Digital storytelling seems to be a buzz word these days.
PR pros talk about they need to use storytelling as a strategy to persuade their stakeholders.
Journalists, especially the dying print breed, are rushing to learn more about digital technology as a new way to report news. Many retool themselves and have become backpack journalist.
Schools started to catch on and offer courses or workshops in digital storytelling that even I want to jump on the bandwagon.
All of this is good IF we would focus more on the “story” portion, and not making the digital or technology the primary element of the story.
As a person trained in journalism, I am often puzzled by the growing enthusiasm, at times at hyperbole stage, in the storytelling wave. The fact is journalism is always about telling a story. PR writers also find creative ways to craft their stories. Whether it be a hard story or a soft story, writers attempt to tell the story in a certain compelling way that would make readers read beyond the lead. The new challenge is the addition of digital media, be it still photos, movie clips or audio voice over, as part of the story.
But the gist still remains: What is the story? What is the content? What exactly do you want to convey through texts, audio and visuals.
How is the story told? What is the story plot? What photographs or other digital media do you want to use and why?
These are basic journalistic questions. Nothing new.
I’ve seen many poorly developed digital story projects with fancy pictures or flashy movie, but no content, no story. I am sure you have too.
So I want to share the ones that I thought were good examples of digital storytelling.
Why do I think they are exemplary? Three reasons.
Content. Content. Content.
Barista contest turns coffee into an art form
My Favorite. Narrative and photographs (slideshow)
Fun story with texts and still photographs
Feature news story with embedded video interviews
Do you have some good examples to share?
