"The creation continues incessantly through the media of man. But man does not create... he discovers. Those who look for the laws of nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator. Copiers do not collaborate. Because of this, originality consists in returning to the origin."
— Antoni Gaudí
In Catalan and Spanish, the word "origen" translates to "origin." Catalan was Gaudí's native tongue, and when he wrote that "L'originalitat consisteix a tornar a l'origen," he was expressing his philosophy that inspiration and originality come not from pure invention, but from returning to nature, its forms, and our connection to it. That philosophy, alongside our belief that storytelling is core to the human experience, guides how we approach technology and the evolution of connection through story.
Philosophy & Approach
Visual storytelling has always adapted to technology. Whether moving from analog to digital or linear to interactive, every transition has demanded the same thing: creative judgment grounded in craft. Generative AI is a major shift, but it is not the first of its kind, nor will it be the last.
At Origen Story, we act as guides through this transition rather than evangelists for a specific tool. Generative AI opens new creative territory, but it brings complex, well-documented pitfalls. Failing to navigate those challenges responsibly creates a real risk to audience trust.
We believe content provenance frameworks like C2PA are the best current approach to maintaining that trust. However, the underlying principle is older than any modern standard. Creators earn the right to be believed through a clear set of values and transparency about how their work is made.
We apply this approach to everything we produce, from films to interactive media. We help organizations adopt these emerging AI technologies with the same ethical rigor and enduring standards that have guided us through every transition before it.
"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and even it can inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends.
— Edward R. Murrow, 1958 RTNDA Speech
Otherwise, it's nothing but wires and lights in a box."
Founder
Matt Ford
For the past two decades, Matt Ford has navigated every major transition in visual storytelling. From film to digital, broadcast to multiplatform, linear to interactive, each shift demanded new tools and new thinking while the fundamentals of craft and trust stayed the same.
He spent six years at the Associated Press, based in Washington and Cairo, covering everything from elections to global conflicts. He co-founded Vignette Global, documenting critical stories from humanitarian crises across more than 40 countries for organizations including UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, the International Crisis Group, National Geographic, UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International.
His work has been recognized with a 2024 James Beard Media Award for Innovative Visual Storytelling, a 2016 Webby Award for Best Use of Interactive Video, and a 2010 Edward R. Murrow Award for Video News Documentary, among other honors.
Matt founded Origen Story to tackle what he sees as the defining challenge of the current AI transition: maintaining the trust between storyteller and audience as AI reshapes how content is made. His work builds the ethical frameworks and content provenance practices that safeguard that relationship, while expanding the creative potential of these emerging technologies.
Speaking & Education
Matt Ford speaks at universities, conferences, and organizational events on AI in visual storytelling, content provenance, and navigating technology transitions in creative work. His most recent engagement was at Nottingham Trent University (March 2026), where he led workshops on AI documentary production and C2PA implementation.
Past engagements include World Press Photo Stories of Change workshops (Istanbul, Tunis), Northern Short Course (keynote), NPPA Multimedia Immersion (coach), Internews multimedia journalism workshops (Kazakhstan), and Penn State Short Doc Workshop.
Topic Areas
- AI in visual storytelling
- Content provenance and C2PA
- Trust and transparency in high-stakes and conflict environments
- Navigating technology transitions in creative work