This document discusses storytelling in visual journalism. It provides tools, elements and techniques for creating good narratives through storytelling. Storytelling is a way of thinking that empowers good journalism, as long as it is not used to create fact-denying fairy tales. It also discusses the power of stories, different storytelling formats, and how everybody wants attention on social media newsfeeds. It provides tips for good storytelling such as keeping stories simple, real, emotional, and having value and universal connections for viewers.

1. STORYTELLING
I N V I S U A L J O U R N A L I S M

2. STORYTELLING FORMATS TOOLS

4. POWER
OF STORIES

5. STORYTELLING
IN POST TRUTH ERA
IS A COLLECTION OF TOOLS, ELEMENTS, TECHNIQUES TO CREATE GOOD NARRATIVES.
IT IS A WAY OF THINKING THAT EMPOWERS GOOD JOURNALISM.
IT IS NOT FACT DENYING FAIRY TALE STORY CREATING.

7. EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET SEEN
IN THE NEWSFEED
BATTLE FOR ATTENTION

8. 8copyrigh Aron Pilhofert

9. 9copyrigh Aron Pilhofer

10. 10 000 000 000
8 000 000 000
MOBILE VIDEO 2014
MOBILE VIDEO 2018
59%53%
MOBILE VIDEO
MOBILE READY DEVICES AND CONNECTIONS
PERSONAL DEVICES
69%
2018 - 2020

12. F R E E TA K E A W AY
YOU CAN PUSH
INFORMATION OUT
DRAG PEOPLE
INTO A STORY
OR

13. FACTS STORIES

14. STORYTELLING
UNDERSTAND
& REMEMBER
REPORTING
KNOWLEDGE

15. §
F R E E TA K E A W AY
well told stories make us
understand the world better
trough the eyes of someone else
UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF STORY

16. ander voorbeeld jens

17. CROSS MEDIA
DATA MINING
platform vs lineair
TRANS VS
IMMERSIVE
JOURNALISM
INTERACTIVEDOCS
animated journalism
C O N S T R U C T I V E
J O U R N A L I S M
NEWS GAMES
CROWD
SOURCING

18. EVERYTHING
STARTS WITH
A GOOD STORY

20. SIMPLE
One story with one baseline
REAL
Seek for authenticity in what you tell
and who you show
EMOTIONAL
Universal emotions and feelings
obstacles and goals
VALUE
An added value for the viewer
encourages action and reflection
A GOOD STORY

21. CONFLICT
UNIVERSAL
CONNECTION
CHARACTER
&
MOTIVATION
BUILDING BLOCKS
ONGOING
ACTION
Internal / external
Why should I care

23. F R E E TA K E A W AY
FIND THE UNIVERSAL
CONNECTION IN EVERY STORY
stories that connect us all
are stories about universal
feelings as love, loss, making
tough decisions, hope, …

24. Find a strong compelling character
that people can relate to.
Film him/her doing something other
than talking (unfolding action)
Look for a conflict or complication or
unanswered question that you will
resolve (or not).
Simplify your answer by the end of
the video.
Bob Sacha.

29. VIDEO
Keynote for Mac makes it simple to
create and deliver beautiful
KEYNOTE FOR MAC
PHOTOGRAPHY
Keynote for Mac makes it simple to
create and deliver beautiful
KEYNOTE FOR MAC
Keynote for Mac makes it simple to
create and deliver beautiful
KEYNOTE FOR MAC
MULTIMEDIA

31. copyrigh Aron Pilhofer

32. copyrigh Aron Pilhofer

36. A collaborative mashup experiment run by Daniella Zalcman (@dzalcman) and co-
founded with Danny Ghitis (@dannyghitis).
an Instagram project that combines photographs from different photographers and
locations into single, collaborative images

39. V I D E O S T O R Y T E L L I N G F O R T H E W E B

40. V I D E O S T O R Y T E L L I N G F O R T H E W E B

41. V I D E O S T O R Y T E L L I N G F O R T H E W E B

42. We can paint pictures of our entire lives
with our digital trails.
From what we consume and browse, to where and when we travel,
to our musical preferences, our first loves, our children’s
milestones, even our last wishes – it all can be tracked, digitized,
stored in the cloud and disseminated.
This universe of data can be surfaced to tell stories, answer
questions and impart an understanding of life in ways that is
currently surpassing even the most rigorous and careful
reconstruction of anecdotes. Elizabeth Wellington
DATA

43. DATA

44. HOW Y’ALL SYRIA HACKED ECHOSIGHT ECHOSIGHT + AJ
VOCATIV VOCATIV II GUARDIAN NPR
INSPIRATION

46. TOOLS VIDEO
SMARTPHONE
MICROPHONE
RIG

47. TOOLS VIDEO
SMARTPHONE
MICROPHONE
RIG
LIGHT

48. TOOLS VIDEO
RIG
MIC
EXTRA BATTERY
DJI OSMO
SMARTPHONE
LAVALIER MIC
…

49. FILM APP - FILMIC PRO OR IPHONE APP
EDITING APP: IMOVIE OR SPLICE
TEXT APP: GRAVIE OF IMOVIE
COLOR CORRECTION: VIDEO GRADE
TOOLS VIDEO

50. HIGH SENSOR CAMERA
TOOLS VIDEO
MICROPHONE
EXTERNAL MICROPHONE
EDITING SOFTWARE
EXTRA: PLURALEYES

51. WHAT IS YOUR FORM,
FORMAT AND LENGHT?
TOOLS PHOTOGRAPHY / MULTIMEDIA

52. Is it well-
known?
PERSON
WHAT IS THE STORY ABOUT?
Is their appear-
ance important?
Is their
background
important?
Is the person
doing some-
thing?
Video/Audio-
slideshow
TextPhoto Timeline
EVENT
Is a result
visible?
Is something
moving /
happening?
Is it visually
representable?
Do you have
video
material?
Are they
geographically
related?
Is it one
data set?
Is the data in
chronological
order?
Are all data
sets related to
one subject?
Do data sets
add up to
100%?
Are data sets
in chronologi-
cal order?
Do you have
photos?
Do you have
audio?
Is chronology
important?
Is it one
data set?
Does the data
equal 100%?
Are there
contemporary
witnesses?
Is there a
chronological
order?
Do they go
with the
photos?
Does the
data show a
process?
Is it visible?
Are there
interesting
details on site?
Is the location
easy to grasp?
Is the location
photogenic?
Is there
movement?
Are there
before/after
pictures?
Is it a
sequence?
Is sound
required?
Video / Audio-
slideshow
Map
Video / Audio-
slideshow
Animation
Timeline
Map with
Diagrams
Text
Pie Chart
Timeline
Horizontal Bar
Diagram
Complex
Infographic
Audio-
Slideshow
Sankey
Diagram
Photo Gallery
Vertical Bar
Diagram
Animated GIF
Map / Info-
graphic
Slide-over
360° Pano-
ramic Photo
Photo
Text
Timeline Photo Gallery Text
EXPLANATION
(How it works)
SETTING
(Location)
BACKGROUND
(Archival material)
FIGURES
(Statistics)
DONE!
Video Audio Text
Stacked Vertical
Bar Diagram
Stacked
Horizontal Bar
Diagram
Heat map
Complex
Infographics
MULTIMEDIA
STORYTELLING
How to find a form that fits the content
"FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION" OR HOW TO USE THIS CHART
There is a form that suits every element of a story best – no matter if you're
telling your story in print or online. This flowchart helps you to decide which part
of your story is best presented as text, pictures, video or as a graphic or chart.
Start with the question "What is the story about?" and answer every question
either with "yes" or "no". The coloured boxes indicate the most suitable form of
presentation.
Please note: This chart proposes forms you can use, but that does not necessarily
mean you should use all of them. Make choices based on your story and your
resources. The chart does not tell you what order to use the forms in. It's your
task to decide how best to tell your story.
DOWNLOAD THIS CHART
www.maz.ch/storytelling-tool
Versions in more languages will be coming
soon.
For questions regarding content, contact:
beat.ruedt@maz.ch;
for questions regarding usage rights and
translations:
alexandra.stark@maz.ch
Disclaimer: This chart is still being developed (Version 2, 11/2015). Developed by Beat Rüdt, Head of Visual Journalism Studies at MAZ - the
Swiss School of Journalism, with input from MAZ Head of Studies Alexandra Stark and Bernhard Riedman, multimedia editor of «Der Spiegel».
Translation: Andrew Curry (www.andrewcurry.com). Design: Tu Loahn Huynh, Sergeant (www.sergeant.ch).
Slide-over: juxtapose.knightlab.com
360° Panorama: photosynth.net
Animated GIFs: ezgif.com
Slideshows: www.photosnack.com
Slideshows: www.animoto.com
Photos
Downloader: keepvid.com
Editor: www.wevideo.com
Video / Audio / Slideshows
Comprehensive: timeline.knightlab.com
Easy to use: www.dipity.com
Timelines
Comprehensive: www.gischart.com
Free maps: www.openstreetmap.org
Maps
Comprehensive: infogr.am
Easy to use: www.datawrapper.de
Sankey Diagrams: sankeymatic.com/build
Simple Infographics
Comprehensive: www.piktochart.com
Photo-based Infographics: www.thinglink.com
Flowcharts: www.gliffy.com
Complex Infographics
Starter Kit: www.powtoon.com
Animation

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64. GREAT EDITING
GREAT REPORTING
GREAT STORYTELLING

65. THANK YOU
Q U E S T I O N S ?