Creating A Digital Story - Your Place on the Wheel

You have your idea. You have put it in a fixed form on paper or in a cloud. How are you going to show it? How will you tell your story? With what tools? How much time have you got? How will your audience technologically receive your story? Will it eat up their data plan?

What method would best serve your story? You have a lot of choices; the ideas below are just touch points/idea generators.

I have a expansive view of how to create a video. If you work it right a series of screen captures with narration could be a big hit. Who is to say that a well planned GIF can't be a digital story or a means of delivering a tutorial?

Ken Burns made bank on using history, old photos and narration with his documentary on the U.S. Civil War.  The New York Times Video unit is telling strong stories by using music, narration, photos and video.

And X=Unknown?

Yes. Because Microsoft is coming out with a new presentation format called Microsoft Sway. Other vendors are searching for ways to help users and creatives to tell stories more effectively without building from scratch. A new app could show up a week from now that will blow your socks off in simplicity.

There is another reason why you should think of this now.

Lets say you decide using photos and audio is the way to go. Your energy is now directed to getting the photos, recording your audio and finding the software that will help you assemble your story quickly.

That might be Animoto,  Smilebox, Slidely, Roxio PhotoShow. It might mean using a presentation software like PowerPoint, Keynote or OpenOffice Impress.  It could mean laying out cash money for something like Photodex Producer; if you want a professional level of control.

Choices.

Other Posts of Interest

• Creativity
• Documentary and Personal Narrative
• How To
• Planning
• Apps and Software
• Storytelling
• Home Page for Mobile Users