What is a digital story?

  A digital story is a multimedia presentation combining a variety of digital elements within a narrative structure (a story). Media may include text, images, video, audio, social media elements (e.g. Tweets) and interactive elements (e.g. digital maps).

“…digital storytelling combines the best of two worlds: the "new world" of digitised video, photography and art, and the "old world" of telling stories.”

Dana Atchley, Digital Storytelling pioneer

1. Point of View  - the point of the story and why it is being told is clear.

 2. A Dramatic Question or Motif - the story effectively starts with a key question or motif that gets viewer's attention and is answered at the end of the story or has deeper meaning at the end of the story.  

3. Emotional Content - audience's emotions are engaged.

4. The Gift of Your Voice - the subject of the story narrates the video and personalises the content. 

5. The Power of the Soundtrack.  Music or other sounds are used to support and embellish the story.

6. Economy.  Story uses just enough content to tell the story without overloading the viewer.

7. Pacing.  The rhythm of the story and the pace which is progresses is smooth and effective. 

Life Stories told using the techniques of digital storytelling

Lenka RIP

A story about a trip to Prague, a small room in a bath house, and an Eastern-European spider.

This story was made in a workshop facilitated by the Center for Digital Storytelling 

Student Created Examples