Innovation behind the scenes: digital storytelling for ICT Research projects

Storytelling is a universal language. But how do you leverage the power of digital communication to tell more memorable stories that stick with your audience? Martel’s media team knows the art of crafting digital stories, using tools like graphics, animation, and high-quality video footage that immerse our audience in the narrative and drive them to action and deliver effective digital storytelling for ICT Research projects.

When choosing the format for our digital stories to communicate Research and Innovation projects, we look into:

• Our message: what is the subject or topic addressed by the research project?
• Our audience: who do we want to reach?
• And most importantly, the result: what is the action we want our audience to take after hearing, reading,or watching our story?  

Let us take the example of the video that Martel recently released for STADIEM, a research and innovation project, which carries a piloting and acceleration programme bringing together startups, scaleups, investors,and media organisations to foster the development of Next-Generation Media solutions.

STADIEM project is all about the Next-Generation Media. Due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the project partners met for the first time in Bergen, Norway, from September 29th to October 1st, 2021. Therefore a video seemed to be the most compelling format to tell the STADIEM story. The video allowed us to capture not only the project partners at work but also the energy behind the professional and social get-togethers that took place during their first three-day gathering after a year of solely remote collaboration. Most importantly, the partners also had their first chance to meet some of the startups/scaleups involved in the project’s programme, who were captured in action at the Startups Pitching Contest of the technology-focused Future Week – organized by the Norwegian project partner, Media City Bergen at their headquarters. 

Martel’s multimedia designer, Galileo Disperati who has extensive experience ranging from illustration and motion graphics to character animation and video, developed the concept, traveled to shoot on location, and edited the captured footage, producing a 50’ “after-film” that immerses the viewer in the mood and experience of the STADIEM event.

“Creating engaging and spot-on videos means, firstly, thorough planning and varied skills: writing, storyboarding – learning about the subject matter, in fact. This allows the focus on bringing home all the right shots on location. Once back to the office, the challenge is to shape the footage into the original concept, making sure to clearly communicate all that is capital for the project partners and while keeping the product engaging for stakeholders. In that sense, our aim is not only to show style and craft but try connecting emotionally with the viewer too: this, in a nutshell, is what Martel can offer as a unique asset to the communication and dissemination of a project: digital storytelling for ICT Research projects” said Galileo. 

Digital storytelling for ICT Research projects means having an effective communication of Research and Innovation projects. It is all about drafting stories that have more of a universal appeal across different audiences. In STADIEM’s case: media innovators, investors and incubators, broadcasters and media companies uptakers, but also the European citizens. 

The technologies STADIEM employs are complex – dealing with data, AI, machine learning, synthetic media, archiving, and monetization, among other areas – but that does not mean that it is impossible to explain our work to a broader audience. It is important to involve professionals, but ultimately the project results bring benefits to the citizens as well. In today’s ever changing media landscape, new technologies, such as artificial intelligence come with great opportunities, but also with significant challenges. STADIEM aims to co-create solutions to today’s largest media challenges, such as accessibility, diversity, and the fight against disinformation that strengthen our democratic society.

In the last 10 years, Martel has specialised in communication and marketing to promote research and innovation, disseminating and marketing science and technology across a variety of fields, primarily within the ICT domain, but extending to vertical sectors, such as Green Technologies, Cognitive Cloud, Artificial Intelligence for Human Empowerment, and Smart Cities. 

Martel’s international team of experts helps build the most effective communication and dissemination strategies and plans with a comprehensive media and communication toolbox, expert advice to draw in your audience and ensure that your innovation project is memorable.