Participate YourSelf: A Mid-Process Case Reflection on Collaborative Authorship

Through a case study of his most recent documentary Control YourSelf–in which participants interview themselves and deliver the raw materials for the film via YouTube–the author explores the relationship between filmmaker and participant in an era when al- most everyone is a media maker and consumer. Under scrutiny the documentary sub- genres of VideoVoice and Camera Movies, which purport to offer participants greater influence over the resulting documentary reveal a superficial reflexivity and a reaffirming of traditional filmmaker/participant power imbalances. To explore more inclusive and ethi- cal means of story creation, the author seeks to elucidate the fluidity of power relation- ships in the era of the “digital native.” More inclusive participant involvement and authorial reflexivity provide ways to address the author’s main concerns: power, participant voice and 3-way trust relationships between filmmaker, participant, and audience.