Multimedia Story DRAFT

Plan for the Adventure

I will go to my grandpa’s house for the first time in 13 years. Every year the extended family gather for his death anniversary, where traditional offerings such as beer, cigarettes, paper items to burn, and yellow flowers. I will bring my digital camera to record photos and video clips. Since this is my grandpa’s house, I do not need to scout the location, but I will check where the altar is set up and where the burning of offerings will take place so I can plan how to capture the media respectfully.

Shape of the Story

1. Introduction: Returning after thirteen years, anticipation of reunion, and setting the scene of the death anniversary.
2. Middle: Family gathering, rituals such as burning paper offerings, presenting beer, cigarettes, and flowers, and reconnecting with relatives.
3. End: Reflection on family, tradition, and continuity across generations.

Media to Produce and Integration with Mayer’s Principles

• Video Clips: Capture the altar, offerings, and the burning ritual. Short vlogs can show the family gathering and your personal reflections.
• Photos: Document details such as the flowers, offerings, and family moments.
• Text: Write a narrative reflecting on the experience.

Integration with Mayer’s Principles:

• Coherence Principle: Only include media directly related to the family gathering and rituals.
• Modality Principle: Pair text with video clips to deepen emotional impact, allowing visuals to complement the written narrative.
• Redundancy Principle: Avoid repeating the same information in text and video; each medium should add unique meaning.
• Personalization Principle: Use a personal, conversational tone in the narrative to connect with readers.

Trial of the Adventure

I may engage in a small trial by filming a short clip of incense burning at home, photographing a symbolic object, and writing a reflection. This will help me practice integrating media before the full event.

Narrating the Process

I chose my grandpa’s death anniversary because it is meaningful, connects to Vietnamese traditions, and allows me to explore family identity. The challenge is that I have never participated in this ritual before, so I may feel uncertain about what to do. To overcome this, I will observe carefully, ask relatives for guidance, and respectfully document the process.

Publishing

I will publish my draft as a blog post. The structure will be text sections interwoven with media placeholders, for example:

This way, the blog post will present a multimedia story that integrates narrative, visuals, and video in alignment with the assignment requirements.