Story Producer guides speakers of local languages in the production and distribution of colorful Bible story videos… on a low cost Android smartphone! It is a workflow management tool (an offline Android app) that helps the user to orally translate, dramatize and produce video stories in their local language(s). The output of the Story Producer app are mp4 or 3gp animated slideshow videos which can be played on any cell phone or computer. The Story Producer app can enable almost anybody anywhere to become a local Bible story video producer.
This May Be a Good Tool For Your Community If:
- The community is an oral culture with low literacy rates.
- The community has little or no access to Scriptures and perhaps little desire for Scripture.
- There is a desire for quick turnaround from translation to production and distribution.
- There is a need for sensitive production and consumption of audio-visual Bible content.
- There is need for local ownership and local sustainability of SE activities.
Website: Story Producer | More Details Here
How This Works
You can use an Android smartphone for the production. To produce a good product, you need to bring together a small team of local language speakers. Your team can get help by hosting an outside trainer for one week to learn the Story Producer app tool and process. Then your local production team can translate, produce, and share Bible story videos from the templates. This production proceeds on your own time, at your own pace, maybe even at your own cost.
Finer Details
Financial cost: $500 or less per language community (to cover the cost of trainer, training, and equipment). After that, production and distribution is essentially free or affordably carried by the local community.
Translation Method: oral/audio (with text options)
Scripture stories included: Sin Death, Cain Abel, Noah escapes flood, Babel Languages, Job Suffers, Abraham Covenant, Sodom Gomorrah, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Jacob’s Family, Jacob becomes Israel, Joseph Dreamer Hated, Joseph Slave Prisoner Humbled, Joseph exalted Honored, Joseph Forgives, Israel Slaves in Egypt, Young Moses, Moses Called, Moses and the King/Pharaoh, Egypt Punished (Plagues), Israel Exits Egypt, Moses on Mt. Sinai, Gold Calf Idol, Ten Commands, Worship Tent / Tabernacle, Spies Explore Canaan, Moses’ Teaching, Priests Duties, Priests Dispute, Baalam, Moses’ Last Days, ,Rahab and Spies, Crossing Jordan, Defeating Jericho, Achan’s Sin and Ai, Warrior Joshua, Division of Land, Battles, Deborah Leads Israel, Gideon doubts, Gideon fights Midian, Samson attacks Philistines, Samson dies, Ruth’s Loyalty, Samuel Prophet, Israel demands a king, Israel’s First King: Saul, God chooses David, David kills Goliath, Saul is Jealous, David and Jonathan, Saul chases David, Saul dies, David Covenant, Absalom, Tamar is Raped, David’s Songs, Solomon becomes king, Solomon’s wisdom, Solomon’s Temple, Solomon’s foolishness, Divided kingdom, Elijah and the widow, Elijah confronts Baal, Ahab covets, Elijah and Elisha, Elisha raises a dead boy, Naaman, Young King Joash, Israel’s End, Jonah, Hezekiah, Josiah’s Reform, Jerusalem Destroyed, Jeremiah Weeping Prophet, Ezekiel prophecies, Daniel’s wisdom, Delivered through Fire, Babylon destroyed, Daniel delivered from Lions, Esther’s Courage, Ezra, Nehemiah’s Leadership, Old Zechariah and Elizabeth, Jesus Born (Simeon), Star Studiers find Jesus, Young Jesus, John Prepares People, John Prepares People, Jesus through Jordan, First Disciples, First Miracle at a Wedding, Woman at the Well, Jesus Reads the Scroll in Synagogue, Leper Healed, Jesus heals many, Paralytic Forgiven Healed, Twelve Chosen, Disciples eat grain on Sabbath, Jesus’ Kingdom Teaching (on Mount.). Parable about the Sower. kingdom Parables. Jesus’ Power. Demonized Man Freed. Jairus and Bleeding Woman. John killed .Teachings of Jesus. .Five Bread multiplied. Water Walk. Who Am I?. Jesus shines (transfigured). Parable about Forgiveness. Mary anoints Jesus. Blind man healed. Good Samaritan. Demonized boy healed. Lost Sons. Lazarus raised, Ten Lepers One Grateful, Two Men Pray, Rich Young Leader, Jesus Teaching Disciples, Bartimaeus and Zaccheaus, Jesus’ Kingly entry, Pharisees against Jesus, Vineyard parable, Widow’s Gift, Passover approaches, Last Meal, Jesus arrested, Jews accuse Jesus, Jesus before Pilate, Jesus Killed, Jesus Lives Resurrected, Emmaus Road, Jesus and Thomas, Holy Spirit Comes (Pentecost) , Crippled Beggar healed, Ananias Sapphira Lie, Persecution starts, Stephen killed, Philip Serves, Saul sees Jesus, Peter heals two, Peter serves, Paul’s First Journey, Jerusalem Council, Paul’s Second Journey, Paul in Athens, Paul and Apollos, Paul in Ephesus, Paul to Jerusalem, Paul Arrested, Paul’s Difficulties, Paul shipwrecked to Rome, Paul’s Last Days, Letters from James John, Revelation to John.
Scriptures used or referenced: Genesis, job, exodus, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jonah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts.
Localization of the templates:
The SP app guides the users to localize the video templates in several ways.
Translation of the story narration into the local language with local voices.
○ Transcribing the oral story narration into the local language using the local orthography (if it is developed and stable) to provide textual captions for each image.
○ Customizing the background of the title slide with a photo emphasizing the local culture’s identifying color, design, view, icons, etc.
○ Complementing the story with an appended audio recording of a locally composed song performed in the culturally preferred music.
What personnel are needed to bring this resource to fruition, (make the resource available in another language)?
3-6 local people, part-time
What kind of technical expertise is needed to adapt this resource to your situation?
5 or 6 people. Some of the team members should be able to speak a major or national language. At least one team member should be trained to check the Bible stories for accuracy (e.g. experienced translator).
How much time is required to do all the work required to bring the resource to completion?
1 week to learn the software and process and become independent; it can be used at any time in a language program. It takes an average of 7 hours to produce each story video.
What sort of logistical setting is needed? (e.g. quiet space for recording, good Internet access)
a locally owned Android phone with 64GB + micro SD card to hold the APK and templates.
What challenges or difficulties are there using this resource?
The challenges to using the Story Producer app are:
- Requires one week of training. (This is to ensure accountable, responsible translation processing of Bible stories.)
- The SP app and the language of wider communication templates need to be introduced to a local community and installed (side-loaded, not downloaded) by a certified trainer.
- The local community needs the assistance of an experienced language translator who can do the accuracy checking.
- The output products are Bible story videos ranging in size from 10 – 500 MBs, so people who receive these videos usually need to have genuine micro SD cards for storage space.
Unique Characteristics
The products created are localized animated slide-show type videos—Bible story videos and other kinds (AIDs/health) of story videos.
The intuitive Story Producer app guides and empowers you in the process from start (learning & translating & dubbing) to finish (production & distribution). The Bible videos, once produced and shared, can be used in multiple types of Scripture Engagement activities like Sunday schools, small group Bible discussions, sermon preparation, family devotions, and individual learning and meditation.
How To Get Started
For further information visit our website.
Distribution Methods
Videos produced via the Story Producer app are free and distributed under a Creative Commons license. They can be distributed offline from a smartphone with the Story Producer app to almost any other cell phone or smartphone via Bluetooth or SD card swapping. These videos can also be distributed online from a smartphone with the Story Producer app in numerous ways such as in Whatsapp attachments, being posted on Facebook, uploaded to YouTube, attached to email, etc.
Not a Good Fit? You May Want to Consider One of These
Translating from a story template or shell can sometimes result in story structures that seem unnatural to the local community. In addition, sometimes the images utilized in the story templates are confusing for people from different cultures to understand. If this is your situation, the Story Producer app might not be your tool of choice. Rather, consider doing oral Bible storying and recording the naturally produced stories in audio only. Or, if you prefer inserting visual images into a more naturally produced story, perhaps Reader App Builder (RAB) could be utilized.
Sometimes the images utilized in the SP app templates are confusing for people from different cultures to understand. SP app users can swap out template images for their own images.