WHAT VISUAL STORYTELLING What is visual storytelling? To use video, pictures, symbols, colors, and words to communicate ideas, illustrate infor- mation or express relationships visually. Visual storytelling is about making complex information easier to understand. Compel- ling Visuals grab people’s attention. It takes many forms and appears in many media. Some familiar forms include video, animation, charts, graphs, maps, diagrams or timelines. It tells a story with visuals. It can tell “how many?” “when?” or “where?” It can show trends over time, compare elements or reve- al hidden patterns. What is not visual storytelling? It is not the same as graphic design, film-making nor is it only about making so- mething aesthetically pleasing. It’s not about branding, style, making a glossy product or something that looks “corporate.” Visual storytelling is not just a matter of ma- king text pretty or entertaining, but of sha- ping understanding and clarifying meaning.