South African Craig Matthew of Doxa Productions has been selected as one of seven visionary documentary filmmakers from around the world to be honored at MIPDOC’s International Trailblazers Tribute.
MIPDOC runs at Cannes, France from 28 to 29 March and precedes the global television programming market, MIPTV. Trailblazers highlights pioneering work in documentary filmmaking, promotes international talents and trends and recognises the very best in creativity and innovation.
Says Matthew: ‘I think one of the main reasons I was selected for Trailblazers is because I’m doing groundbreaking work which revolves around building archives into interactive environments. The Living Archive Project aims to create multiple narrative layers and to bring different archives together into a virtual collection, in a virtual space.
“The project’s sub-title is Mapping Time and Space. Content is embedded in an immersive game-style product where the viewer is able to explore place, space and time in a non-linear way. The design of the architecture allows one to shift between time defined information and spatial environments. We use archival texts, photos, audiovisual media, oral histories, maps, 3D and immersive components that create kaleidoscopic experiences.”
Matthew has already completed four such packages on DVD, namely The Liberation Struggle Living Archive Project, The Kaoko Living Archive Project, The San Living Archive Management Project and The South African History Archives Ð Sunday Times Heritage Project.
Read more in the March 2009 issue of Screen Africa
