Research into Short Films

BBC Cannabis: What's The Harm?

In the first of two programmes, James looks at the effects of the drug on the streets of Britain, meeting a 17-year-old who smokes weed with his parents and a mum-of-three who uses cannabis to keep her emotions in check. In various other episodes, he meets people who are growing cannabis illegally for themselves and goes out on patrol with a police drug team as they clamp down on large-scale cannabis growers. He also travels to California, the first state in America to license cannabis for medicinal use.

I believe this documentary is particularly effective as it provides the audience with an insight into the common offenders using the drug, where it is taking place and how often. This short film also could shock some viewers as the 17-year old's parents agree with him smoking cannabis, and encourage it inside the house. This promotes a very bad image to young people as they may believe this behaviour is acceptable in today's society. I have also watched other episodes in the series which create an awareness to the audience, displaying how serious the problem really is! These episodes display a real contrast as in the first showing, the parents of the cannabis, smoking 17 year old agree with the debate of legalising the drug. Further on in the series, James explores how the public services deal with this issue, alarming the audience, consequently proving the dangers of the substance. In addition, the series shows another side of the argument, informing viewers that some people benefit from using cannabis if they have terminal illnesses such as, Multiple Sclerosis. Watching some of these episodes has been extremely helpful in order to gain different viewpoints in society which will consequently help with my project. The narration allows the audience to easily follow the information being provided which forms a storyline basis, creating a more professional effect. 

BBC: How Drugs Work - Cannabis

This documentary proves how addictive cannabis can be and the physical and psychological effects the drug can have on the body. With exclusive access to cutting edge scientific research, it confronts the myths and controversies that surround cannabis, reveals whether it is addictive, if it destroys our memories and finds out if it can even lead to psychosis. Experts discover effects on cannabis users by testing the mood of the user, such as signs of anxiety, lots of thoughts at once and paranoia. Experts also test the cannabis being used, which impacts on the effects and how addictive the drug becomes.

Throughout this documentary, there are efficient techniques used in order to emphasise what is being shown. The use of experts make the documentary and information used reliable as they are from knowledgeable sources, this makes the viewers more trusting towards the programme. The close up shots and shots of parts of the body work well, highlighting the facts, which is easier for the audience to understand. Images of the offenders, the drug itself and knowledge of the law and judicial punishments effectively shock the viewers, which is a key purpose of a documentary.

Channel 4: Our Drugs War

Here is a link to: Our Drugs War

Award-winning filmmaker Angus Macqueen looks at the social cost of America's war on drugs through the life of 28-year-old Thomas Winston: a small-time drug dealer struggling to stay out of prison and away from the lure of easy money that illegal drugs offer. Thomas's story illustrates the failure of America's zero tolerance drug laws, which don't stop supply or address addiction, but rather consign whole groups of society to a tragic cycle, undermining the very fabric of whole communities: be it here in Britain or in the US.

This documentary depicts two sides of the argument, and uses a real life story as a technique to create verisimilitude, this evidently proves that drug dealing and the consumption of cannabis is occurring in everyday life. Using facts, figures and statistics to shock the reader is a technique used in this documentary, proving the laws abroad and how much money is spent on drugs, etc. In addition, this documentary features expert opinions and text, confirming that the information involved is from reliable sources.