Empowering Digital Storytellling from Pitch to Publish (with AI)

Outline

0–5 Minutes | Welcome and Inspiration

As participants enter, co-presenter John films brief crowd clips to demonstrate live production workflows. A quick highlight reel of student projects plays, showcasing app explainer videos, school news broadcasts, and documentary shorts. The session opens with a framing story: how empowering student storytellers changes classroom culture. A QR code links participants to a Google Doc guiding them through the Red Light / Yellow Light / Green Light pitch process to explore later.

Engagement tactic: Visual hook reel, real-time filming demonstration, QR code handout for later application.

5–20 Minutes | The Creative Framework: From Pitch to Pre-Production

Vicki explains the complete creative process—from ideation to production—showing examples of student projects at each phase. The Pitch Process is introduced as a system that builds agency, clarity, and ethical awareness. Participants then explore the structure of pre-production: storyboards, shot lists, production schedules, and the importance of defining roles (director, editor, lighting, audio, script supervisor, and talent).

Engagement tactic: Audience follows along on-screen as examples of storyboards, shot lists, and production schedules are displayed and receive links to reuse these materials in their classrooms and projects.

20 - 30 minutes - PREPRODUCTION
IN this section we'll talk about what happens in the classroom as you prepare to shoot as well as what happens in a professional radio/tv/podcast show in preproduction and tips to make things easier while also encouraging student leadership.

30-40 minutes - PRODUCTION
In this section, we'll demonstrate live and remote filming setups and film a live stream inside riverside to show how it is done. A prerecording classroom clip of filming will be used to explain lighting techniques, audio capture options and collaborative on-set communications. The remove filming setup using Riverside will show how virtual interviews can be incorporated into broadcasts and documentaries.

40-55 minutes
We will demonstrate editing using AI text based editing, AI-enhanced sound engineering options and AI-generation of b-roll using Veo3 (Gemini) and Midjourney as well as for green screen background options. Partricipants will learn how to generate thumbnails in Canva and to use tools such as Opus Clips or Riverside Clips to transform long form content into short videos for social media or student portfolios.

Engagement: Step by step live demos with questions.

55- 60 minutes - Publishing for real world audiences
We will conclude by discussing various syndication options for different platforms and how multiple deliverables can be created from a single project. Students can build confidence and express personal viewpoints that align with ISTE's Creative Communicator standards. As we conclude, educators will have a brief digital checklist of potential publishing options that may be realistic for their setting.

Outcomes

Participants will:

1. Explore ready-to-use student project examples (including short films, podcasts, broadcasts, and app explainer videos) to inspire authentic storytelling in any classroom setting.

2. Understand the complete creative workflow from pitch to publication through live demonstrations of filming, editing, and post-production processes using today’s leading AI-enhanced and traditional tools.

3. Gain practical templates and frameworks such as the red light/yellow light/green light pitch process, production roles, set language, and collaborative workflows that make classroom media creation efficient and inclusive.

4. Identify essential gear and software options for various budgets and contexts, including scalable classroom setups.

5. Compare the nuances of producing for TV, podcasts, and YouTube, learning how to format and repurpose content effectively for multiple platforms and audiences.

By the end of the session, participants will be equipped to guide students in planning, producing, and publishing professional-quality stories that showcase creativity, agency, and authentic learning.

Supporting research

Cool Cat Teacher. “5 Ways to Build Your Platform with a Purpose.” YouTube, 8 May 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUTQpFxpScM. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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Davis, Vicki. “A Meaningful App-Building Project.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 11 July 2024, www.edutopia.org/article/collaborative-app-building-students/.

Davis, Vicki. Reinventing Writing. Routledge, 23 May 2014.

Hernandez, Michael. Storytelling with Purpose. International Society for Technology in Education, 6 Feb. 2024.

Porter, Bernajean. DigiTales : The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Sedalia, Colo., Bernajean Porter, 2004.

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Lindsay, Julie and Vicki Davis. Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds. Boston, Allyn & Bacon/Pearson Education, 2013.

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