Mining the database of the people: Documentaries based on user-generated content, and database cinema in China

Abstract

Given the popularity of video-sharing platforms in China and the prevalent usage of user-generated content (UGC) in documentary-making, this essay examines the emergent genre of UGC-based documentary as a practical approach and a significant extension of database cinema. While existing studies on previous database cinema works have focused on their non-linear structure and mode of presentation, the production process of UGC-based documentaries requires further research. To address this gap, I conducted an intermedia study of This Is Life (2020) and We Were SMART (2019) which reveals the dynamic interaction among filmmakers, platforms, and short-video creators that challenges the conventional cultural distinction among social classes and the prevailing logic of cyber attention. By combining innovative digital visual forms and constant social concerns, these films re-endow visibility to groups marginalised behind data-driven algorithms and explore new possibilities for an ‘aesthetics of the people’.