The dialectical relationship between the authorial and the collaborative in contemporary documentary: Perspectives from three case studies

Abstract

This article discusses the intersections between authorial and collaborative work in the scope of ethnographic documentary departing from three case studies: two research projects and one citizen collective of participatory media. All case studies were developed in Porto, Portugal, between 2013 and 2020, focusing on the city’s invisibilities and everyday experiences, searching for alternative narratives to the mainstream media when portraying its people and places. This article aims to reflect on how authorial documentary work, followed by self-criticism and self-reflection, can be incorporated into participatory media frameworks in productive ways. The challenges faced by the three cases are intrinsically related and have influenced each other throughout this period, addressing issues related to the representational crisis; the legitimation of subjectivity and the exploration of different styles within documentary; as well as the relationships between the filmmaker, the camera, the subject/character portrayed and the audience. These themes are explored through a series of first-person field reports and the study of authors and directors in the field of documentary filmmaking.