The first-person narrative is a story told from the perspective of a single character, speaking for and about herself. First person narratives are often used for describing personal experiences, feelings and stories. A first-person narrator explicitly refers to herself using words and phrases involving ‘I’, delivering a singular point of view to the viewer.

The first-person narrative presents a strong, well-developed perspective with which to identify, allowing the viewer to experience an immediate, intimate and spontaneous relationship with the narrator. Use a variety of camera shots (medium, medium closeup and closeup) and alter the quadrant that the video is placed in (left, center, right) to engage and maintain the viewer’s interest.

Written by Kate Lee, Smith College Senior Media Producer