Storysquare: Using Technology To Inspire Journalism

Here’s another great example of an ecosystem we weren’t aware of until we partnered with Storysquare.

Many journalism students write excellent news stories as a part of their classes and degrees. They put a huge amount of effort into them and the results can sometimes be outstanding. But, without any connections, the stories they write end up getting shelved.

Storysquare provides a hub for journalism students to connect with media outlets. The media outlets can browse story ideas and request full content. The students can potentially get published, earn money, and get a professional credit. Their school can get noticed. Even readers win by getting access to news content that may have been previously ignored. Everyone wins with Storysquare.

challenge // Get The Word Out With An Explainer Video

Storysquare has an interesting idea, but a very specific target audience; journalism students and media outlets who are looking for stories. We had to create an animated explainer video that was attractive to both of those, while communicating to them in terms befitting of their industry and world.

Solution // Use What Works

While the idea of Storysquare is a unique one, our approach to help them is a tried and true method. We decided that creating a standard 2D animated explainer video was the best choice to spread the word. We began by using one of our favorite script structures — the problem, solution, benefits script. It’s basic, it’s common, but boy does it work. The problem? Media outlets are always looking for a scoop and journalism students may have one but have got no way to shop it around. The solution? Storyspace.com’s hub. Using warm visuals featuring characters acting out the scenes, we created an easy-to-understand narrative and painted a clear, compelling picture.