My aim was to make a digital story about my daughter Jasmine. Jasmine has changed my world due to the challenges she faces everyday as a child with a disability. I have discovered that having a child that has several diagnosis and challenges in daily life has changed my perspective in this world. The aim of my digital story was for people to look past the diagnosis and the equipment they require to function, and focus on the person. Jasmine is not a Special Needs Child, but a Special child with needs. See the person not the disability.
I did find this challenge challenging, yet rewarding. I had over the years many photos of Jasmine. I was however had to ensure that no other person was visible in the photos I used (as I had not gained their permission). The focus was to focus on the person, so the type of shot used was close ups. The close up keeps only the face full in the frame. It is, without a doubt, the most important shot type to show dramatic elements, reactions, or emotion, which was my aim. I found the adding of text an issue, as the text was important to portray the message. Therefore using the white board with black text highlighted a point of difference. Using also handwriting gave a feeling of being raw. I use the soundtrack to also emphasise the message of the story. I used a lot of close up shots and pace to emotional engage the viewer into seeing a child, not the disability.
This challenge was very emotional for me, as the subject is very close to my heart. However I felt like it was time for me to open up for the benefit of my daughter and all others who have a disability.
LaneWay 2 Teaching 