For my multimedia story, I’m planning to go for a walk through a local park near Bothell, Washington. The goal is to spend at least an hour outside, slowing down and paying attention to the environment around me — sounds, textures, light, small details I’d normally walk past without thinking twice. The adventure is free, low-risk, and something I can actually enjoy.
The Plan
I’ll bring my phone for photos, short video clips, and voice memo recordings, along with a small notebook to jot things down as I go. Before the actual adventure, I’ll scout the park to identify a few interesting spots, so I’m not wandering when it’s time to record.
Shape of the Story
The tone will be personal and conversational. I want it to feel like I’m inviting someone along rather than writing a report. Drawing from what we’ve covered on storytelling, I want to use the sensory detail — the sound of gravel underfoot, light filtering through trees, the smell of grass — to make the audience feel like they’re actually there. The idea that descriptive language activates corresponding regions in the brain (Chow et al., 2014) made me think carefully about how I narrate this. I don’t just want to show a park. I want someone to feel like they walked through it.
Media Plan
I’m planning to use three media formats:
Photos — Still images capturing the environment at key moments in the story. Wide establishing shots, close-up textures, light and shadow. These will anchor the visual narrative throughout.
Short video clips — 15 to 30 second clips showing movement and atmosphere that photos can’t capture on their own. Wind in trees, sunny areas, ambient life. These will be placed at transition points in the story to maintain momentum.
Audio narration — Recorded in the moment using voice memos on my phone. I’ll narrate my thoughts as I walk, what I’m noticing, what I’m deciding, what catches my attention. Recording in the moment rather than after the fact will keep it authentic.
Connection to Mayer’s Principles
Here’s how I’m intentionally applying Mayer’s Principles of Multimedia Learning to this project:
Modality — Rather than writing long captions under every photo, I’ll pair audio narration directly with visuals. This uses both the verbal and visual processing channels at the same time, reducing cognitive load and making the story easier to follow.
Contiguity — My narration and visuals will be matched to the same moment. If I’m describing a specific tree or sound, that content will be on screen at the same time — not before or after. Keeping related content together strengthens the connection for the audience.
Coherence — Every photo, clip, and line of narration needs to earn its place. If something doesn’t move the story forward or add meaningful detail, it gets cut. No filler just because a shot looked cool.
Segmenting — The story will be divided into clear sections: arrival, exploration, and reflection. This gives the audience space to absorb each part before moving to the next rather than being overwhelmed all at once.
Signaling — I’ll use narration and written headings to guide the audience’s attention toward what matters. If something is important, I’ll call it out directly rather than hoping the viewer picks up on it themselves.
Process and Decisions
I chose a local park because it’s accessible, free, and a setting I find genuinely interesting. The challenge I’m anticipating is making something familiar feel worth watching.
The storytelling material in this module made me think about tone and emotional impact. As Maya Angelou said, people remember how you made them feel, not necessarily what you said. That’s the point I’m bringing to this. The goal isn’t just to document a walk. It’s to make someone feel like they were there with me, and take something away from it.
I’ll scout the location this week and begin gathering sample media before putting together the final structure. Challenges I expect to face include getting clean audio outdoors and making editing decisions about what to keep versus cut. I’ll document those decisions as part of my final post.
