EL DOCUMENTAL INTERACTIVO

Arnau Gifreu Castells

“Out my Window” (Katerina Cizek, NFB, 2010): a masterpiece that changed the way we produce interactive documentaries forever. The best era of a new audiovisual genre called interactive documentary is here!.

I like to discuss  (in relation to the post of Sandra Gaudenzi: An exclusive interview with Katerina Cizek (March 8, 2011),the Highrise (National Film Board of Canada) phenomenon and one of his latest projects, Out my window. Personally I knew there would be a premiere about this project in IDFA Doclab, -held in Amsterdam in November last year (2010)-, and did not hesitate a moment to buy the plane ticket and improvise a trip to attend the festival.
The Doclab is the most experimental part of the IDFA Festival, one of the most prestigious festivals related to the documentary film world. Started three years ago, the IDFA Doclab is a small festival (subfestival) related to interactive documentary within the film festival. Therefore, somewhat like Highrise and Out my window, the IDFA is turning into a sort of umbrella which brings together various documentary trends year after year.

I must confess that I took the decision very fast and didn’t know the details and the nature of what was cooking in the  Highrishe Department of NFB.  Once I saw the online screening – was very emotional- and could participate with the interactive installation was when I started to realize what I had in front my eyes and how this project was starting a new era of this new audiovisual genre called interactive documentary.
I would comment on each of the three parts, in addition to the complex technical project, because the project develops a very interesting multi-platform and multi-format proposal:

1.  The project site is truly amazing, combining a sleek and innovative design (the overlap of plans and the idea of ??2D navigable photocollage), a rather simple and very efficient usability, variety thematic and documentary quality and a set of different media converge to perfection (even 3D navigable videos - developed technology in Germany-). It also offers 3 modes of navigation that complement each other perfectly, as are the testimonies (faces), spatial (map of world cities to choose) and stories (issues and people from different places). Other important factor is how quickly is the loading if we consider the nature of the original material: 3D navigable videos, photos in high definition, complex graphics, audio, etc. The proposal metaphor is also very interesting: a building with different houses and balconies.




2. On the other hand, the online screening conducted by the same author and director of Highrise, Katerina Cizek, was successful and was the time I enjoyed in the same way with the display of an interactive documentary as with an audiovisual one. We were immerse more than an hour and the next half was devoted to questions of the author, but all the spectators had been quite astonished at this project and how to navigate through it.

3. Finally, the interactive installation that was exhibited at the De Braake Grond, a theater and cultural center perfectly performed for this type of events, although it was not technically complex (just a light sensor attached to the ground, which changed history when a particpator was placed above the light focus point), was very effective and emulated well the metaphor used at the interactive online part. A set of panels with various deeps allowed to create an almost three dimensional and immersive environement about three or four stories (not all, that showed for the occasion).

Also note that, apart from the incredible creations that are part of Out my window and Highrise,  you must also add that this project follows the guidelines of the documentary genre: reflection and change of consciousness, trying to become a catalyst for social change and to help publicize and give voice to people and places that such proposals have never had. Therefore, its value added is that is part of a social incentivation process. A masterpiece that has changed the way we produce interactive documentaries forever.

Only a few details before the end: I saw in Amsterdam other projects, such as Welcome to Pinepoint (Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simmons, NFB, 2011) or  Soul Patron (Frederik Rieckher, 2010) , which also had much to say but did not have a back or the NFB budget: around 80000 euro…

And now, the next one:

"Participate"