The Story of Stuff is one of those special examples of storytelling where everything just comes together. A combination of the use of different methods of multimedia paired with compelling content make this a totally engaging video. I will undoubtedly be forced over the next couple of days to find time to watch the rest of these.
The narration is well-thought out and well-written and the speaker is clearly educated and passionate about the subject. The animations add a visual dimension that is just enough to keep your attention focused on what is being discussed while also serving as visual cues to trigger the users own personal experiences and memories.
One of the most compelling elements is the use of audio and sound effects. It is so clean and fluid in the way that it is connected with the animations that I almost didn’t notice is, until I did. Once I did I realized that it was the audio that was really enabling the animation to cue experiences.
The style of the piece reminded me a lot of the RSA Animate series which is similar in that it uses a white background with basic black illustrations. They are not animated, however, and are more in the vein of the UPS commercials, being drawn live as the speaker is talking. They remind me more of Motion Typography. They are also similar in that they both tackle controversial issues that many people don’t think about or fully understand. Though I have been keeping up with RSA Animate for a few years, I found the Story of Stuff much more compelling overall. I think it’s the seamless combination of all of the different multimedia elements that really bring it home.