Having worked with a certain ITV documentary in the past I would agree with everything said thus far. Be cautious but don't be put off if you feel you have an important contribution to make.
An erstwhile colleague of mine was interviewed for said ITV documentary and gave a balanced interview. By the time it had been edited very carefully it made him appear to have a very rigid set of views - those which the producers wished him to have. Because there was no evidence that he had been misrepresented, then he had no come-back to them.
I would offer two pieces of practical advice:
1. Take a minidisk (or similar recorder) with you and make it a condition of your participation that you will make an audio recording at all times that they are filming. That way they can't get away with misrepresenting you and if they try, you have the evidence necessary to take action.
2. Think about making it a condition (in writing, not spoken word) of your appearance that they cannot broadcast any material until you have seen and approved the final edited version. They need participants in order to make the programme - if they are not prepared to accommodate you in this way then they're probably not worth getting involved with. Also demand a copy of any disclaimers and waivers you sign. Don't ask for disclaimers in advance. Read, amend if necessary and sign them on the day of filming - they're more likely to accept your changes and specific conditions than they are to turn around, go back to their office and write the session off with no material...
Pete Denton
-----Original Message-----
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of A Velarde
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 10:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: documentary
I agree with the word caution. However, I would suggest that this world
should not be read as 'no participation'. The relevant people (hopefully
experienced and versed in emancipatory issues) should put across their views
so to try to use the space offered. Ch 4 offers a high rated viewer a
programme. We could place one or two messages of resistance. Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Arnold" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 11:20 PM
Subject: Re: documentary
> More or less what I was saying, now some time back I contacted there so
> called disability advisor or whatever anyway the upshot of that was as she
> trumpeted some crap output called "make me normal" as an example of there
> awareness of autism and commitment, and of course I merely said what that
> programme was and how it had been recieved as the basest vilest, ablist
> propaganda as you can ever meet and did myself no favors in the process.
>
> But notwithstanding that there is a long bias of manipulation and pure
freak
> showery around neurodiversity and I would not suppose it to be any
different
> against any other construction of disability either.
>
> Now they might tout as they are giving greater exposure (sure even Barnum
> claimed that)
>
> But they are almost as big a freak circus as the academic interest in
> disability (woa that was a bit naughty for to say that)
>
> Seriosly though Channel four and the independant producers are mostly into
> ratings, and all the usual financials, don't expect sensitive, accurate
and
> progressive output from them.
>
> Larry
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jenny Parry
> > Sent: 16 January 2006 22:34
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: documentary
> >
> >
> > Hi Tom and all -
> > may I offer a word of caution to anyone who is about to contact the C4
> > person requesting information - I have had bad experiences of C4
> > documentaries
> > within my work on disability and prison. It is very rare that a
> > programme of
> > this type does not seek to sensationalise and appeal to a
> > certain type of
> > viewer. If you decide to become involved be very careful - TV
> > staff will often
> > treat you with respect until they have got what they want then
> > disappear, and
> > no matter what they promise, inevitably fail to let you see
> > footage before it
> > is released.
> > The topic of this particular programme could easily be
> > susceptible to the
> > same thing, although I very much hope not as this is an
> > important issue worthy
> > of serious discussion .............. by the right people.
> > All best
> > Jenny Parry...
> >
> >
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