The history of documentary has been one of adaptation and change, as
documentarists have harnessed the affordances of emerging technology. In
the last decade interactive documentaries (i-docs) have become
established as a new field of practice within nonfiction storytelling.
Their various incarnations are now a focus at leading film festivals
(IDFA DocLab, Tribeca Storyscapes, Sheffield DocFest), major
international awards have been won, and they are increasingly the
subject of academic study. This anthology looks at the creative
practices, purposes and ethics that lie behind these emergent forms.
Expert contributions, case studies and interviews with major figures in
the field address the production processes that lie behind interactive
documentary, as well as the political, cultural and geographic contexts
in which they are emerging and the media ecology that supports them.
Taking a broad view of interactive documentary as any work which engages
with 'the real' by employing digital interactive technology, this volume
addresses a range of platforms and environments, from web-docs and
virtual reality to mobile media and live performance. It thus explores
the challenges that face interactive documentary practitioners and
scholars, and proposes new ways of producing and engaging with
interactive factual content.
