This directory contains the necessary files for the Artistic Visual Storytelling task. For a short dataset description, please, read the README.md.

Import note: The Artistic Visual Storytelling dataset can be used only for non-commercial academic research purposes.

If you use this dataset, please cite it as below:

Efthymiou, A.; Rudinac, S.; Kackovic, M.; Worring, M.; Wijnberg, N.M. (2023): Artistic Visual Storytelling. University of Amsterdam / Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.21942/uva.20050970.v2

Visual storytelling refers to the manner of describing a set of images rather than a single image, also known as multi-image captioning. Visual Storytelling Task (VST) takes a set of images as input and aims to generate a coherent story relevant to the input images. In this dataset, we bridge the gap and present a new dataset for expressive and coherent story creation. We present the Sequential Storytelling Image Dataset (SSID), consisting of open-source video frames accompanied by story-like annotations. In addition, we provide four annotations (i.e., stories) for each set of five images. The image sets are collected manually from publicly available videos in three domains: documentaries, lifestyle, and movies, and then annotated manually using Amazon Mechanical Turk. In summary, SSID dataset is comprised of 17,365 images, which resulted in a total of 3,473 unique sets of five images. Each set of images is associated with four ground truths, resulting in a total of 13,892 unique ground truths (i.e., written stories). And each ground truth is composed of five connected sentences written in the form of a story.

Video Storytelling is a dataset for generating text story/summarization for videos containing social events. It consists of 105 videos from four categories: birthday, camping, Christmas and wedding. For each video, we provide at least 5 human-written stories.

• Videos are contained in the .tar file with their corresponding category name.
• Text stories are contained in Text.tar.
• In each txt file, the first line is the video id. The start and end time (in seconds) of each sentence is also given.
• test_id.txt provides the id for videos in the test set

Please cite the following paper if you use the Video Storytelling dataset in your work (papers, articles, reports, books, software, etc):

• Video Storytelling: Textual Summaries for Events. J. Li, Y. Wong, Q.Zhao, M. Kankanhalli. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia.

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Digital Storytelling Courses Market Size 2024-2028

The digital storytelling courses market size is forecast to increase by USD 267.84 million at a CAGR of 9.87% between 2023 and 2028.

The market is experiencing significant growth due to several key trends. Firstly, there is an increasing focus on enhancing soft skills, particularly communication and creativity, in both personal and professional contexts. This has led to a increase in demand for digital storytelling courses that can help individuals develop these skills. Online learning platforms are driving this trend by offering digital content, multimedia development, communication, character development, plot, and dialogue courses. Another trend driving market growth is the rising adoption of smart classrooms. With the integration of technology in education, these are becoming an essential component of modern curricula. Moreover, the rise in demand for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has further fueled market growth, as these courses offer flexibility, affordability, and accessibility to a large number of learners. In summary, the market is witnessing strong growth due to the increasing importance of soft skills, the adoption of technology in education, and the popularity of MOOCs. These trends are expected to continue shaping the market dynamics In the coming years.

What will be the Size of the Market During the Forecast Period?

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The market is experiencing significant growth as businesses increasingly leverage online learning platforms for multimedia development and communication. This trend is driven by the demand for user-friendly storytelling approaches that engage audiences through character development, plot, and dialogue. Artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies are transforming digital storytelling, enabling more personalized learning experiences. Soft skills training, CRM, and brand positioning are among the key areas where businesses are investing in digital storytelling to enhance their customer connections. Institutional learners and individual learners alike are turning to digital platforms for degree, nondegree, and certification programs in digital storytelling. K-12 interactive learning and pre-K-12 education are also adopting digital storytelling techniques to enhance historical documentaries, personal narratives, and virtual reality experiences.
Moreover, corporate training programs are utilizing digital storytelling to improve employee engagement and productivity. The market is expected to continue growing as businesses recognize the value of effective digital storytelling in building strong customer relationships and enhancing brand image.

How is this Industry segmented and which is the largest segment?

The industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD million' for the period 2024-2028, as well as historical data from 2018-2022 for the following segments.

Type

  Degree
  Non-degree
  certification


End-user

  Institutional learners
  Individual learners


Geography

  North America

    Canada
    US


  Europe

    Germany
    UK


  APAC

    China


  Middle East and Africa



  South America

By Type Insights

The degree segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

The digital storytelling market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for multimedia content in various sectors. These user-friendly storytelling approaches are being adopted by businesses for corporate training, advertising, brand building, content marketing, and higher education. Digital communications, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality are also transforming the way stories are told. Personalized learning experiences are becoming essential for institutional and individual learners, leading to an increase in degree, nondegree, certification, and K12 interactive learning programs. The corporate sector, personal narratives, educational videos, interactive games, website design, audio engineering, animation, soft skills, CRM, brand positioning, and various other industries are leveraging digital storytelling for growth.

Get a glance at the Digital Storytelling Courses Industry report of share of various segments Request Free Sample

The degree segment was valued at USD 291.78 million in 2018 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

North America is estimated to contribute 39% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

Technavio's analysts have elaborately explained the regional trends and drivers that shape the market during the forecast period.

For more insights on the market share of various regions, Request Free Sample

The North American market holds a significant share In the di

This dataset comprises lianhuanhua articles published on Chinese media platforms from 2013 to 2023, collected to analyze the discourse style of "visual narrative news." Ten articles per year were randomly selected based on equal probability. From 110 initial articles, nine were excluded because they failed to conform to the lianhuanhua format (visual-narrative structure is core) or were classified as "soft news" (e.g., entertainment, gossip), which prioritizes entertainment over social issues, unlike hard news focused on politics or public affairs.

This dataset is about book series. It has 1 row and is filtered where the books is Production design for screen : visual storytelling in film and television. It features 10 columns including number of authors, number of books, earliest publication date, and latest publication date.

Complete dataset used in the research study on Mobile Games as Art: Examining Visual Storytelling and Aesthetic Design by Dr. Walter Hughes

StoryReasoning Dataset

  Overview

The StoryReasoning dataset is a collection of visual storytelling data designed to address limitations in maintaining consistent identity across multiple images while generating coherent narratives. It contains 4,178 cohesive stories derived from 52,016 images, organizing temporally connected image sequences extracted from the same movie scenes to ensure narrative coherence.

  Key Features

Cross-Frame Consistency: Each story… See the full description on the dataset page: https://huggingface.co/datasets/daniel3303/StoryReasoning.

This dataset is introduced by the paper "Understanding, Categorizing and Predicting Semantic Image-Text Relations".

If you are using this dataset it in your work, please cite:

@inproceedings{otto2019understanding,
title={Understanding, Categorizing and Predicting Semantic Image-Text Relations},
author={Otto, Christian and Springstein, Matthias and Anand, Avishek and Ewerth, Ralph},
booktitle={In Proceedings of ACM International Conference on Multimedia Retrieval (ICMR 2019)},
year={2019}
}

To create the full tar use the following command in the command line:

cat train.tar.part* > train_concat.tar

Then simply untar it via

tar -xf train_concat.tar

The jsonl files contain metadata of the following format:

id, origin, CMI, SC, STAT, ITClass, text, tagged text, image_path

License Information:

This dataset is composed of various open access sources as described in the paper. We thank all the original authors for their work.

• Pitt Image Ads Dataset: http://people.cs.pitt.edu/~kovashka/ads/
• Image-Net challenge: http://image-net.org/
• Visual Storytelling Dataset (VIST): http://visionandlanguage.net/VIST/
• Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org/
• Microsoft COCO: http://cocodataset.org/#home

Visual narratives are promising tools for science and health communication, especially for broad audiences in times of public health crisis, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we used the Lifeology illustrated “flashcard” course platform to construct visual narratives about COVID-19, and then assessed their impact on behavioral intentions. We conducted a survey experiment among 1,775 health app users. Participants viewed illustrated (sequential art) courses about: 1) sleep, 2) what COVID-19 is and how to protect oneself, 3) mechanisms of how the virus works in the body and risk factors for severe disease. Each participant viewed one of these courses and then answered questions about their understanding of the course, how much they learned, and their perceptions and behavioral intentions toward COVID-19. Participants generally evaluated “flashcard” courses as easy to understand. Viewing a COVID-19 “flashcard” course was also associated with improved self-efficacy and behavioral intentions toward COVID-19 disease prevention as compared to viewing a “flashcard” course about sleep science. Our findings support the use of visual narratives to improve health literacy and provide individuals with the capacity to act on health information that they may know of but find difficult to process or apply to their daily lives.

This study investigates how storytelling strategies, particularly visual elements, platform-specific narratives, and authentic brand messages, influence consumer engagement and brand awareness. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research emphasizes quantitative data gathered through online questionnaires distributed via Google Forms. This approach allows for standardized responses from a diverse participant pool and facilitates the use of descriptive and inferential statistical methods to analyze the impact of storytelling on consumer engagement and brand awareness. Supplementary qualitative interviews provide additional context and depth. Key findings reveal that visually compelling storytelling increases consumer engagement, though clear visuals alone do not substantially enhance brand recall, suggesting that certain dimensions of visual storytelling are more influential than others. Moreover, digital media platforms significantly moderate the effectiveness of storytelling, indicating that tailoring narratives to platform-specific features amplifies consumer interaction. A positive, albeit not strong, correlation between narrative strategies and consumer trust suggests that real-life success stories and testimonials are beneficial in fostering credibility for both established and emerging brands. These results underscore the importance of integrating emotionally resonant content, creative storytelling approaches, and transparent communication to strengthen engagement and trust. By refining visual elements, leveraging platform-specific strategies, and adopting trust-building narratives, brands can more effectively captivate consumers and amplify their market presence. Keywords: Brand Storytelling, Consumer Engagement, Brand Awareness, Narrative Strategies, Visual Storytelling and Consumer Behavior.

The digital storytelling platform market, valued at $3712 million in 2025, is experiencing robust growth, projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is fueled by several key factors. The increasing accessibility of user-friendly tools like Canva and Adobe Spark empowers individuals and businesses to create engaging narratives without extensive technical skills. Simultaneously, rising demand for interactive and immersive content across diverse platforms – from social media to educational settings – fuels adoption. The market is witnessing a shift towards mobile-first storytelling, with platforms optimizing for smartphone and tablet usage. Furthermore, the integration of advanced features such as AI-powered editing tools and augmented reality capabilities enhances the creative possibilities and overall user experience, attracting a broader user base. Competition among platforms is fierce, with established players like Adobe and YouTube vying for market share alongside emerging innovators. However, challenges remain, including the need for effective monetization strategies for content creators and ensuring accessibility for diverse users regardless of technical expertise or digital literacy. The market segmentation is likely diverse, encompassing platforms catering to various user needs. We can anticipate segments based on user type (individual, enterprise, educational institutions), content format (video, audio, text-based), and pricing models (free, subscription-based). Geographical distribution will likely show a strong concentration in North America and Europe initially, with developing economies showing increasing adoption rates in the later years of the forecast period. The presence of companies like Inkle Studios, focusing on interactive fiction, and others specializing in audio storytelling like Anchor, highlights the market's diversity and capacity for innovation across various storytelling mediums. This dynamic landscape suggests that future growth will be driven by continued technological advancements, expanding user base, and platform diversification to meet evolving consumer demands.

In visual narratives like comics, the most overt form of perspective-taking comes in panels that directly depict the viewpoints of characters in the scene. We therefore examined these subjective viewpoint panels (also known as point-of-view panels) in a corpus of over 300 annotated comics from Asia, Europe, and the United States. In line with predictions that Japanese manga use a more “subjective” storytelling style than other comics, we found that more manga use subjective panels than other comics, with high proportions of subjective panels also found in Chinese, French, and American comics. In addition, panels with more “focal” framing, i.e. micro panels showing close ups and/or amorphic panels showing views of the environment, had higher proportions of subjective panels than panels showing wider views of scenes. These findings further show that empirical corpus analyses provide evidence of cross-cultural variation and reveal relationships across structures in the visual languages of comics.

Global Digital Storytelling Courses is segmented by Application (Marketing, Branding, Education, Personal Expression, Film/Media Studies), Type (Video Storytelling, AR/VR Storytelling, Animation-Based, Script Writing, Interactive) and Geography(North America, LATAM, West Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Oceania, MEA)

The global market for digital storytelling courses is experiencing robust growth, projected to reach $690.4 million in 2025 and maintain a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.1% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key factors. The increasing adoption of technology in education across all levels, from pre-K to higher education, creates a significant demand for courses that teach effective digital storytelling techniques. Furthermore, the rising popularity of online learning platforms and the accessibility of digital tools have broadened the reach of these courses, attracting both professional and amateur storytellers. The diverse application of digital storytelling across various sectors, including marketing, journalism, and social activism, further contributes to market growth. The market segmentation reveals strong demand across various course types, notably personal narratives and historical documentaries, reflecting a diverse user base with varying interests and skill levels. The presence of established players like Coursera and Adobe Education Exchange alongside specialized platforms indicates a healthy competitive landscape promoting innovation and accessibility. The market's regional distribution likely reflects established digital literacy rates and education infrastructure. North America and Europe are expected to maintain significant market share, given their advanced technological infrastructure and established education systems. However, regions like Asia-Pacific, particularly India and China, are witnessing rapid growth due to increasing internet penetration and growing investment in education technology. While challenges like the digital divide and varying levels of technological literacy across different regions may present some restraints, the overall market outlook remains positive, driven by the increasing recognition of the importance of digital storytelling skills in both personal and professional contexts. The continued evolution of storytelling tools and platforms will further propel market expansion in the coming years.

The global digital storytelling market is poised for substantial growth over the forecast period, with a projected market size of USD 5940 million in 2023. Driven by the rising popularity of online content creation and the demand for engaging and immersive storytelling experiences, the market is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of XX% during the period 2025-2033. The growing adoption of cloud-based platforms and the proliferation of mobile devices are further fueling market growth. Significant factors driving the market include the increasing use of digital storytelling in education, entertainment, and marketing. Educational institutions are leveraging digital storytelling platforms to create interactive and engaging learning experiences, while entertainment companies are using them to develop immersive films, games, and virtual reality experiences. Moreover, businesses are utilizing digital storytelling to connect with their audiences and deliver impactful messages. The market also benefits from technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, which enhance the storytelling experience and provide personalized content to users.

This project examined the processing of bridging inferences in visual narratives, i.e. when readers need to infer information missing in a previous panel in a comic sequence. Rather than omitting the key event, this study replaced the climax of the scene with a variety of five inferential techniques, which implicitly express the unseen event while each balancing several underlying features that describe their informativeness. The main question asked to what extent the processing of these techniques differed. Two self-paced reading experiments measured viewing times as well as comprehensibility ratings; experiment 1 directly compared the five types and experiment 2 explored the effect of combining techniques. Additionally, this project explored the underlying features as predictors for viewing times and ratings. See the file Data report.pdf for detailed information and documentation on all files present in the dataset. This includes explanation of column names and values in the data files. Method: Online survey combined with labjs plug-in to gain experimental data (viewing times). Universe: A general sample of English-speaking people, not required to be experienced comic readers.

The global social media design app market, valued at $336 million in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, driven by a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.6% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key factors. The increasing prevalence of social media marketing necessitates visually appealing content, leading to high demand for user-friendly design tools. The rise of mobile usage and the ever-growing number of social media platforms further contribute to market growth. A shift towards visual storytelling in marketing strategies and the need for businesses of all sizes (from large enterprises to SMEs) to maintain a strong online presence are significant drivers. Furthermore, the continuous innovation in app features, such as AI-powered design suggestions and collaborative editing tools, enhances user experience and drives adoption. The market segmentation reveals a strong presence across both iOS and Android platforms, with a significant portion of the user base comprised of businesses leveraging these apps for efficient content creation. Competitive rivalry among established players like Canva and Adobe, alongside emerging players, fosters innovation and keeps the market dynamic. Geographic distribution shows a significant concentration in North America and Europe, but with strong growth potential in Asia Pacific regions as internet penetration and social media usage expand. The market faces some restraints, primarily centered around the competitive landscape and the potential for market saturation. Maintaining a competitive edge requires constant innovation and adaptation to evolving user needs and design trends. The need for continuous updates and feature improvements to stay relevant also poses a challenge. However, the overarching trend of increasing social media engagement and the need for professional-looking content are expected to outweigh these challenges, ensuring continued market growth throughout the forecast period. The market's success relies on the apps' ability to constantly adapt to new social media platforms, trends, and evolving design aesthetics, ensuring they remain integral tools for both personal and professional social media management.

Digital Storytelling Courses Market Outlook

The digital storytelling courses market is experiencing significant growth, with a market size valued at approximately USD 2.1 billion in 2023 and projected to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2032, registering a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3%. One of the primary growth factors for this market is the increasing demand for creative content across various platforms and industries, driven by the digital transformation that emphasizes engaging and authentic content delivery. The proliferation of social media and streaming platforms has amplified the need for individuals and businesses to convey their narratives effectively, thus fueling the demand for digital storytelling courses. Furthermore, as individuals seek to enhance their creative skills, the accessibility of online learning platforms has made it simpler for people worldwide to enroll in such courses, contributing substantially to market growth.

The corporate sector is another significant driver, as companies increasingly invest in storytelling to build brands, engage customers, and train employees. Businesses are realizing the value of storytelling in crafting compelling company narratives, marketing strategies, and internal communications. This realization has led to a surge in corporate training programs that focus on storytelling techniques, providing a lucrative opportunity for course providers. Additionally, the ongoing shift towards remote work and virtual collaboration has highlighted the necessity for effective digital communication skills, further expanding the reach and importance of digital storytelling courses in a corporate setting. Coupled with advancements in technology that facilitate enriched learning experiences, such as virtual and augmented reality, the scope for these courses continues to broaden, attracting more professionals to develop their storytelling abilities.

The education sector also plays a pivotal role in propelling market growth, as educational institutions integrate digital storytelling into their curricula to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Educators are increasingly recognizing storytelling as an effective educational tool that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and empathy among students. The integration of digital storytelling into lesson plans helps make abstract concepts more relatable and memorable, thereby improving the overall educational experience. Moreover, as educational technology evolves, incorporating digital storytelling into learning programs becomes more feasible and appealing. This trend not only benefits students but also encourages educators to upgrade their skills, which in turn expands the market for professional development courses in digital storytelling.

From a regional perspective, North America is expected to lead the market due to its well-established digital infrastructure and the presence of numerous educational and corporate giants that emphasize creative communications. The region's affinity for adopting new technologies and its mature e-learning market create a conducive environment for the growth of digital storytelling courses. Similarly, Europe follows closely, driven by a strong emphasis on cultural and educational development. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to witness the fastest CAGR, attributed to its booming digital economy and the increasing popularity of online learning. This diverse regional demand underscores the global applicability and necessity of digital storytelling skills, catering to varied cultural contexts and industry needs.

Course Type Analysis

The digital storytelling courses market is segmented by course type into online courses, in-person workshops, and hybrid programs. Online courses have seen the most significant growth, driven by the widespread availability and convenience of digital platforms that offer flexible learning schedules. These courses cater to a global audience, eliminating geographical barriers and allowing learners to access content from renowned instructors worldwide. Online platforms often provide interactive and multimedia content, enhancing the storytelling learning experience. The integration of forums and peer interaction further enriches the learning process, making it an attractive option for those seeking to improve their storytelling abilities from the comfort of their homes.

In-person workshops, while impacted by the shift towards digital learning, continue to hold importance due to their hands-on and immersive nature. These workshops offer direct interaction with instructors and peers, which can be crucial for learners who thrive i

Social interaction has been recognized as positively affecting learning, with dialogue–as a common form of social interaction–comprising an integral part of collaborative learning. Interactive storytelling is defined as a branching narrative in which users can experience different story lines with alternative endings, depending on the choices they make at various decision points of the story plot. In this research, we aim to harness the power of dialogic practices by incorporating dialogic activities in the decision points of interactive digital storytelling experiences set in a history education context. Our objective is to explore interactive storytelling as a collaborative learning experience for remote learners, as well as its effect on promoting historical empathy. As a preliminary validation of this concept, we recorded the perspective of 14 educators, who supported the value of the specific conceptual design. Then, we recruited 15 adolescents who participated in our main study in 6 groups. They were called to experience collaboratively an interactive storytelling experience set in the Athens Ancient Agora (Market) wherein we used the story decision/branching points as incentives for dialogue. Our results suggest that this experience design can indeed support small groups of remote users, in-line with special circumstances like those of the COVID-19 pandemic, and confirm the efficacy of the approach to establish engagement and promote affect and reflection on historical content. Our contribution thus lies in proposing and validating the application of interactive digital storytelling as a dialogue-based collaborative learning experience for the education of history.