What is Story Scoop?

 

Story Scoop is a free, monthly, twenty-minute online video for teachers, librarians, kids and adults who love kids’ books. The video can be seen on our Facebook page, our Story Scoop website page and on the SCBWI website page. Each episode will have three segments, where authors and illustrators give a sneak peek into the inspiration, decisions, artwork and story behind their stories.

​

The aim of Story Scoop is to connect CBCA/SCBWI authors/illustrators with schools and libraries, and provide an inspiring and useful teaching resource about children’s books and their creators for adults and kids to enjoy.

 

The videos will be archived and new episodes uploaded by noon on the first of each month.

​

What is the aim of the project?

• To celebrate new books of SCBWI/CBCA members

• To connect SCBWI/CBCA authors/illustrators with schools, libraries, parents

• To provide an interesting/useful resource for schools, teachers, parents and libraries to learn about kids’ books and their creators.

 

Who Can Participate as a Creative?

• You must be a member of both SCBWI Australia East & New Zealand and any branch of the CBCA.

• You must be a PAL author/illustrator – published by a trade publisher. To find the SCBWI guidelines and list of PAL Publishers CLICK HERE.

• You must have a book out in 2020 or 2021.

• You need to fill out and comply with all the conditions on the Expression of Interest form.

 

Please note, not everyone will be guaranteed a place. There will be more applications than available spots.

 

We will contact you if your application has been successful.

​

Step One: Fill out the Expression of Interest form.

​

Step Two: We will contact you if your application has been successful so you can make and submit your video. Please DO NOT send in a video unless you have been notified that your application has been successful!

Artist Agreement

By participating in this program, you hereby authorise SCBWI/CBCA NSW Branch to use these recordings to promote your book(s) and/or your video on the CBCA NSW Branch Story Scoop FB page and website page and SCBWI website or on third party websites. If the work you submit breaches any copyright you indemnify CBCA, SCBWI and SIXPIX PTY LTD for any loss they suffer as a result of that breach.

What We Need From You

• An original 6 min video – one that has not already been online.

• Please supply your final video in .mp4 format.

• Send the video using the free file transfer server, WeTransfer to deb@deborahabela.com

• Please provide a 30 word description of your segment, a bio, links to all socials, teachers notes and website.

 

SCBWI/CBCA NSW Branch will top and tail your video to include:

• Intro and outro slide and segment slides

• Show notes that will include your socials, how to contact you, teachers notes and where to buy your book.

 

Instructions for Recording your Presentation

• Please introduce yourself at the beginning of your video and welcome people to Story Scoop in your own way. ‘Welcome to Story Scoop….I am so excited about being part of Story Scoop…etc’

• Please keep your presentation to 6 minutes.

• When you start recording, leave a few seconds before speaking and stop recording a few seconds after your presentation ends. This will help in editing all 3 videos and banners together.

• Shoot your video in landscape format and make sure your camera is on a stable surface.

• Recording options: iPhone or webcam is fine or you may like to record on zoom or if you have a Mac you can use Quicktime.

• Do a short practice record to check lighting, sound, reflection/clarity of your book. Please use a microphone.

• Choose a quiet space. A furnished room with carpet and bookshelves will minimise echo. This could be your studio, workspace or somewhere else that gives some insight into who you are as an author/illustrator.

• Make your background appealing: You may wish to display your banner, your books or other props.

• Rehearse your talk. We want the feel of a natural chat not a reading from notes.

• No tech support will be offered to help you complete your video. Please refer to the notes supplied on how to create an engaging, well-shot video.

• The video you send needs to be finished and with good quality sound and vision. The Story Scoop team will not be editing your video. If your video quality isn’t up to a high standard of audio and video quality, it will not be included.

• All permissions to talk about your work are up to you. Please ensure you are not breaking copyright restrictions so the video can stay up indefinitely. Please do not record readings of whole picture books only what you are allowed re copyright.

• Your segment must be entertaining and of interest and value to teachers, librarians and parents.

 

For more Tips on How to Make Your Video Shine just CLICK HERE.

Segment titles

Please choose a segment title that will be displayed before your talk. Illustrators may choose any of these, including Illustrator Corner.

​

Illustrator Corner - You may like to draw, tell us about your images, show us how to draw…anything you like to show off your illustrating talents.

​

Picture Book Nook

​

Junior Fiction Gems

​

Middle Grade Magic

​

Sneak Peek - Give us a sneak peek into any aspect of your book: the inspiration, the artwork, your roughs. Focus on any aspect of writing/illustrating which would appeal to teachers/kids.

​

Fact or Fiction? - Reveal the fascinating facts behind your non-fiction or fact based story.

​

​

​