Transmedia Storytelling: How a Story Comes to Life on All Platforms

Never before have we had almost unlimited choices for where and how to consume our stories. Between still photography, video, social media, print publications, digital publications, podcasts, and the metaverse —  photographers and photo editors are being asked to juggle more media and more platforms for their stories.

So how do your stories stand out?

After working at National Geographic for almost a decade, photo editor Mallory Benedict has focused on bringing stories to life on a wide array of National Geographic’s iconic platforms, working to meet its readers where they are and usher in a new generation of fans.

During this four-hour online seminar, Mallory will discuss the making of a picture story from beginning to end, and the many hats a photo editor wears in the process. From conceptualizing and pitching an idea, to ensuring powerful storytelling unique to each platform, she shares her experiences building robust National Geographic stories for magazine readers and Tiktok followers alike.

Next students will be able to become part of the editing process at National Geographic by practicing editing and sequencing a real National Geographic assignment in advance of the seminar. During the live program, Mallory will demonstrate how she would edit and sequence the same images and discuss in detail each step of her process. The opportunity to ask questions and compare student edits is a valuable part of this education process.

Among the biggest challenges for photographers today is getting noticed, figuring out the most appropriate platform for your stories, and developing the skills to become a better editor of your own photographs. Mallory will share strategies that can help with these challenges, and assist with your development as a photographer.