Dutch Newspaper NRC features The Last Hijack online, a transmedia production about piracy in Somalia. Storytelling style: Interactive Documentary.
The story is based on the ‘normal’ documentary Last Hijack, by Femke Wolting and Tommy Pallotta. The interactive version is easy to follow: a captain and his nemesis, the pirate. With accordingly the “Somalia” perspective (top bar) and the “Western” perspective (bottom bar). By clicking the smart designed timeline, you can go back and forth.
The Pirate (top bar)
The Captain (bottom bar)
Last Hijack Online explores an abundancy of storytelling styles: data visualisation, infographics, animation, comics, cinematographic film, compelling interviews, explanatory interactive text frames, and music.
Stylistically that leads to a slightly eclectic experience, but by using subdued green, blue and yellow tones, the interactive still has an overall consistent atmosphere.
The smart timeline divides the Somalia perspective (top) from the Western perspective (bottom)
The Last Hijack can be watched without any interaction. That is slightly less interesting, like watching a documentary with buttons inside the video frame all the way through. But as you experience it as an example of Interactive Documentary making, it is a great storytelling experience.
Nice detail for journalists concerned with proper sourcing: the other side of the story is visible almost the whole time, at the top or the botton of the screen.
The Somalia perspective (top bar)
