What Will You Create for the Sonnet Project?

This sonnet project will be a great learning opportunity for you to express your understanding of Shakespeare’s language and content as well as how it might illuminate something of our humanity today. While I have been giving time lengths for videos suggesting that 30-60 seconds should be enough length, by no means feel constrained by that. I have also mentioned that time limit early on because I was imagining some folks to read their sonnet into an I-movie track and then incorporate images into a movie. This is just one way you might consider creating this multimedia or digital sonnet project. Others have come to me and asked about creating old fashion art as a way to interpret their sonnet. Such a step is great. Others are considering using “After Effects” in the Adobe software package. Someone is imagining a sonnet video where he/she verbally captures an interpretation of the sonnet in a video format. All of these imaginations are great. Above is an interesting video of “Sonnet 29” with music by Rufus Wainwright. The creator blended scenes from Pride and Prejudice to illuminate narrative aspects of the sonnet. It’s clever and creative. What will you do?

For some more ideas, consult the many sonnet videos on the Sonnet Project NYC, Presented by NY Shakespeare Exchange. https://www.youtube.com/user/SonnetProjectNYC/feed

Here’s another actor, Matthew Macfadyen, interpreting “Sonnet 29” in a modern persona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOCL_NEgf0g

1 Response to What Will You Create for the Sonnet Project?

Andrew says:

January 21, 2020 at 10:33 am

Remember to have students also write a sonnet, rhyme scheme first and then filling in each line (ten syllables per line, minus the number of syllables in the last word). Set a clock for 15 minutes, make them finish before time runs out.

The first sonnet you write this way will be the worst sonnet you ever write. But you’ll know how.