Interactive Narratives.

Using Social Media to createHybrid Documentary Forms.

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What is a documentary?

“We experience a distinct form of fascinationfor the opportunity to witness the lives of otherswhen they seem to belong to the same historicalworld that we do” (Nichols, 2001,p.xi)

Taken from Nichols, B. (2001). Introduction to Documentary,Indiana University Press,U.S.A.

What do you look for in a documentary?

• A good piece of storytelling• Memorable characters and locations.• A political edge.• A theme which resonates with you.• Aesthetics and choice of media.• Something that leaves you wanting to know more or get involved.

Take a look at some examples of online documentaries.

What is an INTERACTIVE or PARTICIPATORY documentary?

What makes a good TS documentary?

• A subject you are passionate about and will go the distance.

• Choose a subject and stick to it.

• Good access to your subject and research data.

• Set a realistic goal that can be achieved in 12 weeks.

• Work within your skillbase and focus on the content.

• Know your target audience

• Reference quotes and theories. Your reader may also wish to extend their knowledge of the subject.

• Stay within the scope of your project. You can always expand on your documentary at a later date.

• Always be aware of your obligations. Where necessary obtain release forms.

•Most importantly, never loose sight of your governing concept. Write a premise or mission statement which you can refer to if you get lost.

Important things to remember whenMaking your social media doco.

What are the conventions of a documentary?

• Ethics and moral obligations.• Authentic representation.• Research and data analysis.• content presentation strategies.

What media forms best communicate your idea?

• images.• text.• photos.• video. • forums.• chat.• wikis.

Okay, so you have an idea.

How will an audience access and engage with your documentary content?

• static photos and text / audio.• user interaction via hyperlinks. • an interface that promotes high level interaction via combination of forum,chat, flickr, youtube and blog.• an interface where users can upload content and add to the shape and flavour of the narrative.

* Remember content is king, so even though you may want to push the medium, never let the bells and whistles of social media overshadow the message.

Architecture of a Narrative

Concept (the core idea or theme)Planning (what skills do you need,etc)ProductionPost-production (includes testing)Completion (otherwise known as Relief.)Evaluation

You need a schedule to guide you throughthe process. It may look something like this!

Concept (the core idea or theme)

Okay, now that you have your concept, don’tlose sight of your aims and objectives.

Write down one sentence that encapsulatesWhat your doco is about. Think of it as a premise, a reminder that you can return toIf you get lost and need to get back on track.

Eg; An exploration of living in an African Refugee community on the fringe of Melbourne.

Planning (what skills do you need,etc)

You need to plan for production so make sureTo minimise potentials problems.

Skillbase (Do you need to brush up on photography?).Access to subject.Ethics clearance if necessary.Release forms signed before interview.ResearchTIME (can the project be achieved within the timeframe?).

Production

Allow time to produce the content. Be aware of what skills you need to do this. Is there pre-existingContent that you can work with, or can others supply the content. Eg; perhaps subjects can be interviewthemselves on a mobile phone and email or uploadthe video file.

This is an interactive doco, so be innovative and inventiveWith your use of social media and digital technologies.

Post-production (includes testing)

Start putting all the pieces together. This may includeediting and resizing photos /videos to be uploaded.

Visiting your architecture/visual guide and organising your work in folders so you know where every piece in the puzzle fits. Organization is vital, you need to be Thorough abouut this from day one.

Completion (otherwise known as Relief.)

Once you have completed the project and tested It for bugs, errors, spelling, links, etc. It’s a goodIdea to get a peer to test your project. Take a moment and jot down some thoughts on the process, that’s if you haven’t been already doing thatIn your blog.

Evaluation

So how did you do? What worked and what would you do differently next time?

Reflect on the process and think about theFactors that have influenced the stages ofyour documentary. What are the valuable aspects of your project? What role did theory play?

What is a documentary?