My exposure to non-linear documentaries and films has been somewhat limited.
The affordances covered during Week 2’s lecture were interesting, some of which I’ve come across during my time volunteering for ACMI where a digital device was hired out to visitors to offer an in-depth experience of the David Bowie Exhibition – almost like a tour guide (something that interests me immensely as I love exhibition spaces). I’ve also come across a walking tour app called Boyd walking tour available on the City of Glen Eira City Council’s website for learning more about the history in my area which I’ve been keen to try since October of last year.
But for now, I shall be exploring a few affordances that I am familiar with, referring back to documentaries that I know and love. Let’s start with a newer and most popular form of non-linear works- VR. Again, as an ACMI volunteer, I have had direct access to many kinds of interesting projects, one of them was an experience mentioned in this week’s lecture, Collisions (2016). Using VR for the sake of using VR was touched on during the Docuverse presents Ingrid Kopp talk. However, in this case VR was valuable as education and exposure to the lives of our Indigenous and the kinds of changes they have experienced in their own home over the past few hundred years is rarely given such explicit coverage.
Another affordance I have had exposure to is the podcast documentary, named Earshot on ABC Radio. It is a show that I’ve referenced as part of my Master of Media portfolio while creating a few episodes of Cultureline that adopts the same kind of immersive style using the power of great storytelling, folly and sound effects.
Camcorder video documentaries are quite common these days, and the portability is a beautiful thing. One documentary that stands out is one of my favourites, Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey, (2016). The storytelling is spectacular and powerful as it follows Spencer Wells around the world in a bid to tell the story of what connects us all genetically which is quite compelling from a journalistic point of view.
There have been some ideas I want to develop further as I would consider myself quite invested in them. One is the Cultureline series called An Odyssey of Anglo-India which explores the history and lives of the minority mixed-race cultural group hailing from India as a result of the Spice Trade era and Imperialism. Another project that interests me is creating audio documents and being passionate about being a Melbourne- born woman, I would love to create audio document tours inspired by Hidden Melbourne tours. Another project I am considering is a non-linear choose your own adventure storybook based on my new children’s book series I am working on called The Redonks.
Reference
Boyd Walking Tour, Glen Eira City Council, viewed 11 March 2018, <http://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/Places-and-events/Arts-and-Culture/Boyd-walking-tour>
The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey, 2005, DVD, PBS Home Video, The United States, directed by Clive Maltby
CollisionsVR 2017, viewed March 11 2018, <http://www.collisionsvr.com>
Earshot, 2016-2018, radio program, ABC RN, Sydney, viewed 11 March, 2018 <http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/earshot/>