1. The Evolution of
Digital Storytelling
Digital Storytelling

2. Non-Linear Stories

3. Chicago Tribune
1996

4. Leah Gentry
Non-Linear Storytelling
Non-Linear Storytelling
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Deconstruct
Reconstruct
Micro Element
Macro Elements

5. Code Blue story
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 1996 18:15:08 -0400To: onlinenews@marketplace.comFrom: LGentry@tribune.com (by way
of Scott J. Anderson)Subject: Code Blue: Survival in the Sky
The Chicago Tribune today publishes its special report:
Code Blue: Survival in the Sky by Pulitzer Prize winner John
Crewdson. The series examines in-flight medical emergencies
and how airlines cope with them. We invite you to
experience our latest go at non-linear storytelling, the Internet
version of this series, at www.chicago.tribune.com Let us
know what you think. Leah Gentry Internet editor
Chicago Tribune lgentry@tribune.com

6. Tribune Non-Linear
Story Packages
• Code Blue: Survival in the Sky - 1996
• Chicago: The Convention Capital - 1996

7. Chicago Conventions
Tour Guide
• Story tours of six conventions - micro
• Stories about what was happening in
Chicago at the time - macro
• Archives of stories and political cartoons
from the time - macro

8. Touching Hearts
Durham Herald Sun
2000

9. 3 sections in Flash

10. Iraq Votes
Associated Press
March 2010

11. 6 sections in Flash

12. Empty Cradles
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
January 2011

13. 8 sections in HTML

14. Rethinking Immigration
Toronto Globe and Mail
May 2012

15. 9 sections in HTML

16. Explore the 80s
National Geographic
2013

17. Immersive in HTML

18. Non-Linear Story
Advantages
• Multiple entry points to attract readers
• People can choose what to read
• More depth of information
• Takes advantage of different media forms

19. Non-Linear Story
Challenges
• Decline of Flash
• “My CMS sucks”
• Converting linear to non-linear is costly

20. Linear Narratives

21. Blackhawk Down
Philadelphia Inquirer
1997

22. 29 chapters text based

23. Uprooted
San Jose Mercury News
December 2007

24. 6 chapters in video

25. A Toxic Pipeline
New York Times
2008

26. Multimedia on the side

27. Wal-Mart Abroad
December 2012

28. Contextual multimedia

29. Snow Fall
New York Times
December 2012

30. Embedded multimedia

31. Snow Fall in the CMS

32. Snow Fall in the CMS

33. Killing Kennedy
National Geographic
November 2013

34. Sons of Snow Fall

35. NSA Files: Decoded
The Guardian
December 2013

36. Integrated multimedia

37. Hollow
Elaine McMillan
June 2013

38. Immersive visual

39. Linear Story
Advantages
• People love storytelling
• More coherent narrative
• More engaging
• Familiar story form
• Author controls the experience

40. What Do People Prefer

41. Traditional
Story
•Effective for getting people to
read in detail

42. Topical Story
•Information is easier to
understand
•Better learning experience
•Prefer it over traditional
approach

43. Combining
Linear and Non-Linear
Linear and Non-Linear
• Compelling main linear story
• Other information as non-linear segments

44. Back to
Leah Gentry
Leah Gentry
• Micro Element - main linear story
• Macro Elements - contextual segments
people can choose to read