Bringing Stories To Life Online
By Bart Marable
Storytelling -- civilization's oldest art form for sharing ideas -- continues to grow in richness and complexity as we find effective, modern techniques for reaching audiences through the Web. Just as cinema and television developed their own unique approaches to storytelling, the Web offers designers new techniques for extending this ancient art form. Designers who develop online content are now learning to leverage the power of storytelling to create interactive experiences that are both cohesive and engaging to the user.
At Terra Incognita (which is a Latin phrase meaning "unknown territory"), we use the Web to tell interactive stories that explore various facets of human experience. Just like an expedition guide leading tours of the physical world, we lead expeditions into unfamiliar lands, time periods, and cultures through the Web. In producing projects for groups like the National Geographic Society, the National Park Service, NASA, the MCI Foundation, and Royal Caribbean International, we've explored sunken ships three miles below the ocean, uncovered fossil remains of early human ancestors in Africa, and even entered King Tutankhamen's burial chamber. In all of these projects, we've used stories to bring content to life.
Choosing the Right Story
Many times clients come to us with the spark of a story they'd like to tell. Our job is then to nourish this idea as it grows into an engaging, interactive story. In May 1998, National Geographic Online producers Michael Heasley and Laura Carter approached us about working together with them to develop an online feature about ancient Egypt.
