To This Day: A powerful narrative in transformation

In Will Eisner’s wonderful book Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, Graphic Narrative is defined as “…a generic description of any narrative that employs image to transmit and idea. Film and comics both engage in graphic narrative.” Other forms of digital storytelling meet this definition, too, such as this example below which is a beautifully written and powerfully delivered poem by Canadian poet and writer Shane Koyczan. Koyczan teamed up with a host of volunteer animators to produce a seven-minute visual narrative called To This Day. It's a fantastic project. It's a great piece as an audio track, but with the help of animators it became something even more powerful. It has been up for a short time but the evocative, provocative video has received millions of views already.  Watch it on YouYube.



Can the audience relate?
This graphic narrative is something virtually everyone can relate to at some level. Even if one were fortunate enough to have never been bullied in any way at school, surely no one has escape childhood without witnessing the cruel hand of bullying in the classroom and elsewhere or verbal abuse at home. This video resonates with so many because virtually everyone can share what the storyteller had the courage to share here. Koyczan's message is an important one to hear and to share.

“An Audience is always interested in experiences of someone with whom they can relate. There is something very private that occurs within the reader [or listener/viewer] while he ‘shares’ the actor’s experience. The operative word is ‘share,’ because the inner feelings of the protagonist are understandable to the reader who would have similar emotions under the same circumstances.”

                    — Will Eisner in Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative

• To This Day on Vimeo

Comments

[generic-cialis-rx]

very good video is animated this video is attract from children

[presentation]

very nice video, I will share it in my blog

[Covered California]

I checked out this site and kind of love it

[Candles Votive]

What a nice presentation. It's very informative. Thanks!

[Kellie]

Thank you for sharing. If this video is shared around the world then it'll be a better place [or should say for schools].

[Magento Consultant]

I witnessed your enunciation of your narrative…..and wish I could recall myself more of it. I perceived it as very profound…….please consider publishing it!

[Monica]

Nice video. This is really informative and interesting...