Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

With changing styles of media, it is important to look at story structure. The shift in audience metrics from “exposure” to “engagement” offers important opportunities for makers to think about different ways of communicating a message. Different communication paths containing the message, or story, and the message can be structured in what could be describe as “micro-narratives”—small narrative units that, like Legos, can be disaggregated and reconfigured in various ways (Uricchio 2015). This is where interactive documentary/storytelling come into play. This paper examines the idea that creating positive solutions-based digital stories can enhance the narrative for social awareness through aspects of the social learning theory. Interactive media/documentary/storytelling combined with the use of interactive and social media tools create the stage, audience, and actors that are needed to bring about social awareness, engagement, and change. In theory, if this is done in a positive way it will create an audience and interaction that is positive as well.