A Brief History of Storytelling

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to examine the history of storytelling. This brief history includes the concept of storytelling from myths to the digital era. In the first part of the chapter, the origins of storytelling in primitive communities and its development in later periods are examined. In the second part of the chapter, the development process of digital storytelling is explained. According to this, traditional storytelling has gained a new form called digital storytelling which started with a workshop in 1993 by Dana Atchley. One year later, the Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) was established in Berkley, CA. The Center for Digital Storytelling has organized workshops and partnered with organizations around the world to hold projects on story facilitation, digital storytelling and other forms of digital media production and since 1993, it has helped more than 20,000 people to share their own stories. Though the digital storytelling movement started in North America, it has also spread in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and South America. The movement has found a place in the world of today.

Storytelling to Improve Speaking Skills

“…Traditional storytelling is the action of telling factual and fictional stories to others. This started with the use of visuals or drawings, then shifted to oral communication and subsequently to written stories (Yilmaz & Cigerci, 2018). Traditional storytelling occurs when people socialize and shares information, thus we can say that it is a daily common routine among human beings.…”

The Use of Storytelling in Virtual Reality for Studying Empathy: A Review

“…With rapid technological change and innovation, and the world becoming as digitized as ever, technology has an impact on the art form of storytelling as well [1]. Digital storytelling is defined as the idea of combining the art of telling stories with a mixture of digital graphics, text, recorded audio narration, video, and music [6], [7].…”

“…Well known companies and institutions have been making VR 360° degrees films from charities like the International Rescue Committee (IRC) 1 and Amnesty International 2 , immersing people in the world of a refugee camp in Lebanon and Syria. Moreover, the United Nations run a program called "United Nations Virtual Reality (UNVR)", which uses the power of immersive storytelling to inspire viewers toward increased empathy, action and positive social change.…”

“…The art of storytelling has been around since humans have been able to communicate [1] and emerged from basic human needs like recording history, entertainment, and sharing experiences with other people. Before humans invented and adopted written forms of communication, they used drawing (dating back to the stone age), poems, songs, and dance [2].…”

The changing nature of News Reporting, Story Development and Editing

“…We can therefore say that the use of technology has modified the way we interact with others in the form of storytelling. Technology and digital media has truly contributed to the creation of motion pictures, photography, social media and other influential forms of communication (Yilmaz, and Cigerci, 2018). People are also resorting to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to express their thoughts in the form of stories.…”