In Defence of Frinton...
Mar. 14th, 2008 09:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caz963I missed Wonderland - The Curious World of Frinton-on-Sea on Wednesday, but I caught up with it earlier on the iPlayer.
What a load of bollocks.
Of course, I expected that the filmmakers would have chosen to feature the oddest people they could find - that's what they do; it's not good telly unless there's something weird or contentious is it?
But to entitle a programme the Curious WORLD of Frinton and then not to show a single person under the age of about seventy and then put across the idea that this is a place that nobody intended to live in, but somewhere that people have somehow ended up living by default is just insulting.
It's not as though I'm intensely attached to where I live. And actually, I was laughing at the people who made the film for falling for the obvious stereotyping that's bound to go on about a place like this. But there were some points I thought they were just cruel. It doesn't matter that the people they chose to film would have given their consent for their interviews to be used - I bet most of them had no idea what could potentially happen when the film was edited together.
At one point they filmed a scene in one of the local church halls. I took both my kids to "mums and toddlers" groups in that hall, and there was absolutely nothing in this to indicate that anyone other than OAPs used it. Opposite that church are two pre-schools. Again, not shown. They filmed at the top of Connaught Avenue (in effect the "high" street) which is within spitting distance of THREE schools (one of which I used to work at, another where I currently work) - they filmed people using the "gates" (the level crossing gates) again, plenty of people of all ages walk up and down that road, but no, the only ones shown were older people.
Sure, the place is known as a "retirement area" - but even in the (almost) eight years I've lived here, there's been a huge change as more new developments spring up and families with children move into the area - evidenced by the fact that most of the schools here are full or oversubscribed.
The programme was ostensibly about the local residents' campaign to save "The Gates" - which are the manually operated level crossing gates which lead into Frinton "proper". There were continual shots of the (empty) beach, and (empty) benches on the greensward overlooking the beach. All I can say is they should have had the bloody cameras there on a Summer Sunday when you can't park for love nor money - and when you can, it's FREE. Show me many seaside resorts where that's the case.
I'm sure the Essex Tourist Board is extremely grateful.
What a load of bollocks.
Of course, I expected that the filmmakers would have chosen to feature the oddest people they could find - that's what they do; it's not good telly unless there's something weird or contentious is it?
But to entitle a programme the Curious WORLD of Frinton and then not to show a single person under the age of about seventy and then put across the idea that this is a place that nobody intended to live in, but somewhere that people have somehow ended up living by default is just insulting.
It's not as though I'm intensely attached to where I live. And actually, I was laughing at the people who made the film for falling for the obvious stereotyping that's bound to go on about a place like this. But there were some points I thought they were just cruel. It doesn't matter that the people they chose to film would have given their consent for their interviews to be used - I bet most of them had no idea what could potentially happen when the film was edited together.
At one point they filmed a scene in one of the local church halls. I took both my kids to "mums and toddlers" groups in that hall, and there was absolutely nothing in this to indicate that anyone other than OAPs used it. Opposite that church are two pre-schools. Again, not shown. They filmed at the top of Connaught Avenue (in effect the "high" street) which is within spitting distance of THREE schools (one of which I used to work at, another where I currently work) - they filmed people using the "gates" (the level crossing gates) again, plenty of people of all ages walk up and down that road, but no, the only ones shown were older people.
Sure, the place is known as a "retirement area" - but even in the (almost) eight years I've lived here, there's been a huge change as more new developments spring up and families with children move into the area - evidenced by the fact that most of the schools here are full or oversubscribed.
The programme was ostensibly about the local residents' campaign to save "The Gates" - which are the manually operated level crossing gates which lead into Frinton "proper". There were continual shots of the (empty) beach, and (empty) benches on the greensward overlooking the beach. All I can say is they should have had the bloody cameras there on a Summer Sunday when you can't park for love nor money - and when you can, it's FREE. Show me many seaside resorts where that's the case.
I'm sure the Essex Tourist Board is extremely grateful.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 11:06 pm (UTC)I started watching it but stopped because I could tell it was such a hatchet job. The way they filmed people at slightly odd angles was a dead giveaway that they wanted to make people look odd. Having seen a programme last week on Channel 4 about Boston in Lincolnshire where my husband comes from and knowing that they were giving a one-sided view I was pretty sure that Frinton was suffering the same fate. It's always an education to watch a TV programme about something you know about, they invariably get it wrong!
All I can say is they should have had the bloody cameras there on a Summer Sunday when you can't park for love nor money
That's a shame. Those empty beaches look lovely.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 11:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-15 09:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-15 09:46 am (UTC)As soon as I read the article about the programme in last week's RT, I knew it was going to be a total stitch up, but I still wasn't prepared for how awful it was.
But looking on the bright side - maybe it'll put people off - more space on the beach for the locals!
no subject
Date: 2008-03-15 10:21 am (UTC)I still wasn't prepared for how awful it was.
As I live in Croydon I'm very used to the place I live in getting bad publicity, but it's still annoying when you know it's bad journalism or done by people with an agenda.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-15 02:45 pm (UTC)