One in 8 Million

Source: New York Times
Interviewer: J. David Goodman
Photography : Todd Heisler

Martin Jorgensen, who hosts the digital narrative , alerted his twitter followers today about the terrific "One in 8 Million" digital storytelling website from the New York Times. These are timeless stories which, in my humble opinion, are the true definition of digital storytelling.

In this story we are introduced to a teenager from New York. During the almost 3 minutes we get an up-close-and- personal-story told to us in a voice that allows the viewer to listen in a way that is quite personal. We hear that she is a very busy person. She does not have much time in her life where she is not doing something.

If I was starting a digital storytelling workshop with students right now, I'd start with this example and then I would have the students voice their story. I may write a number of questions the students could answer just to get them started, then sit with them, start the digital recorder, press record and see what comes of it.

Notice her "voice" in the story is natural. It is as if she is "just telling" her story to an Aunt or Grandmother over tea at the kitchen table. You come away from hearing/seeing this story with just what this person's life is like on a typical day.

Very engaging.