Digital Storytelling and its Importance in a Digital World | Peel X
Since Peel X launched in 2012, the company has become known for its expertise in innovative, cutting-edge digital storytelling. By taking a unique approach to each project, the team at Peel X ensure that they create digital experiences for clients across multiple sectors.
Peel X create visionary experiences through the use of virtual reality, augmented reality and new technologies. But they also have the expertise necessary for the core tenet of digital storytelling — an understanding of the strength of a good narrative.
Digital storytelling creates immersion
Digital storytelling uses multimedia tools combined with traditional narrative techniques to bring stories to life. A short form of digital media, digital stories are accessible and emotive.
Every time a social media user creates a video on YouTube or TikTok, they are creating their own digital story. The digital sphere has created space for people to share their own personal narratives, whether that’s sharing for education purposes or to help other people or just to gain a voice for themselves.
Stories are part of what makes us human and have been with us as long as we’ve been living together in groups.
Storytelling throughout history
Stories define our lives and always have done. The only difference over the centuries is the medium through which people tell the stories. From the earliest cave paintings in France that date back 30,000 years to the first printed epic carved into the walls of an ancient city in 700BC, the evidence for our need for stories is everywhere.
Throughout the 17th and 18th century, literacy levels rose and so did the accessibility of books, newspapers and magazines. In 1826, photography ushered in a new era of visual storytelling, something that soon developed into colour photos.
In 1939, the television marked another major sea-change in the way we make, tell, absorb and access storytelling. This, of course, allowed the use of multimedia tools ranging from audio to music and film to editing techniques to refine storytelling.
The range of digital storytelling today
In 2023, we absorb stories in all kinds of ways. From video game narratives to short bursts of information absorbed from social media, the forms for storytelling evolve all the time.
Today, in fact, digital storytelling is a day-to-day phenomenon for billions of people. Specialist companies like Peel X bring virtual reality and augmented reality to the mix of video clips, script writing and filming techniques to create bespoke digital storytelling depending on the audience need.
Digital stories aren’t constrained by the rules of traditional storytelling. This means they can break convention and become something new.
Digital storytelling is used across multiple sectors
The potential of digital storytelling was first seized on by the education sector as a way to engage students and encouraging creativity. Digital stories work for education at every level and in corporate and health environments too.
Examples include the Silence Speaks initiative, which utilised digital storytelling in public health and social services in the US. Patient Voices in the UK offered a way to share experiences in a similar way.
In the corporate sector, digital storytelling is often used as a tool to facilitate content created by users. An example would be platforms that encourage consumers to leave reviews and tell their own personal story about a service or product.
What does a digital story need to be effective?
Digital storytelling pioneer Joe Lambert presents seven key elements of digital storytelling.
1. A specific point of view
Every story should be person for the writer/author in order to be effective. A question
2. A dramatic question
In order to keep the watcher engaged , a story needs to have a dramatic question that can be resolved at the end.
3. Intent to elicit emotion
Every digital story needs to create some form of emotion in the watcher.
4. The writer’s own voice
A good technique to personalise the story is to use audio of the person.
5. Careful use of multimedia
Digital storytelling is visual, but the temptation to overuse too many technologies can kill the story.
6. Be careful with pacing
A story’s pacing is very important and different forms can be used to manage it, such as music, soundtrack, audio and judicious use of other technologies
7. Soundtrack
The soundtrack to the story is important in whatever form it takes.
How does Peel X make digital stories work?
Peel X is an Extended Reality (XR) creator and uses all kinds of experience to make this happen. The team includes animators, modellers, researchers, audio experts, hardware installers, writers, videographers and film makers.
Uist Unearthed is a great example of the way the Peel X team uses digital storytelling to bring the past to life. The AR app was developed for The University of the Highlands and Islands and the Outer Hebrides to bring stories of the remote North and South Uist’s archaeological sites to life. This archaeological storytelling in a virtual environment works so well that the British Museum exhibited it.
Peel X also uses AR to revitalise the UK’s High Street. Working with a range of heritage sites and local authorities including the York BID, Nottingham BID, Ilkley BID, Tamworth Borough Council to create bespoke city/town AR Trail Apps. The apps have different content depending on the time of year and create totally unique experiences for people who are exploring these towns and cities.
Digital stories make immersive experiences work
Peel X uses different forms of digital storytelling to create innovative, cutting-edge immersive experiences that change the user’s perception of the subject matter in a profound way.
