Big Stories - an amazing Digital Storytelling Project

Submitted by Connecting Up on 19 October, 2009 - 14:43

If you have ever wanted to learn more about digital stroytelling and how it can work for a community the Big Stories Project is a great example to check out.

Two film makers : Jeni Lee and Sieh Mchawala with Martin Potter all from the Media Resource Centre ran a project and workshops in a town called Port Augusta in South Australia to produce " Big Stories".

I heard about Big Stories when I met with Gayle Mather from Umeewarra Aboriginal Media Association in Port Augusta recently. Gayle sent me the link to Big Stories after I thanked her for her time and commented on how I was inspired by her passion and comitment to the community there. She sent me the link to her story to help explain why she is so passionate. Wow! That a powerful way to explain something! Check out Gayle's story.

Gayle also spoke to me about the healing qualities of the digital storytelling. Storytelling is a powerful healing process as we know the 'narrative' is one of the most common ways to counsel and share trauma, share expereinces, educate and learn. But the "digital" component adds another quality which makes the sharing broader and documents the story in such a concise and emotional medium - so that the storyteller can see their own story and share it as desired.

The digital medium can also have so many applications and be directed at so many different audiences for different reasons, simply via a link as we have done here or via a You Tube chanel - free web tools.

Here's an example of a great youth organisation using video to explain what they do on their home page : Albury Wodonga Youth Project

Here's an example of an arts organisation using video to spread their message : Circus Oz

The key with digital storytelling - recording a video or audio of a story, editing it and distributing it via the web is that it can be easy and low cost. Check out this link from the full day workshop at this year's Connecting Up conference on how to make a web video - takes you step by step through the process : Web Video workshop

You may also find this a useful resource : Free Vlog

If you or your organisation has a great story share it with us, showcase it on the Nonprofit showcase here at Connecting Up - tell us about it so we can share it with your peers and others.

Author : Karen Gryst