Frame by Frame

I believe that storytelling is one of the most powerful skills one can have. We have used stories for generations not only to communicate, but to make sense of our world, and to challenge our imaginations. We respond to stories more naturally than we respond to plainly-stated facts. We remember stories. They stick. Maybe because they can trigger emotional responses. Maybe because they are more interesting. Maybe because our lives really are just a collection of  stories.

Frame by Frame is one of our many storytelling activities. In this, we create comic books on the fly. I think of it as improv comic book creation. One of us begins the story by drawing/ writing dialogue or narrative on the first frame, and the next person continues the story on the second frame. This goes on until the story ends. The end-result is sometimes silly, sometimes impossible, sometimes shocking, and always fun.

This activity is one of my personal favorites. Not only does it engage the imagination, and allows us to practice our writing and drawing skills, it also promotes collaboration and problem-solving (especially if you are like me and tend to constantly put your protagonist in trouble!)

In Action: