BY GRACE EXLEY

FACTUAL PROGRAMMING PRIMARY/SECONDARY RESEARCH

I am going to create a documentary about underage drinking. I believe that this is a strong subject to talk about and I also believe that there are many viewers who could relate to it.

There are many for and against arguments and facts and figures about this subject that I can use while filming. I am considering filming about two different lives. One life where someone who is drinks frequently and are underage and another life where they don’t drink at all. I will also talk about the risks and give figures about the amount of people who drink alcohol underage. I also thought about the title for my documentary to be, “Underage Drinking: When is the Limit?”

My research is going to be mainly looking at other documentaries which have looked at the same/similar topic and look at how they have filmed their documentary. This could give me inspiration and make me look at different views of underage drinking, making my documentary different from others.

WHAT IS MY DOCUMENTARY GOING TO BE ABOUT?

For this documentary, my target audience will be young adults and parents of young adults who have a temptation towards drink alcohol.

I would my documentary to be broadcasted on BBC 3, this is because most young adults between the age of 15-17years watch this channel as programmes on here are targeted at the similar age range.

I believe most viewers will be able to relate to my documentary because from research (in the next couple of sides) most teenagers by the age of 15 have had at least one drink. By age 18, 70% of teenagers have had at least one drink.

I will be research facts and figures that will be interesting for my target audience and I will be looking at other documentaries to see how they have presented and filmed their documentary targeted towards young adults so that it doesn't’t look boring, keeping my audience interested.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Voiceover – Unseen commentator who explains or tells a story during the documentary, as an audience we are encouraged to believe what they say and claim is as the truth.

Real footage of events - This may be a recording of an actual event which is documented with the real people involved and not actors.

Narrativisation – to communicate (events or experiences) in narrative form, In order to better understand them.

Interview – this allows people being filmed to speak directly about events prompted by specific questions. Interviews in a documentary give viewers a sense of realism. Interviewees generally answer questions looking at the interviewees, this is done to gain emotion, it is proven that a person will give far more emotion looking into the eye of someone rather than the camera.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Text – The insert of information, dates, time etc. New programmes commonly use this to their advantage, it’s a quick way of conveying and reiterating information or can be used to give further information which many not have been previously presented.

Sound – This is used to give off a certain effect, for example in ‘Supersize Me’ they use childish music to undermine and degrade McDonalds as a business.

Dramatization – This is the reconstruction of an event played by actors which is used to give the audience a further insight into the real event which occurred.

Realism – Documentaries may achieve this through: archive footage, interviews, location shooting and following the action

CODES AND CONVENTIONS

I have researched documentaries that broadcasted on BBC channels. I have looked at the different techniques each channel use when filming a documentary. Each BBC channel have different codes and convections because they all have different target audiences. BBC One have a target audience of 20 plus, where as BBC Two have a older target audience and then BBC Three have a younger target audience of !3-18 year olds.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

With more people taking a wider range of drugs than ever, this BBC Three Documentary called “How safe are my Drugs?” is about a Radio One DJ going round into clubs and parties around the country to find out how much people know about their drugs, and whether they’re safe.

Within this documentary, there is a narrator/voiceover (in this documentary is the Radio One DJ) throughout the documentary. This enables them to explain/tell a story during the documentary. The audience will be encouraged to believe what she is saying.

There are many interviews with people who can relate to the topic of the documentary, for example the DJ interviewed a doctor, who specializes in drugs, a shop keeper who sells legal research drugs and you also see the DJ interview people who use drugs. Compared to BBC One Documentaries, the interviews are more informal and more social-able, rather than the interviewee being sat down and asked question in a formal setting.

I like the way this documentary was constructed and having a similar target audience, I am considering filming my documentary in a similar way. One way could be, interviewing in a in a informal setting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04v3294/how-safe-are-my-drugs

PRIMARY RESEARCH;BBC THREE DOCUMENTARY, “HOW SAFE ARE MY DRUGS?”

Underage drinking is widespread- In 2009, approx 10.4 million young people between ages 12

and 20 drank more than ‘just a few sips’ of alcohol.- As kids get older, they drink more. By age 15, half od

teenagers gave had at least one drink. By age 18, more than 70% of teens have had at least one drink.

- UK still ranks highly among the worst offenders in Europe for underage drinking activity.

Young people drink a lot

- Young people drink less often than adults, but when they do drink, they drink more than adults.

- On average, young people have about 5 drinks on a single occasion, which can be considered binge drinking.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;UNDERAGE DRINKING

- Death – 5,000 people under age 21 die each year from alcohol-related car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as falls, burns, and drowning.

- Serious injuries – More than 190,000 people under age 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol-related injuries in 2008 alone.

- Impaired judgment – drinking can cause kids to make poor decisions, which can then result in risky behaviour like drinking and driving, sexual activity, or violence.

- Increased risk for physical and sexual assault – Youth who drink are more likely to carry out or be the victim of a physical or sexual assault.

- Brain development problems – Research shows that brain development continues well into a person’s twenties. Alcohol can affect this development, and contribute to a range of problems.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;UNDERAGE DRINKING RISKS

Qualitative research suggests that underage drinking occurs for a range of reasons and that alcohol can perform several roles in social settings, from the symbolic to the practical; it’s not simply a question of identifying with or copying ‘adult’ behaviour.

A study on teenage drinking cultures described underage drinking as ‘a social activity usually undertaken by small groups of close friends, well away from the oversight of parents or other significant adults’ and that ‘over time, these groups of teenage drinkers develop a range of social habits, rules and rituals that facilitate their shared alcohol consumption’.

Most popular reasons for drinking among young adults were:- To be more sociable with friends- It gives them a rush or a buzz- It makes them feel more confident

SECONDARY RESEARCH;WHY DO YOUNG PEOPLE

DRINK?

Alcohol is the most prominent substance and beverage portrayed in media consumed by young people.

It is widely acknowledged that there is a positive correlation between adolescents’ exposure to alcohol advertising and an increased propensity for them to drink.

Reflecting the Government’s concerns on the matter, as expressed in its Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) established a revised Advertising Code for the broadcasting industry on 1st January 2005. It was strengthened in 4 main ways, so the restrictions were stricter on:- The genera appeal of alcohol ads to young persons, especially under-age

drinkers, and references to ‘youth culture’- Linking alcohol with sex, sexual activity or sexual success- Linking alcohol with aggressive, anti-social or irresponsible behaviour- The depiction of irresponsible handling or serving of alcohol

SECONDARY RESEARCH; INFLUENCES: ADVERTISING

Survey evidence has revealed the limits to which current regulations can prevent underage people from being exposed to alcohol advertising.

Despite being exposed to fewer alcohol advertisements on television shortly after the introduction of the Advertising Code (a decline of 39% in 10 to 15 year-olds between 2002 and 2006), today there are many more ways by which adolescents are exposed to alcohol brands.

Advertisements for alcoholic beverages are able to be shown both pre and post the TV watershed of 9pm – sometimes during both a programme and the commercial break.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;INFLUENCES: ADVERTISING

In magazines, the promotion of non-alcoholic consumer items, and the sponsorship of leisure activities such as sports and music festivals.

In alcohol advertisements, drinking alcohol is predominantly presented as a normal social activity, and the reasons for alcohol use are mostly pro-social. This leads young people to believe that adverts make alcohol look appealing and that they will encourage young people to drink.

An Alcohol Concern survey found that heavily advertised brands of cheap and strong alcohol were prominent among the most popular drinks consumed by the most vulnerable young people involved with drug and alcohol services.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;INFLUENCES ADVERTISING

Research suggests family is among the most important influences on young children’s attitudes towards alcohol.

Survey data estimate that, since 2004, between 19% - 27% of most young people receive alcohol from their parents. 8% are given alcohol by relatives and 6% is given from siblings.

The influence of the family on underage drinking habits is also reflected in the attitudes of parents towards consuming alcohol.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;INFLUENCES: FAMILY

- Alcohol increases your risk for many deadly diseases, such as cancer. Drinking too much alcohol too quickly can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill you.

- Alcohol misuse is a factor in 30% of suicides each year.- 47% of all victims of violence said their attacker was affected

by alcohol at the time. It is estimated that there were 917,000 violent alcohol related incidents in 2011/12.

- In 2012 there were 280 drink drive deaths on the road in Great Britain. 43% of pedestrians killed in road accidents had been drinking.

- Alcohol is a factor in 20 – 30% of all accidents, 22% of Accident and Emergency admissions in England were alcohol related in 2009.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;FACTS ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING

- 360 people died in 2011 from alcohol poisoning.- The average age teen boys first try alcohol is age 11, for

teen girls its 13.- 1 in every 7 15-16 year olds have been involved in an

accident or been injured as a result of drinking alcohol.- 6% of men and 2% of women are estimated to be harmful

drinkers in the UK (adults aged 16-74)- If a teenager drinks regularly before they are 15 they

are: 7 times more likely to be in a car crash because of drinking, and 11 times more likely to suffer unintentional injuries after drinking.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;FACTS ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING

- 57% of 11 – 15 year olds have never drunk alcohol.- Underage drinking is falling in the UK, down from 26% of 11 – 15

year olds in 2001 to 13% in 2010 in England.- 87% don’t drink regularly or to excess and the numbers of 11 – 15

year olds who have never drunk alcohol has increased from 40% in 2000 to 55% in 2010.

- Among 16 – 24 year olds, 22% of men and 18% of women reported drinking more than twice the guidelines in 2011, down from 32% and 27% in 2005.

- Just 3% of 11 year olds think it is okay to try getting drunk or be drunk weekly – however, this rises to 48% of 15 year olds, with 32% thinking it’s okay to get drunk once a week.

- In 2011, men drank, on average, 17 units of alcohol a week; women drank 9 units a week– both within the NHS guidelines of 14 – 21 units for women and 21 – 28 for men.

SECONDARY RESEARCH;FACTS ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING

(ENCOURAGING STATS)