Constructing Authenticity: Interactive Documentary in the Age of Simulacra
Abstract
With the continuous evolution of high technology, digital technology is profoundly reshaping the form of documentaries and the connotation of their "authenticity." In an era dominated by "simulacra," interactive documentaries have constructed a new representation of "authenticity" through the innovative application of digital technology. This study takes Baudrillard's theory of "simulacra" as its starting point and uses case analysis and textual analysis to explore how interactive documentaries construct "authenticity" in the context of digital media. The study finds that, unlike traditional documentaries that rely on "objective reproduction," interactive documentaries construct a sense of authenticity through three dimensions: "data authenticity," "perceptual authenticity," and "algorithmic authenticity," presenting a more complex and diverse picture. While possessing social and open aspects, it is also necessary to remain vigilant against algorithmic manipulation and technological ethics. Overall, the authenticity of interactive documentaries has transcended the "reproduction" of images, moving towards a process of co-construction between the audience and the media, and the social function of documentaries has been expanded to a deeper level.
References
- Gaudenzi, S., & Aston, J. (2012). Interactive documentary: Setting the field. Studies in Documentary Film, 6(2), 125–139.
- Kong, M. A. (2008). Object, Symbol, Simulation: A Study of Baudrillard's Philosophical Thought. Hefei: Anhui People's Publishing House.
- Zhang, J. S. (2012). The hyperreal era: A postmodern perspective on Baudrillard's media theory. Journal of Anhui University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 36(2).
- Wang, K. (2005). Interpreting Baudrillard's philosophical signs in The Matrix. Journal of Huangshi Institute of Technology, (6).
- Li, M. J. (2012). Television reality shows from the perspective of "simulacra". News World, (4).
- Li, X. (2023). A study of Douyin short videos under Baudrillard's "Simulacra" theory (Master’s thesis). Central China Normal University.
- Ju, F. (2003). A preliminary exploration of the essence of television (film) documentary creation: A discussion on authenticity. Movie Literature, (9).
- Wang, C. (2013). The issue of authenticity and the definition of documentary: A historical investigation. Chinese Television, (9).
- Zhao, B. P. (2008). Reflections on the authenticity and subjective expression in documentaries. TV Research, (10), 67–69.
- Dong, X. Y. (2008). Reinterpreting the "authenticity" of documentary. Modern Communication (Journal of Communication University of China), (6).
- Tan, D. W. (2024). Research on the authenticity of interactive documentary based on interactive technology (Master’s thesis). Guangzhou University.
- Sun, K. J. (2020). From witnessing reality to generating reality: The transformation of the concept of truth in interactive documentary. Chinese Television, (12), 71–75.
- Sun, L. T. (2022). Interactive documentary: User-centered interactive narrative strategies. Chinese Television, (8), 79–85.
- He, S. L., & Fan, W. K. (2022). Interactive documentary: Public narrative paths in the digital age. Contemporary Cinema, (3).
- He, L. Y. (2024). Post-cinema documentary: Narrative restructuring and bidirectional discourse in interactive documentary. Contemporary Cinema, (10), 105–113.
- Zhang, L. (2014). A study of Don Ihde's theory of human-technology relations (Master’s thesis). Yanshan University.
- Husserl, E. (2005). The phenomenology of the life-world (K. Held, Ed.; N. Liangkang & Z. Tingguo, Trans.). Shanghai Translation Publishing House. (Original work published 1986)
- Yu, D. X. (2018). Virtual reality technology and the prospects for film development. Literature & Art Studies, (2).
- Li, L., & Chen, C. F. (2020). The turn to informational personalization: The paradigm revolution and value risks of algorithmic communication. Nanjing Social Sciences, (10).
- Lü, X. Y. (2003). What is the documentary spirit? In Lü, X. Y. (Ed.), Documenting China: The contemporary Chinese new documentary movement (p. 301). Beijing: SDX Joint Publishing Company.
- Dai, Y. C. (2021). From "Panopticon" to "Monopticon": Reinterpreting Foucault, Latour, and the space-power issue in the age of social media. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication, 43(7), 6–24.