POV Magazine explores trends in online documentaries

In the latest issue of POV Magazine, an article entitled The Virtual Revolution chronicles the rise of interactive online documentaries made in Canada. Kensington’s founder and director, Robert Lang, had a lot to say about Kensington’s work in online documentaries over the last 12 years.

In the article, Lang explained that advances in technology allow documentary filmmakers to explore with interactive online aspects of storytelling more than ever before, and he explained that “with any project, we’re thinking of ways it can exist on multi-platforms.”

Take, for example, City Sonic, Kensington’s latest interactive project, prior to the launch of MuseumSecrets.tv, which included a website (CitySonic.tv) featuring 20 short films, an iphone app to view films on location, and a well-known blog. Lang said that the hits on the site outnumber the numbers of the TV show audience. However, this also may be changing, since City Sonic will soon be airing on Showcase.

Lang also released details about the new Museum Secrets iphone app that’s currently in development. If you’re curious, you can check for news on that project on the Museum Secrets blog in a couple weeks.

When it’s all said and done, Lang said, “it’s really just storytelling. [We’re] using different tools and techniques and different kinds of people to bring that storytelling to a place where people get excited about the topic.”

To read the article The Virtual Revolution, visit www.povmagazine.com or if you have a digital subscription, view it online at: The Virtual Revolution.