Review of MediaStorm

Brian Storm is bringing the art of storytelling to a new level. With over a decade of multimedia and photojournalism experience, the former Corbis VP launched MediaStorm in November 2005 as the online multimedia arm of his highly successful production company and consulting firm.

From in-depth documentaries and personal essays to the purely artistic, MediaStorm provides a dynamic showcase for next-generation storytellers to connect their engaging narratives with viewers seeking impassioned content. 

An Emmy award-winning producer/director, a Magnum photographer, and a top underground hip-hop DJ/producer comprise just a portion of the list of storytellers whose live-action and photo-audio-driven projects you can find featured on MediaStorm.  The stories cover a wide array of relevant topics – an aging man’s live-action struggle with Parkinson’s; a photographic journey through the ghettos, farmlands, and lifestyles of modern-day Cuba; an insight into the lives of Americans with loved ones killed in Iraq.

The one thing each video has in common is that the quality is incredible. A quick glance at the viewer’s feedback below each story will tell you that, “From heartwarming to heartbreaking, these are timeless and intimate tales.” MediaStorm is always willing to support poignant projects of a “diverse nature and of

varying scale,” so long as it delivers its message in a well-executed manner. If you think your project would fit in the mix, check out their submission guidelines on how to give it a shot.

The site also offers an innovative revenue stream. If you like the story you’ve watched, check out the tabs on the right of the page; in addition to transcripts, related links, and the option to leave feedback, you can also purchase an array of items associated with the story you’ve just seen – the book the film is based on, music from the piece, or other offerings from the producers. 

Brian Storm calls the synergy of picture and text captions with the addition of audio the “Fourth Effect of Multimedia” and lauds this as the future of storytelling. Watch “Never Coming Home” and you’ll understand what he means.

Photographs of deceased coalition soldiers in Iraq and their loved ones is compelling enough, but add clips from audio interviews with their families and it creates an incredibly touching, memorable tale. Olivier Jobard’s “Kingsley’s Crossing” is also a powerful photo-audio-video piece describing an individual’s encounter with war, only with a more comforting conclusion.