Conteúdos não-ficcionais imersivos no ciberespaço

Abstract

This thesis focuses on understanding the landscape of non-fictional content with immersive objectives that address complex themes and are mediated in cyberspace, ultimately aiming to identify best practices for projects of this nature. To achieve this, a theoretical framework and an empirical component were established. In the theoretical framework, we problematize cyberspace and define the notions of narrative, non-narrative, non-fictional representation, immersive strategies, and the necessary design and considerations for content mediated in the digital ecosystem. In the empirical component, we examined the research corpus, specifically the general landscape of web documentaries and multimedia journalism projects, before delving deeper into each of these subjects through two multiple case studies. Both the multiple case study of web documentaries and that of multimedia journalism concretely analyzed the various characteristics discussed throughout the work, identifying notable aspects related to information architecture, content design, the use of polyphony, and databases – particularly highlighting the visual and interactive data design in multimedia journalism – co-authorship and participatory audiences, as well as the creation of narrative universes, featuring a range of immersive strategies. In conclusion, we outline a series of best practices for the production and configuration of a web documentary, applying these guidelines to a hypothetical web doc on blood donation. Nine best practices stand out as important considerations for representing complex nonfictional content in cyberspace: guiding co-creation with the portrayed subjects, embracing multidisciplinarity from the project's outset, incorporating design methodologies, modularizing content for better structure, understanding the discourse that the content itself directs, leveraging database and data visualization resources, utilizing polyphony through interactivity, creating a universe around the content, and allowing the audience to contribute and share the material.

Date of Award	2 May 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Ganito (Supervisor) & Cátia Ferreira (Supervisor)