Digital Storytelling Instant Expert Video
On the left, we see a headshot of a light-skinned man who looks to be in his thirties. The gentleman has short, dark brown hair and a trimmed beard with a fair bit of dark stubble. He’s wearing a casual red button-down shirt.
On the right side of the screen, we see a series of slides. The first slide has a light blue, grid-patterned background, with a large blue circle in the center that contains the text ‘DIGITAL STORYTELLING’ in white.
The next slide features a red and dark red striped background, with an orange circle in the center that reads ‘WHAT IS A DIGITAL STORY?’
Next, the slide transitions to a webpage from ‘STORYCENTER: LISTEN DEEPLY. TELL STORIES.’ Its primary statement is: ‘WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF STORY. AS FOUNDERS OF THE DIGITAL STORYTELLING MOVEMENT, WE HAVE HELPED 100,000 PEOPLE SHARE STORIES FROM THEIR LIVES.’ We see a laptop is displaying video editing software. The website is storycenter.org.
The subsequent slide asks ‘Why digital storytelling?’ It suggests that it involves ‘Media-making with a low barrier for participation.’
Next, three circles appear in red, blue, and purple, labeled respectively ‘Images’, ‘Narration’, and ‘Music’.
The video then continues to detail the components of digital storytelling, beginning with the Narration, which involves spoken word. The image is a solid blue circle with a white speech bubble icon. The segment explains that narration can help get the facts across while the image and music communicate how an audience should feel about the story. Next, the discussion covers Images. The illustration includes an image with a line drawing of a photograph in a circular red space. The presenter details how to use a comic book approach, which involves images and text as part of the narrative. There is then a turn to the picture book style, where images illustrate the mood of the narration.
The presentation progresses, and then music is introduced. Usually, music is the last element that you choose. It’s better to fit the mood of the story rather than focusing on a movie soundtrack.
The presentation concludes by looking at the ‘QUALITIES OF A COMPELLING DIGITAL STORY,’ namely clarity, point of view, and emotion, and uses a three-part story structure of goal, challenge, and resolution. It can also be helpful to create a storyboard to keep ideas in order. The narration, image, and music options can be selected in a story table chart.
The final portion of the presentation showcases the Digital Storytelling Tool and some of the digital storytelling techniques. Viewers have access to user-generated content, licensed photos and videos, public domains, and creative commons. Viewers are given instructions on recording an audio clip or selecting background music. The story is then available to render and download.