Modern Storytelling

I do not "get" Instagram and Facebook Stories. Most of the time they are filled with fluff and do not really tell a story, but www.instagram.com/eva.stories demonstrates the potential of this new medium.

Published in conjunction with Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day, this story gives us a glimpse into the life of the young Eva Heyman, caught in the turmoil of World War II. Clearly this was not produced off the cuff or with little thought, and that is why it makes sense to me.

The unique Instagram account does not focus on still photos and comments but instead provides a chronological sequence of short video clips. Instead it's a modern, digital remake of a young girl's diary using the video capture style popular with teens today.

The difference is not in the method or tool used to tell the story, but the care and attention paid to the telling. Even though the camera work is styled like a modern teen video capture, it conveys the narrative within our modern framework. Until now, I couldn't see a use for Instagram's Stories feature, and still wonder if it will stand the test of time, but at least there is one story worth hearing.