Digital Storytelling

evolution of tradition & embracing technology

The Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast” got it right when Mrs. Potts sang “A tale as old as time”. Stories and storytelling are as old as time and universal. Each culture, religion, and tribe has its own stories that entertain and engage, unite, and connect. With the technologies available today, storytelling is evolving and taking on a radically different form, though the process stays the same. While the nostalgia of stories before bed, or around a campfire has its place, digital storytelling has risen to a deeper level. This is because of the addition and incorporation of videos, images, and audio files.

In digital storytelling, as well as in traditional storytelling, a particular topic and point of view are addressed. Author and educator Daniel Meadows described digital stories as “short, personal multimedia tales told from the heart.” The beauty of this form of digital expression is that it can be created by anyone, on any subject, and shared electronically with the world. He added digital stories are “multimedia sonnets.” (About Digital Storytelling, n.d.)[1]

“It’s like instead of just having a pencil to draw a picture, you are given the most radical and complex toolbox filled with paints, pastels, charcoal, different paper and canvas, crayons, markers, and a pencil. …imagine how much better your art, and the story you want to tell would be”?

Barry, Alice (2018). The Complete Marketer’s Guide to Digital Storytelling. https://www.meetcortex.com/blog/digital-storytelling

Creating a digital story is an engaging way to share information through experimenting with your creativity with different technologies. Digital storytelling is all around us and has enhanced what we were taught about traditional storytelling. To quote Alice Barry on digital storytelling “It’s like instead of just having a pencil to draw a picture, you are given the most radical and complex toolbox filled with paints, pastels, charcoal, different paper and canvas, crayons, markers, and a pencil. …imagine how much better your art, and the story you want to tell would be? (Barry, 2018)[2]

Digital stories can cover a wide variety of topics. For example, you can share a personal adventure, explain a concept, inform your audience about an historical event or debate an issue. Though they are normally less than 5 minutes long, the process is like writing a traditional story.

Your Story

1. Brainstorm

Consider how easy it is for your reader to swipe past your story. Ask yourself what you want your story to convey and then KEEP IT SHORT. Have a lead-in that will grab the attention of your reader.

2. Script & Storyboarding

The script and storyboard will give you a layout as to exactly how your story will play out for the reader. Deliver content that expresses a clear narrative.

3. Create your digital story

Collect and/or create your content. Keep your text minimal. Images are more compelling. SHOW ME, don’t tell me.

[1] Digital Storytelling (n.d.). What is digital storytelling? Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. Houston, TX

[2] Barry, Alice (2018). The Complete Marketer’s Guide to Digital Storytelling. https://www.meetcortex.com/blog/digital-storytelling