Web Documentaries are a form of digital storytelling that combine traditional written journalism with interactive elements such as videos, images and audio. These interactive elements allow the viewer to explore and engage with the content in a more immersive and personalized way. During the last semester, students from the Web Documentary Course led by Kjetil Vaage Øie pushed storytelling bounderies to the next level with new techniques.
Guided by lectures on webdesign, AR/VR, and storytelling, the students all used different forms of media and interactive elements to create their documentary. Groups used Artificial Intelligence to create interactive elements and even created an entire VR environment.
"My favorite part of this course was the freedom we were given", says Dion De Vries, one of the creators of the 'Through the lens of History' documentary. "We went to the teachers and asked if we could make an immersive VR experience, because this wasn't done before, and they were very positive about it." The students also had to work in groups, with students with different backgrounds. "This way we could split up the tasks, where some people were more experienced in interviews, others could contribute in more technical aspects."
The Web Documentary course is available for both master and bachelor students, says Kjetil Vaage Øie, one of the lecturers: “Student evaluations from the course show great learning outcomes from working in interdisciplinary groups, even though some students initially struggled with losing control over their stories. The course aims to encourage students to try new ways of storytelling, as well as to learn from failure. And in the end, they made a product no-one believed they could create.”
Web Documentaries have the ability to provide a more interactive and non-linear viewing experience. Unlike traditional documentaries, which have a fixed linear narrative, web documentaries allow viewers to navigate and explore the content in a way that best suits their interests and needs.
Web Documentaries can also be cutting edge in terms of distribution and accessibility. They can be accessed on a wide range of devices and platforms, including desktop and mobile devices, and can be easily shared and promoted via social medi
Teenage Years
Kjersti, Oda, Hanna and Inger have lived in Stryn - a small town in the west of Norway since they were little. It's a different life compared to other young people from larger cities. The closeness to nature, the peace and quiet that surrounds them. But the friends will soon be graduating and have to make a big decision: do they stay in Stryn or leave to discover the world?
The famous King Audbjørn wants to share some of the mysteries of the Nordfjord region and Norwegian Viking history with you. Together, you embark on a journey into the past while you get to know the King and eventually his fate. Are you ready to seize the adventure?
Do you want to go to Stryn?
In this Web Documentary, you can discover Stryn and all it's activities and famous tourist destinations. Dive in to the area and get to know everything about it's history and culture.
Through the lens of history
Jens Knudsen Maurseth is a photographer who lived in Stryn during the 19th and early 20th century. He documented the area by taking pictures of the landscapes, weddings, working life and leisure. The documentary is made in VR, where you are teleported into an old attic, where you get to know everything about Maurseth his intruiging life.
