Documentary Unit: Research-Britains Teenage knife wars

Britains Teenage knife wars: Jermaine Jenas Investigates
Returning back to previous interviewees, after exploring topic further to see if their opinions/mindsets have changed. In this documentary Jermaine met a young adult who carries knives around for 'protection. It's a case of 'kill or get killed'. “One thing that kept coming from them was, ‘well most of the people that I come into contact with on a daily basis, I know they carry knives. If it kicks off at any stage and they pull out their knife and I’ve not got my knife then I’m a dead man. It’s as simple as that. So, yes I will carry my knife." Then Jermaine visits him at the end of the documentary his knowledge is enlightened and he has a better understanding. After developing his own conclusions he wants to almost try and encourage the young adult to not be involved with such atrocities. Jermaine is angered at the end by the young mans complete disregard for life, and the lives of others, after seeing firsthand how a family is affected by knife crime.

BBC three have used a football personality to get through to a younger generation . However, its not just random, Jermaine himself was affected by knife crime when he was caught up with someone with a knife a few years ago and felt defenceless. He went from being a well respected member of society to being a nobody by someone who respects no one. “I used to go to this barber shop and then one day I walk out of there and six guys jump out of an alleyway,” he says. “Balaclava'd up, knives on them, all sorts, saying ‘Give us all you’ve got and you won’t get hurt…’ You want to fight, but you just can’t.”


In terms of its style, like most BBC Three documentaries it combines high quality cinematic shots with informal low quality go-pro shots. This makes the documentary feel much more casual appealing to a young audience. The idea of having one person (the presenter) take a journey to explore something they're interested has this sense of involvement and intimacy with its audience; they are also going on this journey with him. The topic covered here is very typical of BBC Three; it takes on issues young people are struggling with, and helps ones that aren't understand what goes on with others, raising awareness. Through interviews, he asks experts (surgeons who help save knife wounds, people affected (mother who lost her son to knife crime), those affecting it (young man who carries a knife around) and himself (self reflections throughout). 
The idea of returning to someone interviewed early in the documentary, again at the end is inspirational to our piece, and I feel it would be good idea to return to our social media expert again at the end after going on this extensive journey.

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