The Illusion of Authenticity: Creating the Mockumentary Hoax

Gale, Marcus C.

The Illusion of Authenticity: Creating the Mockumentary Hoax

Gale, Marcus C.

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2022

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Filename	Description	Size
01front.pdf	contents and abstract	250.62 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open
02whole.pdf	thesis	4.3 MB	Adobe PDF	View/Open
03video.mp4	film	2.57 GB	MP4	View/Open

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gale, Marcus C.
dc.date.accessioned	2023-01-13T02:16:02Z
dc.date.available	2023-01-13T02:16:02Z
dc.date.issued	2022
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/164948
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	The mockumentary genre has been embraced across the globe, finding its most popular mode of expression in comedy. Most mockumentaries openly flag their fictional status but there is a smaller collection of diverse films that have tricked audiences into thinking they were viewing genuine documentaries. These ‘mockumentary hoaxes’ remain an undertheorised and undervalued area within mockumentary and documentary scholarly studies, and screen production-related research. Irrespective of how mockumentary hoaxes have been publicly received, they have functioned as hoaxes because filmmakers have knowingly mobilised and orchestrated particular practices to achieve this preferred reading. This thesis develops and expands on what constitutes the mockumentary hoax form using a combination of screen theory and creative practice research. The ‘illusion of authenticity’ is identified as the central tenet of the mockumentary hoax. Through the making of a microbudget feature ‘Liquid Light’, as a practice-led investigation, this notion is deconstructed into a systematic layering of calculated filmmaking strategies. By offering a more extensive understanding and appreciation of mockumentary hoaxes, this research project highlights the critical role the subgenre is able to play in advancing media literacy and critical thinking skills.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (DCA)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/164948/2/02whole.pdf
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/ppc
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.rights	© 2022 Marcus C. Gale
dc.title	The Illusion of Authenticity: Creating the Mockumentary Hoax	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2024-11-02T00:00:00+1000

Abstract:

The mockumentary genre has been embraced across the globe, finding its most popular mode of expression in comedy. Most mockumentaries openly flag their fictional status but there is a smaller collection of diverse films that have tricked audiences into thinking they were viewing genuine documentaries. These ‘mockumentary hoaxes’ remain an undertheorised and undervalued area within mockumentary and documentary scholarly studies, and screen production-related research. Irrespective of how mockumentary hoaxes have been publicly received, they have functioned as hoaxes because filmmakers have knowingly mobilised and orchestrated particular practices to achieve this preferred reading. This thesis develops and expands on what constitutes the mockumentary hoax form using a combination of screen theory and creative practice research. The ‘illusion of authenticity’ is identified as the central tenet of the mockumentary hoax. Through the making of a microbudget feature ‘Liquid Light’, as a practice-led investigation, this notion is deconstructed into a systematic layering of calculated filmmaking strategies. By offering a more extensive understanding and appreciation of mockumentary hoaxes, this research project highlights the critical role the subgenre is able to play in advancing media literacy and critical thinking skills.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/164948