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Understanding Representation Jen Webb

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International Journal of Cultural Studies
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Picturizing science

The science documentary as multimedia spectacle

Josè van Dijck

University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

At the turn of the millennium, science documentaries show a particular penchant for the abundant use of animated visuals, obviously facilitated by new digital television techniques such as videographic animation and computer animatronics. Analyzing two recent science documentary series (Walking with Dinosaurs and The Elegant Universe) this article discusses how scientists and television producers deploy digital animation to convince viewers of the plausibility of scientific theories in the fields of paleontology and physics. The question guiding these analyses is how the use of digital animation is grounded in ambiguous epistemological and ontological claims. Rather than lamenting the advancing pictorial effect and the demise of realism in ‘postmodern' science documentaries, it is argued that the multimedia mix of words, sounds and images both reflects and transforms our claims to knowledge. In fact, science documentaries do not illustrate but enablescientific claims; they visualize knowledge while substantiating hypotheses.

Key Words: cultural analysis • digital animation • narrative modes • science documentary, television documentary • visual styles

International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1, 5-24 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1367877906061162
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