Group Idea - Riots Documentary (Updated)

In an earlier blog post I created a Prezi about our group's initial idea of creating a documentary on the riots. Obviously we went with this idea and are in the process of producing this project but there have been a few changes to our idea since that post, so I will document those here.

To start with, we said that we would try and get CCTV footage but realised while filming that this was very unlikely as this is such a sensitive subject and there is still an enquiry into the riots going on at the moment so instead we have access to archive footage of the riots, which is the next best thing.

Secondly, we said we would get the views of the police, residents and local business owners. We have all of these apart from the local residents as this again is a sensitive subject and the individuals we selected did not want to talk about it on camera.

So far we have interviewed Nicola Whisker who was a paramedic during the riots, who was cross-trained to be a police officer/paramedic during the riots due to a lack of officers. Secondly we interviewed the owner of 'Everyday Pets' and various other shop owners on Tottenham High Road and finally we interviewed the Chief Superintendent of the Met Police, Adrian Roberts. (Pictured: Right)

Hopefully next Thursday we are due to visit New Scotland Yard to meet and interview Chief Inspector Graham Dean who was the first figure of importance on the scene at Tottenham High Road. After organising a date only to find out he was not available I have suggested this date to him and am now waiting for him to confirm his availability.

Once this has been filmed we will have the majority of elements for our documentary, the only thing we will need to do is:

• Film some pieces to the camera using either a member of the group or someone who is comfortable in front of the camera.


• Editing the project together


• Record some voiceovers for footage using either a member of the group or a suitably voiced individual


• Choose whether or not to include some music in the documentary

1st Attempt at listings magazine layout - Ancillary Task

For our ancillary task we must individually create a magazine double spread based upon our documetary about the riots. This first attempt was created on Microsoft Publisher and was very much a starting block as I intend to use this and my research to make a high quality professional magazine spread. I have Adobe inDesign at home and will be learning to use that to produce the best magazine article I can.

It is helpful to have such software at home because there are many features and layouts which are used in magazines sold in shops everywhere.

One thing that came out of the interview with the Chief Superintendent was that once the report on the riots has been published they will send us an electronic copy of it. Within the report there are quotes and accounts of events from senior officers which can be used in the article.

I quite like the spread below, especially the large picture on one side of the spread but this leaves less room for the text in the article and therefore I will most likely not produce my final article in this style. I will try to have a large picture like below but incorporate it within the text a bit more therefore not losing much space for content.

Met Police Chief Superintendent Interview

Within our interview we wanted to get both sides of the riots so as well as shopkeepers we wanted a member of the forces. After ringing up New Scotland Yard we were given the name of Nicky Healy to contact.

Nicky was our contact point and was very helpful in arranging an interview with the Chief Superintendent Adrian Roberts. Once I had conducted and filmed the interview with him I then had to sign a legal document to say that the final project I create will not be shared on any social media websites and that it will only be seen by my group and teacher then finally the exam board. The report on the riots is due to be released in the coming weeks and this is quite a political topic which the police haven't done any interviews on. The questions I've asked question how the police dealt with the riots etc. which is covered in the report so for this reason also I was asked to sign.

Here is the document:

Upon entering New Scotland Yard I received a guest pass for security so I have scanned that in to document that fact that I travelled up to Westminister to conduct the interview:

Whilst at New Scotland Yard with the Chief Superintendent and Nicky, I met Chief Inspector Graham Dean who was the first man (of considerable status) on the scene when the riots in Tottenham kicked off and he offered to do an interview as well and said to get in touch with Nicky about it in the coming weeks which I will follow up, as this will give us a first hand account of the riots.

Listings Magazine Research/Planning

Within the A2 Media Studies we have to create an ancillary task which consist of double page spread linked to our documentaary and first we must research existing magazine spreads to gather ideas for our own.

Listings magazines