Where voice and listening meet: participation in and through interactive documentary in Peru

Abstract

Interactive documentaries are exploring new possibilities for audience engagement through collaborative digital projects that view an 'outside' audience and the 'insiders' from the storytelling community as equals, valuing production process and audiovisual product equally. This exploratory study of the strategy and production methods of the Quipu project (Chaka Films, 2015) proposes OpenICT4D as a framework through which to analyse collaborative interactive documentary. Three modes of communication are identified in the Quipu project (speaking, listening and responding), which link diverse stakeholders in Peru and beyond through an online artifact.