How do you have to organize and design your shooting to accommodate user driven narrative or distributed narrative?
I think the main thing to consider is to create common start and end points, when possible, for all clips, or groups of related clips. We used this strategy in our “Watching” piece, and I also did the same in my “Cat’s Cradle” clips, which were shot to appear seamless when distributed via a random load MaxMSP patch.
It worked beautifully. Of course this is only possible when you are shooting something that is repeatable, or that you are in control of. In a live, unfolding documentary “event” this may not be an option.
The reason this works is that with a common, or similar, beginning and ending to each clip, they can load in any order and appear seamless for the most part, if this is your intention. Even if the content varies, having the same location and framing also creates continuity. This applies to either distributed or user driven clips, such as Microsoft’s “Ms. Dewey” browser interface, represented by a woman as the browser.
Although a bit dated in feel, fading to white or black at the start or end of each shot creates the same opportunity, though not seamlessly.
Another useful technique for “burying cuts” is to edit on movement. Janis taught me this when we collaborated on an experimental film last semester. Not only does this make the the movement flow from one shot into the next, but it hides or distracts from any abrupt or awkward edits.
