"It won't go viral": Documenting the charter of Québec values and talking theory on youtube

Abstract

This Research in Brief reflects upon how postsecondary resources were used to create a feminist, free, online, and pedagogical documentary about the Charter of Québec Values in 2013-2014, to intervene in the mediated story of the legislation and to influence public policy. The authors discuss the scholarly context that influenced their documentarymaking approach, as well as their process as first-time producers, and argue for the use of online tools to insert communication studies into a field of debate. They conclude by offering three recommendations for those who wish to undertake similar public projects from within the academy, focused on evaluating storytelling models, pursuing funding, and engaging members of the broader community.