Instinctively, when people have wanted to communicate complex ideas in a simple way, encourage others to take action or demonstrate the impact of something on the real world, we have turned to stories to help. Away from our institutions we’re telling and absorbing stories all the time. But despite this fact it’s not something we do enough of as part of our practice. Digital storytelling is an idea that has been around for a few years but remains underused in public engagement activities. Unlike full scale video production, digital storytelling refers to a variety of technologies and approaches that allow people without advanced digital media skills to create short pieces of engaging narrative-based video, usually relating a personal experience. Digital storytelling has applications in many areas including working with community groups, showing evidence of impact and encouraging public engagement with research. The session aims to inspire you to investigate how you can use this flexible and accessible approach to dramatically enhance how you communicate with diverse external audiences. We will show some example stories, including one from a practitioner academic who works in the overlapping areas of education, academia and technology. As well as evaluating these stories you will have an opportunity to develop some ideas for how you could use the techniques and find out about some of the important technological aspects of digital storytelling.

1. www.netskills.ac.uk
Digital storytelling for public
engagement
Dr Caroline Ingram
Chris Thomson

2. What do we mean by digital storytelling?
"Are you ready?" by ssh CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/27LUj

3. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
What do we mean by digital
storytelling?
 Based on Centre for Digital Storytelling (CDS)
method
 Personal
 Authentic
 Controlled by the storyteller

4. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
The format
 Short – 2-3 mins
 Recorded voiceover
 Still images – enhanced with subtle effects
 Text
 Optional music & sound effects
 Minimal use of video

5. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Stories for public engagement
https://vimeo.com/45072236

6. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Stories about public engagement
http://youtu.be/emvVToYIOhQ

7. "Cafe Life in Tigre - Near Buenos Aires – Argentina" by Adam Jones CC-BY-SA http://flic.kr/p/6KqjEP
Write stories to engage

8. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Why use stories?
 Intuitive form of communication
 Memorable
 Persuasive
 Audience as active participant
 A window onto bigger things…

9. "Typewriter" by xlibber CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/8p35CL
Writing for digital storytelling

10. "11/365: "?"" by Andrés Nieto Porras CC-BY-SA http://flic.kr/p/99rwUV
What is the story really about?

11. "Saving the world!"
"Hurricane Carlotta Stands Out in Earth View" by NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/ceLYvE

12. Journeys
"Icelandic Road" By Chalky Lives CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/5oLpDA

13. Defeating the dragon
"Sculpture of Dragon [Forbidden City / Beijing]" by d'n'c CC-BY-SA http://flic.kr/p/aQs2o

14. Above all, change
"Making the Change" by Jay-P CC-BY-ND http://flic.kr/p/pFUjp

15. "Texture 50" by Ellenvd CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/9tJf2v
Tell someone the story

16. "Tragedy" by Johnathan Nightingale CC-BY-SA http://flic.kr/p/cd3WpL
What actually happened?

17. Who did it happen to?
"rencontre improbable / improbable meeting" By Olivier Bacquet CC-BYhttp://flic.kr/p/5L3xpz

18. Talk about emotions
"Heart of Light" by Emmanuel Huybrechts CC-BY http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensh/3440275790/

19. "Checkered flag - gotta have one" by Paul Baker CC-BY-SA http://flic.kr/p/8eo2eC
Nail the first and last sentences

20. "The Anxious Type" by JD Hancock CC-BY http://flic.kr/p/6qLxSy
Tell small stories to make a big point

21. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Where are your stories?
 What "journey" are you on?
 Is there a "dragon" you're trying to overcome?
 A particular moment/event
 How does it point to the bigger picture?
 Who is the best person to tell the story?

22. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Different styles of digital
storytelling
 Interactive
– http://highrise.nfb.ca/
– http://storygami.co/ontheline/
 Map-based stories
– http://e.nagasaki.mapping.jp/
 Social media stories
– http://storify.com
 "Distributed" stories
– http://www.madeinmind.co.uk/

23. Digital storytelling for public engagement
© Netskills 2013
Resources
http://bit.ly/netskills-ds4pe