Understanding Mockumentary as a medium for storytelling


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Creator/Artist: Jonathan Mathew

Category: Interaction Design

Document: Design Research

Batch: 2017-2019

Source: India,   IDC IIT Bombay

Period:  2009-2018

Medium: Report pdf

Supervisor: Prof. Jayesh Pillai


Detailed Description

This work talks about the relevance of mockumentary as a medium to communicate. We try to look into the general perception that many students fail to introspect and find their own calling while skimming through rigorous academic guidelines within the design field. We believe mockumentary is an ideal format to address this story by standing objectively on the sideline while trying to portray serious issues in the plot through the ‘mockumentary treatment’. Initially, we studied classic mockumentaries to identify treatments and approaches towards the plot and scene. We have used the format of interactive storytelling with a choice-based narrative. Followed by a short study into interactive films and the possibility of integrating mockumentary through this interactive medium. Which brings about the question of the approach: emergent narratives or the traditional storytelling ways? In the later part of our work, we elaborate on the process followed while outlining the plot and pre-production planning while working with the Text RPG approach to identify possible problem areas while conveying our story to the audience. Finally, we talk about challenges while working with interactive mockumentary as a medium and its ability to persuade compared to the traditional narrative median path we choose to stick to.