‘Scapegoat’ Interactive Crime Drama

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: Sophie Hiscock, Ashton Clarke and Dr Polina Zioga.

AIMS
The aim of this project is twofold. On the one hand, it seeks to investigate the process of creating an HTML-based interactive short film through the stages of pre-production, production and post-production; and has led to the creation of the Scapegoat short interactive film. It focuses on the crime drama genre, exploring currently available online platforms and interaction design approaches, making suggestions on the use of appropriate methods that can enable an efficient and meaningful interactivity. At the same time, the project investigates the scriptwriting process involved in the development of a short interactive crime drama, the methods that can establish a strong narrative, and the criteria that can be applied for measuring its quality. It focuses on the interactive script format, looking at currently available software, their functionalities and the role of script supervisor on set.

METHODS
Human-Computer Interaction, Interactive Media, Interactive Storytelling, Interactive Filmmaking, Interactive Scriptwriting, HTML, Audience Engagement, Crime Drama.

OUTPUTS
– Clarke, A., and Zioga, P. (2022) Scriptwriting for Interactive Crime Films: the Case of Scapegoat. Interactive Film and Media Conference 2021: New Narratives, Racialization, Global Crises, and Social Engagement, Online. Interactive Film and Media, 2(1): 106-121. 10.32920/ifmj.v2i1.1524.
– Clarke, A., and Zioga, P. (2021) ‘Scriptwriting for Interactive Crime Films: the Case of Scapegoat’. In: Interactive Film And Media Conference 2021: New Narratives, Racialization, Global Crises, And Social Engagement. Online, 5-7 August 2021.
– Scapegoat (2019) Directed by Sophie Hiscock [Interactive Film]. UK: Sophie Hiscock.

SCAPEGOAT – the HTML-based short interactive crime drama
Scapegoat (dir. Sophie Hiscock, 2019) is an interactive HTML-based short film about a team of detectives that need to find the truth behind the murder of Lucas Cook and why he is seen as the scapegoat for the disappearance of Victoria Grey. Viewers can choose the course of the investigation and which people around the neighbourhood the detectives will question in order to discover the killer.