Hampshire County Council's plans to close care homes
There are currently plans to close 4 care homes across Hampshire (Basingstoke, Romsey, Lyndhurst & Petersfield) to save money - however this has impacts on staff, resident's lives and the economy. This could happen as soon as April next year. We could also explore the neglect of the elderly by researching further. I feel this has the potential to create an emotional reaction and possibly fulfil the six qualities of PJVJ. This is also topical but has been regularly explored so would have to be of some significance to be remotely ground-breaking or original.
Examples of recent reports and similar projects:
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Exposure of reglect within care homes:
ITV: http://www.itv.com/news/2012-10-24/itv-exposure-who-cares-investigating-britains-care-homes/
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b02zg3h2/Panorama_Elderly_Care_Condition_Critical/
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Recent news article on closure of 4 homes:
ITV: http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-09-30/closing-care-homes-could-be-too-much-for-the-residents/
TiH: http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/10744952.Closing_care_homes_may_prove_fatal/
When reviewing the documentaries on the neglect of patients in care homes, although our documentary would be based on the closure, the visual style and message would be similar. They would both explore many of the 6 qualities of documentary. These documentaries contain a considerable amount of establishing shots of care homes, statements from the authorities (complying with the rights to reply), and personal accounts. These documentaries demonstrate the expository mode, through the use of narration. They also explore the observational mode, as there’s extensive amounts of secret filming which gives the viewer the surreal
quality, the voyeur quality and the shocking quality, as it gives the viewer an exclusive insight into the
shocking lack of care in a 'care' home. It also explores the participatory mode, as the presenter sits
with the victims and discusses, whilst the primary is reduced to tears. This shows the documentary
also explosers the emotional quality.
The rise of scrap metal theifs
Recently in Andover, a war memorial weighing 16 stone and worth over £9000 was stolen. We are seeing an increase in rising scrap metal theifs, and October 2013 has seen new laws to tighen up on this increasing problem. This topic is very current and the fact that war memorials and general memorials causes huge reactions and outrage. We could interview scrap metal dealers who experience theifs and people affected by them. There are stories of dealers being jailed for accepting stolen scrap, and large cases of theifs.
Examples of recent reports and similar projects:
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Report of large scale metal theif:
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/303250/Now-thieves-swoop-on-giant-eagle-memorial-to-air-heroes
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Report of dealer buying scrap metal:
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/scrap-metal-boss-admits-buying-6167645
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An MP victim of plaque theft:
When looking at this documentary, 'The Hunt for Britain's Metal Thieves' by the BBC, they have managed to obtain excellent primaries. For example it contains footage from The London Metal Exchange with interviews from individuals such as a metal market research consultant. This shows that this idea has already been utilised and has successfully looked at the subject in many different areas, from rail lines to the metal exchange. There's also footage from the police which fits the observational mode. There is also footage of a memorial being victim to metal thieves which explores the relative and emotional qualities.
Documentary Ideas and Research
Emotional content: Interviewee breaks down infront of presenter (participatory mode), which is related to by the audience (relative content)
Blackfish – The Whale That Killed (BBC Storyville)
Blackfish uses many techniques to shock its audience (one of the six qualities). It begins with accounts from former SeaWorld staff who loved their jobs and manages to use archive footage of them saying how wonderful everything is during shows and interviews. This is followed by them being interviewed now realising how wrong they were - juxtaposing what they originally said. This use of juxtaposition is very hard hitting. The main mode is observational as you see what goes on from many different people’s perspectives. This is also echoed by the images of SeaWorld executives smiling whilst leaving court. It’s this use of juxtaposition between the happy facade of SeaWorld and nature and the real distressing facts of the unnatural sea mammals being held in captivity, motivated by money. The documentary features the Ken Burns effect when showing wounds on the Whales, which has a huge impact on the audience as it not only displays the injuries, but pans towards them. These documentary styles will help influence our work as a group. As Director of Photography, I found juxtaposition works well in our images and footage. We have grown men with pints of beer featuring alongside pink plush pony toys and merchandise.