Evocative collaboration : collaborative animated documentary in Timor-Leste

This thesis consists of two parts: the creative work of two animated documentaries and an exegesis. The films Jose’s Story and Natercia’s Story explore the personal experiences of two East Timorese individuals during the Indonesian occupation and the fight for independence. The work documents the themes associated with the trauma of poverty, war, and eventual diaspora within a historical context. The exegesis explores the broadening definitions of ‘documentary’ and ‘animation’ to include an investigation of how the use of animation in non-fiction films challenges convention and subsequently adds layers of meaning. It argues that personal narratives dependent on memory, especially traumatic memories, are particularly well suited to the medium of animation. The research advances the discussion of animated documentary by suggesting that Jose’s Story and Natercia’s story combine multiple elements of modes and typologies proposed by previous scholars of documentary and animation to form a new concept of ‘evocative collaboration’. The thesis argues that ‘evocative collaboration’ allows for a more ethical production framework in relation to authenticity, ownership and authorship when depicting disadvantaged individuals and communities. The two animated documentaries can be viewed at – Jose’s Story - https://vimeo.com/197998746 ; Natercia’s Story - https://vimeo.com/280117412 (password: Natercia