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Interactive documentary making
Book chapter

Interactive documentary making

Lei Chen and David O. Dowling
The Routledge Companion to Journalism Education, pp.345-354
Routledge
2026
DOI: 10.4324/9781032641034-35

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Abstract

As an emerging digital narrative form, interactive documentary (i-docs) transcends traditional documentary filmmaking by offering a novel approach to describing and representing reality. With their unique features of user agency, multimodality, polyvocality, and non-linear storytelling, i-docs engage the public in profound ways, facilitating a deeper understanding of contemporary social, political, economic, and environmental issues, and thereby fostering new forms of mediated citizenship. This chapter reviews the evolution of i-docs and introduces the primary types and their latest examples, including cases based on traditional interactive forms such as hypertext web documentaries, like K-town '92 (2017), as well as those employing the latest interactive formats like animated digital game documentaries, exemplified by East of the Rockies (2018), and live action VR documentaries, such as Traveling While Black (2019). The coverage extends beyond Europe and North America, incorporating global perspectives with works like African Space Makers (2020), showcasing a diverse and comprehensive range of i-docs. Through such examples, the chapter examines how i-docs have reshaped journalistic principles and the news consumption experience. Finally, the chapter outlines the key technologies and considerations for producing i-docs in the journalism field, providing valuable guidance for related teaching practices.

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