Creating Social Engagement through Interactive Documentaries

Abstract

The purposes of documentary films are to reveal the reality of everyday life and present factual content on screen using various presentation methods to enhance engagement, such as cinematography, editing techniques, narration, music, among others. Documentaries portray real-life events and credible facts. They also communicate social issues, raise awareness in society, and foster consciousness and participation to drive social change. In the past, documentary media traditionally served as a one-way communication tool—through watching, listening, and reading—to convey stories and promote changes in society in line with the documentary’s objective. This reflects the significant role of documentary films in contributing to social transformation.

In recent years, scholars have applied documentary film theory to develop new forms of digital media through two-way communication. This shift emphasizes interactivity and audience experience. The emergence of interactive documentaries represents the use of new digital techniques to foster awareness and engagement by integrating interactivity with storytelling. This includes varying levels of audience participation in the narrative and different methods of interaction via digital platforms and online channels, presenting a new alternative in media. Moreover, interactive documentaries contribute to the creation of new forms of social engagement through digital media while still preserving the core objectives of traditional documentary filmmaking.