Writing for Multimedia

Concept Notes

  • The Magic Potion - The Azim Premji Foundation. About the Natural Regions
  • Chipko - The Azim Premji Foundation. About Forest Conservation

 

Storyboards

 

THE MAGIC POTION


Environmental CD ROM
Copyright © - The Azim Premji Foundation

Concept Note

Title: The Magic Potion
Age Group: 8 - 9 years
Subject: Environmental Science
Languages: English, Hindi and Kannada
Objectives:

To familiarize the child with the natural regions in India, teach them about the typical flora/fauna in each region, and strengthen this knowledge through games and activities based on the information given. The Chipko movement is a game for the forests, The Food Cycle- a game for the Oceans, The Honey Gatherers - a game for the wetlands, Water Harvesting - using indigenous knowledge- for the deserts, The sewan grass in the Grasslands and the Ladakhi Community in the Mountains etc.

To give a world perspective of the same natural regions.

Treatment:

Shakti and Shanti are playing in a forest when they disturb a village elder deep in meditation. In his anger, the old man is about to curse them, but they fall on their knees and beg forgiveness. The old man will forgive them on condition they procure the herbs for a magic potion to recreate the environment from the 6 regions, the way it used to be.

The village elder then introduces 6 animals, each typical of a natural region. Shakti and Shanti must go with each animal into it's region, go through an adventure to procure an item unique to that region. When they have procured all 6 items, the old sage can create The Magic Potion that will restore the environment!

When Shakti and Shanti click on the animal, they are taken into it's particular region, and can access information on it. From there, they can continue into the adventure game, go into a fun activity or play an issue-based game for the region.

When Shakti and Shanti have obtained all the items for the satisfied village elder, he proceeds to make the Magic Potion and hands it to Shakti and Shanti to sprinkle over the earth and bring back all the lost flora and fauna.

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CHIPKO

     (means to cling)  
     multimedia game for the forest region

 

Environmental CD ROM
Copyright © - The Azim Premji Foundation

Title: Chipko
Age Group: 8 - 9 years
Subject: Environmental Science
Languages: English, Kannada and Hindi
Objectives: To encourage the conservation of our forests through a game based on a true Indian story.
Background
Information:

The foundation of a forest is its trees. The ebb and flow of all other life forms will always ultimately come to equilibrium if the tree population is abundant and vigorous. A forest traps rainwater and channels it into underwater streams and is a barrier against wind erosion and has a tremendous range of biodiversity. 30 million hectares of the country's land area is degraded owing to deforestation.

In India, the pine or needle-leaved forests are found in the higher altitudes, just below the tree line in the steep slopes of the Himalayas, where broad-leafed trees cannot survive, and in the Nilgiris and other high ranges of South India. There are evergreen rain forests in Assam and the South Indian hills. The dense vegetation forms a canopy on top, the shrubs and the undergrowth below.

Story:

In Northern Uttar Pradesh, construction of border roads, movements of troops, and so-called development activities, caused deforestation, landslides, soil erosion, and floods, culminating in the Alaknanda Flood tragedy of July 20,1970. This flood destroyed bridges, agricultural machinery, and villages, and caused damages to irrigation and agriculture even 500 km away on the Ganga plains. In 1973, villagers clinging to them prevented felling of ash trees marked by the Forest Department for felling for a sports goods company, and 'Chipko' movement was born. Later, angu trees in Phata-Rampur were saved in the same way. In 1974, at Reni, when all menfolk had gone to Chamoli to collect land compensation, 27 women remaining in the village saved their trees without the help of any menfolk or professional leaders. Vigil was kept over the trees till 1977 when the Reni Survey Committee recommended a total ban on logging in the area. Village Bhyunder in the Valley of Flowers, Dungri Patoli in February 1980, Khalia-Koteshwar (Camoli) in October 1982, are later incidents, all with local involvement.

This movement also gave rise to the 'Appiko' movement in Karnataka, 'Appiko' being the Kannada equivalent of 'Chipko' in Hindi.

Treatment: There is a forest of 40 trees. A tractor is destroying the trees. A forest fire is also destroying the trees. These two animations are computer generated. The user has to save the forest before it is half destroyed and there is a landslide.

Options - a village woman, a sapling, a bucket of water.
Click on a village woman, and click on a tree- the user gets a woman hugging the tree thereby saving that tree.
Click on a bucket and then on the fire - the user can quench the fire with the water. Click on a sapling and then on a tree stump - the user can plant a new sapling in its place. Click on the bucket and then on the sapling - the user gets a full-grown tree.

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Storyboard for song and animation - from Kirloskar Multimedia's Jungle Adventure

Copyright © - Kirloskar Multimedia

 

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Storyboard from Muzzy Otter's Feast -

Copyright © - Sherston Educational Software

 

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