, glancing worriedly at the pile of work on my desk. It’s the day you go home. The radio is on and a pot of coffee is ready. We say good morning, have coffee and agree that the weather is not terrible. We smile and nod, and say how nice it was to see each other again. We talk about nothing a little bit more. We are already at the door when you notice the song on the radio. ‘Marvin Gaye….’ you say and smile. It’s Stevie Wonder, but I nod in agreement.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day24

March 12, 2014

Friday afternoon, on duty: I was called for roadside assistance. A young woman was waiting outside her red fiat 500.
-Thank you so much for coming! My battery died right after I called. I really needed to talk to someone.
-What seems to be the problem?
-I was just heading to my boyfriend’s place. We were supposed to view an apartment today-we had decided to move in together. Not so sure about it now… Isn’t this like a sign?
-I meant with the car… Did the engine just stopped? Was there a warning light on?
-Yes, some warnings…You know when someone talks and they seem lifeless, like they are not excited about life anymore? Like life has been sucked out of them and they always look bored?
-Well, my cat acts like that sometimes.
-Isn’t it the worst?!
-It is… And my cat is pretty grumpy too. And stubborn.
-…My boyfriend is very catlike, I guess.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day23

March 11, 2014

When she showed up with a loose dotted dress, black open toe slippers and a flimsy tiara sitting on her head, I could not decide whether she looked fabulous or ridiculous. Applaud or talk sense into her? I struggled. Unfulfilled dreams should be handled with care.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day18

March 6, 2014

She was enchanted with him. He was a free spirit, always on the go, ever-moving. When he fell ill, she said ‘I’d be right by your side’. When he had to use a wheelchair, she said ‘I am right here’. But she dreaded the stagnation. She missed the motion, the wooziness, the thrill. It was as if they had both unexpectedly landed on solid ground, yet she had secretly hoped for quicksand; she would either swim or sink. She didn’t trust walking anymore.

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day17

March 5, 2014

Haven’t you heard? Pushing your lips together, sort of like puckering and pouting at the same time when having your picture taken is all the rage. #duckface #howdoilook #layersofstickylipgloss #bodysideways #sparklylashes #blankgaze #amitryingtoohard #nofilter

Semi-Fictional Character of the Day #day16

March 4, 2014

That was one of my first deliveries. I made sure I got the address right and knocked on the door. I waited for a while and a man eventually answered: blank stare, mouth half open and arms crossed. ‘Hey, your delivery is here. That would be 16.99.’ He just stood there expressionless. ‘Erm….For the pizza you ordered?’ Silence for a few minutes. Then suddenly, as if he had just seen me, he acknowledged my presence, ‘Hey, dude what’s up? Let me get that for you. Come in.’ It was freezing outside so I followed him in. As soon as I stepped in, I was overpowered by the smell: that dude was high, so was everyone in the room. A couple of people were half sleeping, some were staring at the TV, bongs everywhere. He zoned out again, so I had to remind him, ‘The pizza? 16.99.’ ‘Ah, yeah dude…’ He took the money out of the wallet of a person who was lying flat on the floor. ‘Thanks, man!’ I grabbed the money and left as fast as I could, but it was too late. Later that night, at home, my girlfriend started to freak out, ‘What’s that smell? Did you..’

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