The+Hamlet+Project

Presenters: ** Marie O'Brien, ** English Department School: [|Marymount School of New York]
 * Tanya Priber, ** Technology Department ,** Technology Integrator

****Description:** As part of their junior year curriculum, students engage in an in-depth study of Shakespeare’s //Hamlet//. As the unit comes to a close, they undertake a multimedia group project that calls for them to interpret a scene from the play from their own creative perspective and digitally produce a graphic novel. This may mean updating the action or imagining some new dialogue or interaction among characters. Next, they storyboard their planned scene, keeping in mind the need to balance images and text. Digital cameras are used to photograph the scene, which includes their peers with the settings, costumes and props they have chosen to use. Later they edit their photographs with iPhoto and then use Comic Life to combine the images with text to create the graphic novel. The final project document is exported as a PDF for presenting, printing or posting on a website.


 * View student projects:** http://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/curricnews/09hamlet.html

1. //Assignment// Working with a partner or partners, choose a scene from //Hamlet//. You will then act as “directors” in order to devise a “photo shoot” that will present a graphic novel of that scene. Your tasks will include writing a script, storyboarding the scene, taking and editing (with iPhoto) the still photographs to dramatize your scene, and putting words and images together. Finally, you will use Comic Life to create the finished project which you will present in class. See the guidelines below for more specific instructions.
 * Project information:**

//First, you must choose ONE of the following two options://
 * Create a “lost” scene from //Hamlet//. Your scene should add something to our understanding of existing characters, themes, and episodes. Your language doesn’t have to be authentically Elizabethan, but you should make some effort to echo the usage and cadences of Shakespeare’s text.
 * Take an existing scene and rewrite it, modernizing it according to your own ideas (think of the alternative film versions we watched in class). What is your rationale for how you imagine the characters, setting, and conflicts?

In either case, you will need to follow the principle that “less is more”: just as in poetry or script-writing, you will have to compress the ideas you want to express into a smaller number of words. Remember that images will also be used to tell your story.

You will also hand in a typed one-paragraph explanation of the choices you are making in your presentation and the ideas you are trying to convey.

2. //Process//
 * Next, decide how to represent the scene’s actions through photographs. What shots can you devise that will best convey the scene’s actions and conflicts?
 * Lastly, you will use Comic Life to organize your photographs and captions. In upcoming classes, there will be presentations on digital photography tips and file management as well as on the technical specifications of this project and how to use Comic Life.
 * As you will see, you can choose different layouts for your photographs. However, your project should have approximately 25-30 panels (i.e., captioned photographs) to create a “comic book” that is at least 6-8 pages long. Remember that you will need to balance the images and the text (dialogue, narrative) in each panel.

3. //Assessment//
 * Do you photograph your scenes creatively? Do your pictures and captions tell the story effectively? You will not be judged on your talents as photographer but rather, on your ability to convey meaning and understanding of a dramatic text.
 * How much imagination and insight do you show in the written component?
 * Do you make an effort to set up your shots with appropriate settings, props and costumes?

4. Group task distribution worksheet :

Tech note for PC users: [|Comic Life (beta)] is available for PC; Windows Photo Gallery is comparable to iPhoto.