Bring Back Borstal

Info ‘Series in which young offenders volunteer to experience the strict regime of a 1930s-style Borstal. In the third programme, working in the community yields some surprising results.’

‘The unique experiment is to bus a bunch of scallies and gobshites back to the 1930s, bang them up in Borstal to see if today’s troublemakers can handle – and benefit from – the regime of the past.’

‘Seventy per cent of the young men who went through Borstal never went back to prison again, says David Wilson, normally a criminologist and professor at Birmingham City Uni, now playingthe part of prison governor.’

REFLEXIVE!The documentary characters are all fully aware that there is a camera crew there at all times, narration continues throughout the episodes. There are some aspects of other modes such as observational as the crew are constantly following the drama the boys are making. We do see conventions of both modes throughout the whole thing.

First thing we see, long shot with a bus with ‘Borstal’ on, it’s a clue to the programme. Music starts to play and then narration by Piers Morgan begins instantly explaining what a borstal is. .

When this man is shown the narration pauses and we meet the borstal officer he is introduced by him shouting at the borstal members, this shows his authority and instantly shows he’s boss.

Then we meet the boys in the borstal, we have close ups and mid shots of them to familiarise the audience, the narrator continues but pauses when the leader talks .

There is a small montage of clips of the antics from life in the borstal, the action is just a small insight into life but enough to make you want to carry on watching. Its gripping.

The montage carries on for a while longer as we gradually meet all the characters on the show. Narration continues and tells the audience the boys schedule and what they will be doing.

We are able to see the climax of events that go down. It is exciting and the music builds which creates tension and a bit of a mysterious atmosphere.

The title is shown fully for the first time, the image shown is like an establishing shot, it shows the brutal reality of what to expect and the bold writing confirms the brutality.

As I was watching the second episode to analyse we are able to see what happened previously as a reminder, this just re jogs audiences minds. This is a montage of clips. All narrated.

We start to see their daily lives and how it goes, Jack is the focus as he has been told off by house master. He is the first one to be bought to the audience attention, meaning its likely he’ll be a focus throughout.

This sign is shown almost like confirming the borstal theme again so no one forgets, the music is lighter and more jolly and piers formally introduces David the criminologist and house governor.

We directly meet one of the boys formally for the first time, as we meet him his name and details are shown audiences like this as it reduces confusion and makes things clear.

Mid shot of David, we see him analyising work and deep in thought, the mid shot doesn’t reveal anything but shows us what is going on and gives us a small idea.