Automatist Storyteller Systems and the Shifting Sands of Story

We present a novel approach to documentary storytelling thatcelebrates electronic narrative as a process in which the author(s), anetworked presentation system, and the audience actively collaborate inthe co-construction of meaning. A spreadingactivation network is usedto select relevant story elements from a multimedia database anddynamically conjoin them into an appealing, coherent narrativepresentation. The flow of positive or negative "energies" throughassociative keyword links determines which story materials arepresented as especially relevant "next steps" and which ones recedeinto the background, out of sight. The associative nature of thisnavigation serves to enhance meaning while preserving narrativecontinuity. This approach is well-suited for the telling of storiesthat--because of their complexity, breadth, or bulk--are bestcommunicated through variable-presentation systems. Connected to thenarrative engine through rich feedback loops and intuitivelyunderstandable interfaces, the audience becomes an active partner inthe shaping and presentation of story.