You are on page 1of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

ICFJ.org
IJNET.org
ICFJAnywhere.org
ICFJ AWARDS DINNER

Languages
English
SIGN IN OR REGISTER
SUPPORT
IJNET
Search the site...

News & Resources


Opportunities
Video
Chats
About

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive


documentaries
TOPIC:
Video

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries


Margaret Looney | January 31, 2014
https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 1 of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

The first thing most of us learn about storytelling is that a narrative should have a beginning, a middle and an
end, but a new breed of documentary is turning this tried-and-true approach on its head.
Web-based video projects are blowing the lid off the traditional, linear form of storytelling. Interactive
documentaries such as Pine Point and 17,000 Islands make a tangible connection between the content and the
audience, turning viewers into participants.
"Hollow", an interactive web-based documentary that examines rural life in America through the keyhole of
impoverished McDowell County, West Virginia, is a poster child for this story form because of the risks it
took with technology and narrative.
Not only did the creators use an innovative platform to tell their story, but they also used participatory
storytelling (teaching people in the community how to film themselves to tell their own stories), incentivized
viewing options (like releasing downloadable mp3s for viewing certain features), data graphics and social
media throughout the narrative. They also included calls to action to donate.
The creators of "Hollow" joined Opeyemi Olukemi, manager of digital initiatives at the Tribeca Film
Institute, in a recent Google Hangout to discuss their experience creating this documentary. IJNet listened in
and came away with a few tips for tackling an interactive project of your own:
Make sure the story matches the platform.
It's tempting to try out this new form of storytelling, but you have to think about the needs of the story first.
Don't plan on making your story interactive unless the content validates the use of certain technologies.
"Some people feel that its necessary to jump into this new medium and be relevant, and be something thats
kind of cutting edge, but its really just a matter of knowing what you want to accomplish and what tools you
can use to accomplish that," said Jeff Soyk, co-producer.
The creators chose to leverage the web's interactivity to give the story room to evolve over time, and to match
the pace of changes happening in McDowell County. They needed flexibility in the interface to include news
https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 2 of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

updates and film snippets from the county's residents, as well as to let viewers choose just how far they want
to dig into the video.
['Hollow'] not only allowed us to use data, mapping and community-generated content in interesting ways,
but its a story thats ongoing, a story that changes," said Elaine McMillion, "Hollow" director and producer.
"So we wanted to harness that energy and bring that to life."

Get your developer involved from the very beginning, and learn their work process.
It's easy to dream big for a film, but there are tech limits to what can be accomplished with certain content on
the web. Having your developer involved early on can help you know the feasibility of your ideas.
The creators went with a custom design, and Robert Hall, the technical director and senior developer, had to
edit the film from a coding point of view, which doesn't follow the usual three-stage filmmaking process. The
clash between the filmmaking and developing processes can be time-consuming to sort out, so he suggests
sitting down at the beginning of the project to figure out how these two specific processes can "collide in a
useful way."
Decide whether a custom design is necessary.
The HTML5-film hybrid for "Hollow" was built from scratch with Node.js, NoSQL databases, web sockets
and other technology, but there were compromises that had to be made. If you want to do something custom
you have to be prepared to deal with the pros and the cons," Hall said.
For example, the creators opted for the site to work only on Google Chrome to suit all the technology they
hoped to use. They also had to consider that many of the people they want to reach - those living in these
small towns in America - don't always have easy access to technology.
A lot of what we did was for the story," Hall said. "The story was really important and to meet that, we had
to build something that hadn't been done."

https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 3 of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

When designing for user experience, keep your priorities at the forefront.
Soyk, who also led the team in art direction, architecture and design, said the site went through countless
iterations, but they kept their list of 18 priorities in mind throughout the process, namely how to draw people
in by allowing for immediate user interaction and enticing the user to participate and contribute.
The web is very different from film in the sense that someone could leave within a matter of seconds if they
lose interest," Soyk said, pointing out the "contradictions between the two mediums." The team came up with
six concepts for the site, and Soyk made designs from there, creating wire-frame tree charts of the ideas
before any Photoshop work was done. He suggests putting together an early creative brief that lets you
examine your goals, your audience's needs and core concepts of the project.
Don't forget about sound, especially online.
"Audio on the Internet has such an ugly past, and creating a site online where audio can be the feature...was
kind of a goal and a fear of mine when getting involved," said the film's sound designer Billy Wirasnik. He
used natural ambiance and sound effects from the community, such as mixing wind with effects of resident
musicians tuning their instruments, to create audio that "contributes to the idea of home."
The audio shines throughout the documentary, but it took a lot of coordination to make it seamlessly match
the visuals. "You cant just sit down and talk about these things; there needs to be some visual map,"
Wirasnik said. He created a sound communication sheet, featuring screenshots from the film along with one
column for music and another for sound effects. The team used this sheet to make cinematic decisions.
And if you think about sound when you go into film, it can actually be used to further the story as it did in
"Hollow." "Dont forget about sound any step of the way," Wirasnik said. "It becomes very apparent at the
end of a project when sound is your missing element."
Don't focus too singularly on the interactive element to your story when applying for funding.
As many filmmakers will agree, it's always about the story first and foremost. Olukemi urges filmmakers to
make content key to their grant proposals even when using innovative storytelling methods. Focus on story
first, and figure out how an interactive platform would add to bring that story out," she said. People too often
focus on tech over story, she said, but in the end its about why the audience is going to connect to this."
Consider the sustainability of your site.
Websites need money to stay alive, and McMillion said she underestimated just how much site maintenance
would cost. It costs US$730 per month in server fees to keep "Hollow" online. Currently, revenue from live
screenings of the interactive is covering the cost, but that may not last forever. Remember to budget for
hosting video content when submitting grant proposals. McMillion said the team is currently looking for a
more permanent hosting solution.
Related reading:
Six pros and cons of interactive documentaries
Five tips for transmedia storytelling
https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 4 of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

IJNet Editorial Assistant Margaret Looney writes about the latest media trends, reporting tools and
journalism resources.
Follow @margylooney
Image: Screenshot of a data graphic from the documentary.

Connect with IJNET


Subscribe to our weekly bulletin for tips, trends and training opportunities.
EMAIL ADDRESS

Bulletin Archive

Submit

About the author

Margaret Looney
IJNet Managing Editor
VIEW PROFILE
Follow her on Twitter @margylooney
READ THE LATEST POSTS

BROWSE BY
TOPIC

AUTHOR

Audio
Basic Journalism
Business of Journalism
Citizen Journalism
Community Engagement
Data Journalism
Digital Journalism
https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 5 of 6

'Hollow' creators offer tips for making interactive documentaries | IJNet

5/2/15 8:37 PM

Diversity
Freelancing
Investigative Reporting
Journalism Education
Journalist of the Month
Journalists' Safety
Measuring Impact
Mobile
Photojournalism
Social Media
Specialized Reporting
Tech Terms for Journalists
Verification
Video
Writing and Editing
2015 International Center for Journalists
2000 M St. NW, Suite 250 Washington, DC 20036 USA Phone: 202.737.3700 Fax: 202.737.0530 Contact us

https://ijnet.org/en/blog/hollow-creators-offer-tips-making-interactive-documentaries

Page 6 of 6

You might also like