{"id":5,"date":"2015-01-28T18:01:50","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T18:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader6\/chapter\/chapter-1\/"},"modified":"2022-07-22T20:36:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-22T20:36:48","slug":"chapter-1","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader6\/chapter\/chapter-1\/","title":{"raw":"Storytelling Goes Digital","rendered":"Storytelling Goes Digital"},"content":{"raw":"

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.<\/p>\r\nhttps:\/\/media.bccampus.ca\/id\/0_lw6c12up?width=608&height=70&playerId=23449753\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_19\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"450\"]\".\"<\/a> Storybook[\/caption]\r\n\r\n\u201cThe truth about stories is that\u2019s all we are,\u201d writes Thomas King. We are the stories we tell about ourselves and the stories others tell about us. In this way, we need to share stories as much as we need to breathe air. Through stories, we learn. We celebrate. We remember. We pass down knowledge. We heal. We [pb_glossary id=\"678\"]honour[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>. We grow as individuals. We connect with others and we grow as communities. In short, we are alive through our stories.\r\n\r\nBefore there were books, radio, television, or movies, [pb_glossary id=\"696\"]ordinary[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> people entertained one another by telling stories. Their stories were [pb_glossary id=\"711\"]recited[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, acted out, sung, and written down. [pb_glossary id=\"685\"]Inventions[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>\u00a0like the printing press and television\u00a0airwaves\u00a0have now made it possible to share stories with a large number of people in faraway places. At the same time, storytelling has become the\u00a0role\u00a0of\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"707\"]professionals[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, including authors, journalists, and filmmakers. Large companies have the power to decide whose stories will be shared widely. Some voices tend to be left out. Stories from the [pb_glossary id=\"702\"]point of view[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> of women, working class people, people of colour, queer and trans people, and people with disabilities are not always given equal space.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_112\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"450\"]\".\"<\/a> Digital stories[\/caption]\r\n\r\nWith the [pb_glossary id=\"685\"]invention[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> of the personal computer, a new kind of storytelling has appeared. It\u2019s called digital storytelling. A digital story is a short film made by an [pb_glossary id=\"696\"]ordinary[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> person, rather than a [pb_glossary id=\"707\"]professional[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> storyteller. It [pb_glossary id=\"654\"]combines[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> images, sound, and text to tell a story about a part of that person\u2019s life. This form of do-it-yourself media invites us all to take back\u00a0our [pb_glossary id=\"714\"]role[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> as storytellers. Everyone\u2019s voice matters. We all have something to say. Anyone with an [pb_glossary id=\"695\"]online[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> computer can make a digital story and share it with the world. This change has made it possible for people who have been silenced\u00a0to speak out and be heard.\r\n\r\nThis book will introduce you to many\u00a0moving digital stories created by [pb_glossary id=\"696\"]ordinary[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> people. It will also guide you through the process of making\u00a0your own digital story. It is based on the work of the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley, California. This organization is one of the pioneers of digital storytelling. For over 20 years, the Center has been running\u00a0workshops that teach people around the world to express themselves using this art form. You can learn more about the Center for Digital Storytelling at www.storycenter.org<\/a>.\r\n

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Digital Story Spotlight<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAll the Truly Important Things<\/em> is a digital story by Eric Zheng. It was created as part of the Banyan Tree Project, a campaign to end HIV stigma in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. HIV is a [pb_glossary id=\"726\"]virus[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> that makes it hard for your body to fight other infections. There is a lot of stigma, or negative and unfair beliefs, around HIV. This stigma makes it harder to live with and fight against this illness. Many people are afraid to talk about HIV, get tested for it, or get treated for the disease. As a result, HIV continues to spread. The Banyan Tree Project organized a digital storytelling project to help Asian and Pacific Islanders living with HIV share how they have been affected by this disease. These digital stories break the silence around HIV and, in doing so, they are helping to fight shame and judgment.\r\n\r\nAs you watch All the Truly Important Things<\/em>, think about these questions:\r\n