Digital Storytelling: Media That Makes a Difference

Abstract

Storytelling is an ancient concept. Digital technology is a modern concept. Together they provide a future for stories to live on forever. We share stories to motivate, evaluate and respond to our world, and when the world becomes an increasingly digital place, the stories become easier to tell and share. DigiEnable is a company that has worked with a wide variety of people from different demographic backgrounds, to train and support them, in telling their stories in a digital way. Digital technology (the Internet and the World Wide Web) go hand in hand with understanding and training people in the use of technology, but it also gives people the opportunity to share stories with the world digitally, too. However, it is important to remember that it is not the platform, quality, framing or focus of the shot; rather, it is the character, the real-life human being, the story, the impact to the community that is the focus. After reading this chapter, we urge you to find examples of digital storytelling in your area or sector (there are some useful links in the reference section), and start to create some of your own digital stories. It does not matter what type of media you use to create the story (there are a wide variety to choose from), which means you can also make it really fun and creative.