Really? You too?Journey To The End Of Coal allows you to uncover the grave story behind millions of Chinese coal miners. Everyday these people risk suffocation, gas poisoning, roof collapse and many other mining hazards in order to pay for China's economic success. The cost of which, is often undermined; rivers are polluted, land is destroyed, and safety practices as well as human rights are neglected. It is a miracle which did not happen without much sacrifice.
This interactive web documentary places you as a freelance journalist, who is on a mission to investigate the living conditions of these miners. The introduction is simple, with a text narrative describing the context, before dumping you off on a train platform in Datong, which is a couple of hours away from Beijing. Text, pictures, sound and video are all utilized when presenting the travel the around the surrounding landscapes. Places of interests include the major coal mines, which range from the “best” state-funded complexes to the worst private coal plants. And it is in this journey, that you can get the story first hand from the various settlers and their families.
For most parts, a photo occupies the screen, as a soundscape of the environment plays in the background. A map of travel locations is included, but mainly the story is navigated through several dialog choices with the people that you meet, which have fully voiced responses. There is some amount of linearity to the questions, which gives insights into topics such as neglect safety procedures and the dwindling quality of life. I feel that this kind of probing and immersion into their personal lives lends a humanistic side to the the issue.
One scene which I felt was interesting, features the initial reluctance of a miner to reveal his story. I guess that the creators have chosen to weave their difficulties in making the story part of the experience as well (he lets out abit if you used a more indirect choice of words). Later on I was referred to his boss, which was when I got this feeling that I was going places where I shouldn't be poking, like an encounter with the Chinese mafia or secret police, which was eerie creepy. This sequence of introduction also highlights the sharp contrast of working standards that these 2 individuals have.
..or pieces. Your choice. "mUAHAHHAeehaehaeeeh."
In a documentary film, the spectator views a sequence of images in time without any control over the outcome. Inversely, web documentaries require participation and interaction in order to function. As such, the role of the spectator is transformed into that of a seeker, exploring the data presented through a series of connected spaces, through engagements with a virtual interface. The neat thing about the format is that people may choose only the topics which interests them. Additionally, I would say that the outcomes that storytellers choose to depict can add extra weight to the moves made by the user, which would help create a more personal bond with the subject.
Above - Journey To The End Of CoalBelow - 428: In a Blockaded Shibuya
While web documentaries can be seen as an extension to traditional forms, the format which the stories are presented is borrowed from computer games. The system of branching narratives used in the above example is one which has been present through the adventure games of old, up till the visual/sound novel games which are popular in Japan. Likewise, the idea of using multimedia (sound, music video blah blah) to enhance the experience has also been part of gaming's bag of tricks.
Screencap of an interactive adventure game, Heavy RainPersonally I feel that these interactive elements can help drive the story. But it's not going to replace traditional documentaries though; it has it's place, on the web, accessible at any time & place. That said, there also needs to be a careful balance of the amount of interactions available. Too many choices would make navigating the documentary a headache, while too few a choices would make it appear linear. The architecture of the contents must be well mapped, lest the user becoming lost and losing interest.
Protip: Check out http://www.klynt.net/, they got an interactive editing & publication tool which was used to make Journey To The End Of Coal.
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