Categories — Infomatrix

Digital Storytelling — Infomatrix 2026

Digital Storytelling

Unleash your imagination through the power of digital media! Create compelling stories as comics, illustrations, short movies, animated story-driven games, or other formats—so long as the final product is digital. Open exclusively to secondary and high school students.

There is no strict subject requirement in this category. It is freestyle—students are free to choose any topic or theme. What we value most are stories that truly matter, carrying meaning, emotion, or an important message.

Project Examples

A digital comic book about climate-change superheroes.
An interactive illustrated e-book that teaches empathy or science.
A short animated film on social issues, cultural stories, or future worlds.
A visual novel / story-based game with player choices and branching paths.
A multimedia piece mixing narration, digital paintings, and sound design.
A motion-graphics/infographic video explaining a complex real-world topic.

AI is encouraged. Students may use AI tools to generate images, videos, sound, and other assets. All AI usage must be clearly cited, with proper credit to prompts, models, and resources in documentation and presentations.

What We Value

Originality & impact of the story
Digital artistry and presentation quality
Technical execution (editing, interactivity, sound, polish)
Thoughtful, transparent AI usage and citations
Stories that truly matter and connect with the audience

// Team Size

Up to 2 students per project

// Age Range

7–18 years old

Evaluation Rubrics

9 criteria

01 Originality / Creativity +

Assess the strength and freshness of the creative idea, regardless of format (film, comic, poster, interactive, etc.). Reward distinctive concepts, inventive perspectives, and imaginative use of the medium or techniques that avoid clichés and show a clear authorial voice. Consider how the idea elevates the work and gives it a memorable identity.

02 Narrative Structure & Story Flow +

Assess how well the story is structured and paced: a clear beginning–middle–end, coherent scene/shot order, effective transitions, rhythm and tension, and continuity. For non-linear or interactive works (e.g., visual novels, branching videos), evaluate choice design, branching coherence, and whether the flow keeps audiences oriented and engaged.

03 Visual Impact +

Evaluate the overall aesthetic strength and clarity of communication across the chosen medium. Consider composition and layout; color and contrast; typography/lettering; illustration/imagery and (where relevant) cinematography; motion/animation rhythm; and sound/music synergy for audiovisual works. Judge whether it grabs attention, guides the viewer’s eye with clear hierarchy, remains legible and accessible across devices/resolutions (where applicable), and reinforces the story’s tone and message.

04 Message and Idea +

Assess the clarity, focus, and significance of the core message or theme. Does the work say something that truly matters? Evaluate the depth and nuance of the idea, the originality of the perspective, and how well the content and medium choices support that message. Consider audience takeaway (emotional or intellectual impact), coherence (no mixed signals), and—where relevant—research or lived experience that strengthens credibility.

05 Technical Skills +

Measure the student’s hands-on proficiency with the tools and techniques of the chosen medium—and verify authorship. Look for deliberate craft (editing/compositing/animation for video; layout/lettering/illustration for comics/posters; sound design; or scripting/engine logic for interactive pieces), clean workflow and file organization, correct export settings (resolution, frame rate/bitrate, color/format), and stable performance. Evidence the student did the work should be visible: editable project files (layers/timelines), raw assets, version history, and the ability to make a small live change or explain key settings during judging. Tool choice should suit the goal; complexity is rewarded when it adds quality. (Ethical credit/citation for AI belongs in Responsible AI Usage.)

06 Responsible AI Usage +

AI is encouraged. Evaluate how ethically and professionally AI tools (image/video/audio/text) are used and credited: (1) Transparency—clear citation of tools/models/versions and representative prompts/seeds/settings in docs; (2) Appropriateness—AI chosen for tasks where it adds real value (not a shortcut that weakens the craft); (3) Human oversight—student curates, edits, and quality-checks outputs (no raw, unreviewed generations); (4) Rights & consent—respect licensing/attribution for datasets/assets; no unconsented likeness/voice cloning or deceptive deepfakes; (5) Safety & bias—avoid harmful/biasing content; fact-check claims when used informationally; (6) Integration & reproducibility—AI outputs integrate cleanly into the piece and the process can be reproduced from the provided notes. Projects without AI are not penalized; judges assess equivalent craft and process evidence instead.

07 Oral Presentation +

Evaluate the clarity, structure, and credibility of the live presentation (in English). The student should: (1) introduce the story/message and audience; (2) explain the creative process, toolchain, and key decisions (including a brief note on any AI use and why); (3) demo the work smoothly (playback/navigation, no major technical issues); (4) show evidence of authorship by referencing project files/timelines/layers or performing a small live change if asked; (5) manage time well; and (6) handle Q&A thoughtfully—addressing challenges, limitations, impact, and possible improvements. Clarity and engagement matter more than scripted reading; accent is not evaluated, intelligibility is.

08 Documentation +

Evaluate how clearly and completely the project is documented so judges can understand, review, and (where relevant) reproduce the work. Strong documentation includes: a concise README/overview (goal, audience, message), process evidence that supports authorship (storyboards/animatics or thumbnails/layouts, drafts, timelines/layers screenshots, change log/version history), an asset list with licenses/credits, export specs (format, resolution, bitrate/framerate, color profile), and platform/run instructions (for interactive pieces: build steps, dependencies, supported devices). Provide accessibility artifacts where applicable (subtitles/captions, transcript, alt text). Include an “AI Usage & Credits” section that points to the Responsible AI rubric: tools/models/versions, representative prompts/seeds/settings, and how outputs were edited. Documentation should be organized, readable, and sufficient for another student to set up and review the work without guessing.

09 The Stand Design +

Assess the visual and informational aspects of the stand representing the project. Consider how well the stand complements and showcases your project, providing context and enhancing the viewer's overall experience. A well-designed stand should elevate the presentation of the project and create an engaging environment for the audience.