Interactive Documentary Practices as an Emerging Tool for Development Communication

Abstract

Interactive documentary is an evolving form of filmmaking which has the potential to become an influential development communication tool to facilitate social change because of its participatory nature. Study explores how can the medium of interactive documentary create participatory interaction that can be used as a tool for development communication? How components of interactive documentaries help in making an effective development communication intervention? The study also identifies technological advancements that have made i-doc’s as a potential tool for social change. The i-doc is an innovative form of documentary films that are interactive, multilinear, and participatory. The i-doc film projects selected are analysed from a participatory development communication approach specifically. Through content analysis of selected i-doc’s from a development communication lens; recommendations are made for the filmmakers, change-makers, and development communication specialists to apply interactive documentary form as a successful development communications tool.