The democratization of creative tools—code, data and algorithms—have changed the relationship between creator and audience. Stories are spilling off screens and into the real world and a new storytelling grammar is being shaped due to shifts in media consumption and device penetration.

bit by bit is a week-long exploration and reflection on the powerful pairing of story and technology and the roles they play in society—discovering and reimagining the poignant and the persuasive, the confining and liberating.

On Saturday, February 22nd a group of storytellers, hackers, makers, game developers and experience designers came together for a day full of experimentation, coding, networking and fun. Designed to push at the edges of form and function, Experiments in Digital Storytelling invited participants to challenge the way stories are told and experienced. Over the course of the day teams worked to design, build and present a plan for a project of their choosing. The challenge – harness storytelling and technology as a way to create a storytelling experience that evokes emotion and empathy.

Bit by Bit: Experiments in Digital Storytelling is a joint effort between the Brown Institute of Media Innovation, Columbia School of Journalism, the Digital Storytelling Lab @Columbia and Reboot Stories. Special thanks to our sponsor AOL.