Prison shows can be escapist
C5 is interested in rolling important documentary subjects into entertainment. For example Rich House Poor house.
Even in the Darkest subjects you can always find humour. Not afraid to bring humour to quite serious subjects.
What is coming up? Make that a flavour of what commissioners are looking for.
Guy (C5). 90 minute films are important to us. They say a lot of important things. C5 did a series called “The accused”
Note: Trying to find a production company for this. Silverlining is involved (Co Pro Brokering). Brinkworth Films / Television.
Guy like the Accused and is working on a similar idea: The abused:
Not a retrospective piece but a view of what life is like for many people.
Guy showed a clip of the Abused but I’m unable to find an online version to link. It was very difficult to watch.
Jo: chose a clip, which was also harrowing. As a baby, a man was left outside a pub and is now trying to find someone, anyone, related to him.
I couldn’t find a clip for this but: Long Lost Family Special : Born Without Trace looks like it could be the series the clip was taken from. However his case wasn’t one of the ones they mentioned.
The program starts with Scale but narrows once they find some family.
C4 made some Singles that are big. One was about a school where they are training teachers to shoot people that are an “active shooter”. This was made by SunDog Films:
Channel 4 Factual Commissions Training Teachers Kill
The headline on this show was an example of the sort that is needed to attract an audience. A really strong tabloid headline.
Clare Sillery: many of factual shows currently being broadcast were commissioned by David Brindley (head of popular factual) but now some of that sort of content has been picked up by Documentary. Producers often pitch Tone but but Clare is looking for layers of story. There are a couple shows coming up but Clare chose “Beacon Hill” [not set in Boston, MA] This show is about animal Welfare.