University of Tasmania, Australia

Craig Hight, University of Waikato

Shoot, edit, share: cultural software and user-generated documentary practice

This paper draws from the paradigm of software studies, which investigates the significance of software within contemporary cultural, social, political and economic practices. Within this frame, ‘cultural software’ refers to programs which are used to create and access media content and environments. While these new software (and hardware) tools provide the basis for user-generated online documentary culture, they also reduce the complexity of documentary practice to provide simpler and more efficient forms of creative practice.

Craig Hight is a senior lecturer in Screen and Media Studies at the University of Waikato. He currently researching online documentary supported by a 3-year grant from the Royal Society of New Zealand.