Linked Production brief

Your Critical Investigation topic: 

• The representation of drugs in the media - in the UK vs. USA
• Key films that are of interest: Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting, Reefer Madness

Your Linked Production brief: 

• To create a 21st century, hyper-realistic propaganda text, in both print (possibility) and film format - the film can be the opening of a documentary or trailer for a documentary about the dangers of drugs or drugs in modern culture
• Text could focus on one individual and their relationships with drugs
• Independent film style, low budget aesthetic 

Length/size of production (e.g. 3 minutes, 5 pages etc.): 

• If, complete print - then 2 minute film. Otherwise, 4 minute opening or extended trailer style found online. 

Give an example of an existing media text this is similar to what you plan to produce:

• BBC3's mockumentary 'People Just Do Nothing' - over exagerration of stereotypes, alongside 'Reefer Madness' - propaganda style, with the style of 'Trainspotting' and 'Requiem for a Dream' - vibrant colours, intense montages

Give an example of an institution that would produce or distribute your planned production:

• Acme films - renowned for their relations with urban British products

How would your production reach its audience?

• Online or through BBC3 

Who do you plan to work with on this project?

• Individually to craft my own perception of drug culture

Name of the text you plan to recreate:

• I plan to recreate the Reefer Madness trailer as I am drawn to the hyperbole revelled up around the drug, that in todays society, we know to be not quite as harmful

Critical Investigation Draft #1

“The reason some drugs are legal and other’s not has almost nothing to do with science or health or the relative risks of the drugs. It has almost everything to do with who uses and who’s perceived to use particular drugs” – Ethan Nadelmann[1]

What are the underlying values and ideologies in ‘Channel 4’s Run: Richard’ and how does this compare to American texts on the same subject?

The war on drugs is a revolutionary aspect that has travelled throughout history into today’s society and has become a prominent theme within the mass media. It is clear that the media is the prime driving force for the ever-changing representation of drugs, through the constant shift in  how it is conveyed across both print and film platforms. This is evident through the alternative depiction of drugs depending on one’s social class or ethnicity. Thus, one could infer that the media use the theme of ‘drugs’ as tool to be labelled with specific social groups to reinforce dominant ideologies associated with them, leading to moral panics (Stanley Cohen).  Also, it is noteworthy to recognise the drastic alteration of the representation of drugs depending on where the text is produced, for instance the United Kingdom in conjunction with the United States. This can be examined through the social realistic text produced by Channel 4 in 2013, “Run: Richard”, which outlines the struggles of a black recovering heroin addict and captures Britain’s informative approach to the theme. This juxtaposes with several films from the US, which in more recent years demonstrates their more liberal and “freedom of the individual” approach. However, this ‘liberal’ approach hasn’t always been at the forefront and this essay will establish how this representation has changed over time. As well as this, we will uncover the reasoning behind the correlating approaches to the theme of drugs depending on where and who produces the text.

 ‘Run’ is a British mini-series that was created by Jonathan Pearson, Marlon Smith and Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan, which follows the lives of ‘four gritty no holds’[2] and presents their daily battles of survival in London. The film was produced by Acme films who are renowned for their innovative and contentious product style, derived from their core objective of ‘seek[ing] to represent the reality, drama and diversity of contemporary urban life’[3]. The ‘hardly-sugar coated’[4] narrative was the first to be written by Fajemisin-Duncan and Smith, who both grew up together in Brixton and ‘want[ed] to tell [their] version of south London’[5] Thus Acme films and newcomers Fajemisin-Duncan and Smith, paired perfectly together in creating an honest depiction of the social realistic genre, through sharing the same intentions.

The episode ‘Richard’, conveyed by Lennie James, was the third of the four interlinking stories and was aired on the 17^th July 2013, watched by 1.39 million UK viewers[6]. The narrative itself outlines the ‘struggles [a heroin addict faces] to stay clean’[7], whilst having to readjust back into society and res-establish a relationship with his teenage daughter. The sensitive sub-narrative of Richard’s strive to regain contact with his daughter adds vulnerability to the character often depicted as a social outcast. James demonstrated a keen interest in partaking in the gritty narrative: “Before I’d even read the script I’d said yes.”[8]– having too, grown up in Brixton.  This therefore indicates the accurate and fair representation that the directors, Acme films and James, wanted to elicit through the character ‘Richard’.

Prior to the ‘Richard’ episode being aired, Channel 4 released two additional clips, via the website, allowing audiences to mildly connect with the characters. The text is primarily aimed at a B-D demographic of 18-55 year olds. Due to the explicit narrative, it is fair to say that a niche audience from the ‘Struggler’, ‘Reformer’ and ‘Explorer’ psychographic groups would be the dominant consumers, as they would be most enticed by the social issues moulding the narrative, such as urban life, drug abuse and dysfunctional families.

The first of the two clips which will be discussed is ‘Hope’[9], which is a dialogue between Richard and his mother. The clip is set with tungsten blue lighting creating a natural aesthetic in the working class café. An audience are introduced to the stereotypical Caribbean lone parent family type (social realistic convention) and the lack of maternal instincts that the mother has towards her son. The handheld camera alongside the diagetic background noise of the market, reiterates the lifestyle that follows the D and E demographic social class. The conversation is exchanged through medium close ups of the mother, in comparison with the more extreme close ups of Richard’s lifeless and penurious face. One could connote this to be the director’s deliberate choice of forcing an audience to engage and build a personal relationship (Uses and Gratification, Blumler and Katz 1974) with the protagonist (Spheres of Action, Propp) to then embody his emotions: “You don’t believe I’m off it, do you mum?” The non-diagetic sound of the slow instrumental arises, heightening this emotion and is thus parallel to the unfortunate uncertainty of the mother’s response, symbolising a lack of hope that is on Richard’s side. 

In terms of Medhurst’s ‘shorthand for identification’ theory, the stereotypical family type and relationship that an audience are presented with, provides them with a greater understanding as to why Richard started using – possibly, due to the lack of a father figure, reinforcing prevailing social ideologies. By Channel 4 using this scene as one of the ‘teaser’ clips, one could imply that they envisioned for the audience to build a sense of empathy towards the recovering ‘heroin addict’ that is often scrutinised within society and across news mediums. 

In particular, one must recognise that not all British institutions are willing to display the moral issues associated with drugs and users, as they instead depict it as deviant behaviour. This is clear through The Sun, a tabloid newspaper known for their controversial celebrity scandals, news story: “Tulisa’s Cocaine Deal Shame”[10] The title was plastered on the front page in block capitals and featured a small photograph of drug paraphernalia, amplifying the criminality of the story. The use of the noun ‘shame’, in terms of the Hypodermic needle model, passively reinforces the deviancy and embarrassment associated with drug scandals. Alongside this, another example of the Sun savouring off of a celeb-scandal is through the story about late Amy Winehouse in 2008: “Amy on Coke”, where the main image consisted of covert footage of the “socially intolerable” act, taking place – “Winehouse smoking on a crack pipe”[11]  Through the news institutions incorporating celebrity news that is ‘unexpected’ (Galtung and Ruge 1973) and breaks out of the status quo, shows their underpinning interest in increasing their readership, whilst stemming audiences away from condoning drug use.

Interestingly, in both the UK and US the news mediums present drugs in a similar way, often depicting the unfortunate deaths of young people through taking drugs such as MDMA. The Daily Mail[12] is at the forefront in ensuring that this moral panic is executed upon their domain audience, including parents (25-55 year olds) creating the imagery that reverts back to 1936 ‘Reefer Madness’ – “Tell your children [to stay away from drugs or they will end up dead]” Lydia Lee comments on this drug hysteria within the news describing it as “an effort to make society conform [by presenting] biased messages to the public telling them drugs are harmful and immoral”[13].  Therefore, it is clear that representation of drugs within the news media is to maintain hegemonic control through audiences fearing them.

Furthermore, Channel 4 relays the harsh and constant confrontation that addicts have with their past, as shown in ‘Old Haunts’[14], containing the binary opposition (Levi-Strauss 1958) between Richard and his ex-drug dealer. The scene begins with a medium long shot of a black tinted Audi, reversing back, beside Richard, who appears nervous for their upcoming encounter. The dealer then states: “Old man Rich” – the use of the nickname ‘Rich’, implies close relations, however the adjective ‘old’ almost acts as a sign to reassure an audience that he has been clean for a long time. The dealer’s, [Michael], direct approach in instigating conversation, as shown through the medium close ups of him looking directly at Richard and questioning him “Have you seen Jon Jon?” (fellow heroin addict), is portrayed through the stillness of the shot, in contrast with the slight wobbles that compliment with the uneasiness felt by Richard, as the camera reverts to his response. This discomfort is emphasized as the dealer asks: “Do you have a line, just in case you make a turn?” in which Richard responds shaking his head “I’m alright, but thank you” – satisfying an audience that he is attempting to make a change. The diagetic dialogue finalises with the dealer stating “You’ll get hungry soon, you lot always do” and then drives of. His use of ‘hungry’ resonates animalistic imagery personifying the recovering addict and detracting all of his humanity. Interestingly, by Channel 4 using this as the other short clip, it is hard to refute that they want an audience to embark upon the recovering addict’s emotional journey and to refrain from the norm of labelling him as a “junkie” or the scourge of society. 

Channel 4 is grounded with the core brand values of creativity, innovation and diversity[15] and in previous years have been scrutinised for being “responsible for introducing generations of youngsters to drugs”[16]. However, it is fair to say that their representation has detracted from glamorisation and instead presented the harsh brutality that follows drug addiction, as presented through the social issues in ‘Richard’, 2013 and even earlier in ‘The Big Drug Debate’[17] in 2006.

Hosted by opinion leader and ex heroin addict, Russell Brand, the debate is comprised with 16-55 year olds, featuring some recovering addicts and drug users. The final part of the programme revolves around Heroin and is the part which will be discussed to prove the informative approach that the institution has when displaying drugs.

The scene preludes with an extreme close up of a thermal effect capturing heroin being burnt which then reverts to a series of empty, desolate locations set on a working class estate. Parralel to the non-diagetic voice over of the heroin dependent [Samantha] arises, the medium long shot captures the wind blowing two empty swings, symbolically suggesting the lack of existence associated with the addict due to her consumption of the drug. The underclass proletariat mise-en-scene is complimentary to the narrative and lifestyle of a heroin addict – bare, through the lack of colour.

In regards to Richard’s costume, each shot finds him wearing the same clothes from a fixed palette of khaki’s to grey, which blend in with the urban landscape around him, titling his identity as non-existent and almost background noise. He too often embodies a strong sense of isolation and disparity, through his lethargic body language and posture. This sombre illustration, in both fictional and non-fictional texts, proves Channel 4’s de-glamorisation approach in representing drug culture through showing the damaging social effects.

Pre 9/11 texts such as Danny Boyle’s 1996 ‘Trainspotting’ arguably has a more ‘glamorous’ appeal to the drug experience. The black comedy was “shown at least twice by Channel 4… [And] had influenced [viewers]”[18] Andrew Lowe describes Boyle’s ‘Trainspotting’ as “neither a pro nor an anti-drug film. It’s an honest and unsentimental attempt to document the highs and lows of a dependent lifestyle”[19] This is apparent through metaphorical journey of a ‘comedown’, which Boyle, undeniably translates, through the equilibrium state (Todorov) of the user’s beginning their consumption, towards the disequilibrium state presenting the misfortune of addiction.

An audience are able to identify this sequence (equilibrium state) through the immediate scene set in “Mother Superior”, the dealer’s, house which is painted with vibrant fuchsias, yellows and greens, which would encompass their regular act of taking a ‘hit’. The over-the-shoulder shot of the women receiving a hit from the male is overshadowed by the diagetic description of Renton, the protagonist, describing heroin as ones: “best orgasm times by a thousand and it’s no way near”. The vivacious colour effectively mirrors the euphoria of the sexually presented drug intake and detracts from the explicit effects of drug abuse.   

This compares significantly with the monotonous grey-scaled path of temptation that is unravelled in ‘Richard’, such as counselling sessions, being evicted from hostels and bumping into fellow addicts. It is fair to say, that ‘Richard’ addresses the more social problems revolved around drug abuse, as oppose to the detailed effects that arise from the drug. In addition, the directorial approach differs between the two texts as shown in ‘Richard’ through the scene of addicts in dirty room encrusted with mould and ‘junkie’ paraphernalia. The shot is low lit with minute natural lighting peeking through the curtains reiterating the isolation that drug addicts live in. This portrayal encompasses the social defects of living as an outcast and being a drug addict; there is a strong absence of leisure and joy that was intensively depicted in Trainspotting, showing the underpinning interest that the directors of ‘Richard’ wanted to elicit – social problems of drug abuse.

However, the animated representation in Trainspotting of the drug experience juxtaposes with the scene of the grotesquely soiled toilet[20] that Renton submerges his face into, contrapuntal to the classical music, canvasing his eagerness for his next hit. Another example of Boyle accentuating the lows of a dependent is through the scene set in Renton’s bedroom where the wide angle shot exposes the psychological panics that follow withdrawal symptoms. The bedroom acts as a metaphor of his erratic mind state, shown through the constant rapid zooms and unorthodox imagery, e.g. medium long shot of a dead baby crawling on the ceiling. Thus, despite the equilibrium sexualisation of the drug, the dis-equilibrium state heightens the brutal effects that follow it.  Similarly, in the US text directed by Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 (pre 9/11), ‘Requiem for a Dream’, this surrealistic imagery is conveyed, through the character of Sara – an elderly women addicted to diet pills, as she reaches her comedown state. This is shown through the canned laughter that accompanies the terrifying trip of her delusional wellbeing e.g. the medium close up of the TV shouting at her.

Furthermore, ‘Reefer Madness’ which is a 1937 American propaganda exploitation film about drugs, is a credible example of the drug moral panic that existed in the US prior to 9/11. The film was directed by Louis Gasnier and was originally titled  “Tell Your Children” and financed by a church group, intended to be shown to parents as a morality tale. Interestingly, despite 2015 containing less propaganda films, one could argue that these messages still remain subliminally through the news mediums discussed above.

The film itself begins with a news style bulletin of a note to the audience apologising for the “upcoming menace [which is] destroying American youth”, followed by several close ups of drug related news articles. The shot reverts to a white male of an A demographic, with the profession of a teacher/professor, exclaiming the dangers of Cannibas onto the passive (Hypodermic Needle Model, Adorno) and naive early 20^th century audience. The scene resembles imagery of the dictatorship within the government associated with politicians and the drug laws. Initially the ‘dictator’ has his back turned to an audience, shown through the medium long shot, and was addressing the parents, which suddenly reverted to a medium close up of the male facing the viewer directly, placing an audience into the seats of the parents. The aesthetic of the shot resembles a news style documentary which is enhanced through the scene changing, to high angle shots of marijuana fields and exposing the ‘menacing’ content.

Through the style of editing it is clear that the text intended to educate a 1930’s audience, however, a 21^st century audience would consume this text differently. This contrasts immensely with the approach in drug representation in ‘Richard’ where they present it to an audience with mild exposures of the brutality of drug consumption as well as the intense social effects that it can have one’s self and being, without marginalising social groups (shown through the ethnic diverse group of recovering addicts). Ultimately, in Reefer Madness the dominant reading (Stuart Hall) of drugs is a largely negative one involving the youth, enforcing a moral panic around the two correlating oppositions – Cannibas and the youth.

Nevertheless, Post 9/11 has witnessed an incredible evolution of the representation of drug culture, especially in the US. From the 1980’s fixating upon the films such as ‘Scarface’ and Columbian protagonist ‘Tony Montanna’s’ social climb with the drug cocaine, which is “mobile and a symbol of status” Consequently painting the representation of cocaine drug distributors as Columbians. Alongside this, the American television series, ‘Miami Vice’, which reinforced the relationships between “The Columbians with cocaine, the Jamaicans with cannibis and the Haitians with voodoo and hallucinogens”[21] It seems as though the American film industry have now taken a break on labelling specific races with drugs and instead are liberal in depicting narratives circulated around drugs, such as the 2013 ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, which reinforces existing patriarchal ideologies and celebrates drug use tying it hand in hand with success (with women and business). All of which drastically compare to Britain’s refrainment of labelling social groups with drugs and instead portraying the harsh realities and consequences that subside them, which is due to their more social realistic genre as oppose to Hollywood budget entertainment products.

To conclude, it is clear that there is a irrefutable connection between the representation of the text depending on the social context within the origin of the text. Both human activist Russell Brand from the UK and Ethan Nadellman from the US have highlighted the issue revolved around drugs and the fact that “the war on drugs must end”[22]. In regards to the US, Nadellman makes extensive reference towards intense relationship between race and drugs and how dominant ideologies are set in stone and how this is relayed within television to reinforce and marginalise these groups. And more interestingly, Russell Brand’s documentary portrays Britain’s more conservative attitude towards drugs, thus explaining the representation of ‘Richard’. In some ways it is as though ‘Richard’ is very similar to ‘Reefer Madness’ serving as reverse psychology, presenting audiences with the negative effects without scrutinising the drug itself, in hope that we will feel mournful as the new ‘fear’ to refrain from partaking in drug culture, ultimately allowing the bourgeois to maintain hegemonic control.

Word Count: 3,160

---

[1] Nadelmann, E. (2014)

[2] IMDb (n.d), Run (TV Mini-Series)

[3] Acmetv.co.uk (n.d.)

[4] Rahim, S. (2013)

[5] Vine, R. (2013)

[6] Wikipedia (2013), Run (TV Series)

[7] Channel 4 (2013), Run - Episode 3

[8] Vine, R.  (2013)

[9] Channel 4 (2013), S1-Ep3: Hope

[10] Walker & Collier, (2014)

[11] Schlesinger, F. (2008)

[12] Awford, J. (2015)

[13] Lee, L. (2015)

[14] Channel 4 (2013), S1-Ep3: Old Haunts

[15] Channel4.com, (n.d.)

[16] Dams, T. (2000)

[17] Channel 4,(2006) The Big Drugs Debate

[18] Beyer, J. (2000)

[19] Stevenson, J. (2000)

[20] Murphy, R. (1997)

[21] Wang, O. 2006

[22] BBC (2012)

Bibliography - 

Acmetv.co.uk,. Acme Films. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://acmetv.co.uk/

Awford, J. (2015). A 17-year-old collapsed and died after 'taking MDMA' on playing fields. Mail Online. Retrieved 6 January 2016, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3096363/Brilliant-teenager-17-collapsed-died-taking-MDMA-playing-fields.html

BBC,. (2012). Russell Brand: End the Drugs War - BBC Three. Retrieved 6 January 2016, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04v2zrg

Beyer, J. (2000). TV Shrinks drug responsibility. Broadcast, 5, 15.

Channel4.com,. C4 - 4 Careers. Retrieved 3 January 2016, from http://www.channel4.com/4careers/about_values.html

Channel 4,. (2006). The Big Drugs Debate. Retrieved 3 January 2016, from http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-big-drugs-debate/on-demand

Channel 4,. (2013). Run - Episode 3. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://www.channel4.com/programmes/run/on-demand/53615-003

Channel 4,. (2013). Run - S1-Ep3: Hope. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://www.channel4.com/programmes/run/videos/all/s1-ep3-hope

Channel 4,. (2013). Run - S1-Ep3: Old Haunts. Retrieved 3 January 2016, from http://www.channel4.com/programmes/run/videos/all/s1-ep3-old-haunts

Dams, T. (2000). An injection of realism. Broadcast, 14, 14.

IMDb,. Run (TV Mini-Series 2013). Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2297604/

Lee, L. (2015). Drugs in the Media: The production of Hegemony (1st ed.). Sociological Imagination: Western's Undergraduate Sociology Student Journal.

Murphy, R. British cinema (p. 410).

Nadelmann, E. (2014). Why we need to end the War on Drugs. Ted.com. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from https://www.ted.com/talks/ethan_nadelmann_why_we_need_to_end_the_war_on_drugs

Rahim, S. (2013). Run, Channel 4, review. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10180944/Run-Channel-4-review.html

SCHLESINGER, F. (2008). Drug dealers to the stars 'plotted to catch Amy Winehouse smoking crack pipe on film'. Mail Online. Retrieved 3 January 2016, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1094215/Drug-dealers-stars-plotted-catch-Amy-Winehouse-smoking-crack-pipe-film.html

Stevenson, J. (2000). Addicted (p. 207). [London]: Creation Books.

Vine, R. (2013). Lennie James: 'I said yes before I'd even read the script'. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10174666/Lennie-James-I-said-yes-before-Id-even-read-the-script.html

Walker, P., & Collier, H. (2014). Tulisa Contostavlos trial collapses as judge criticises Sun's Mazher Mahmood. the Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jul/21/tulisa-contostavlos-trial-collapses-sun-mazher-mahmood

Wang, O. (2006). "Miami Vice" by ONC Wang. Ejumpcut.org. Retrieved 6 January 2016, from http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC33folder/miamivice.html

Wikipedia,. (2013). Run (TV series) - Episodes. Retrieved 2 January 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_(TV_series)#cite_not

Critical Investigation Task #4 Essay plan

"What are the underlying values and ideologies in drug related texts such as "Channel 4's Run" and how does this compare in American texts onthe same subject?"

Introduction 

• The war on drugs is a revolutionary part of society and the media - in terms of both print and film. 
• It is noteworthy to recognise the way in which drugs and those associated with them differ depending on being produced by American or British institutions. 

Section 1 - Main Text (MIGRAIN) 

• Run is a British mini-series created by Jonathan Pearson, Marlon Smith and Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan and written by Marlon Smith and Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan for Channel 4. The series premiered on 15 July 2013 and ended on 18 July 2013. 
• The episode focuses solely on the character 'Richard' who is a Caribbean, D demographic, recovering Heroin addict. A strong sense of isolation embodies the energy of the character
• Produced by Acme Films and aired on Channel 4 who are renowned for their innovative and contentious product style. In particular, Acme films' values' include the objective of seeking pure representation of reality, drama and diversity of contemporary urban life, which is why the production emulates such a bold social realistic narrative. 
• An audience encompass the brutality of overcoming an addiction, thereby empathising with the battles he faces on a daily basis.
• Close textual analysis: Multiple elements of the opening (Equilibrium state, Todorov) force an audience to pity and empathise with Richard's character. In particular, the medium close up of him mournfully admiring his daughters drawing mid-way between long shots capturing him frantically packing up his belongings, after being evicted from his hostel, immediately allow an audience to build a (Personal Relationship - Blumbler and Katz), with the recovering heroin addict. An audience are presented with an array of events that ultimately comprise the life of one in the state of a drug recovery scenes and the predicaments that they find themselves in, i.e. the medium close up of an addict taking an intake of heroin. In terms of Gauntlett's idea of the "media opposing censorship", this allows audiences to be educated by the graphic material to engage with the narrative further.  Other events involve him missing a counselling meeting (long shot, tungsten white balance, creating a cool blue effect complimentary with the hospital location and bumping into his angry ex-wife (binary opposite; the stable parent, also tapping towards the stereotypical, black C demographic lone parent family view). (continued on other blog post)

Section 2 - British Social and Historical Context (with other British films as examples) 

• Documentaries on BBC and Channel 4
• News Stories - BBC, The Guardian, Mirror and Daily Mail - social context 
• Social Class representation 
• Print scandals
• Books and Journals (K.Q.) 

- split other British media texts (film/traditional news/documentaries into 3 sub paragraphs showing drug representations) very in depth

Section 3 - Historical Text (MIGRAIN) 

• Reefer Madness was originally made as "Tell Your Children" and is a 1930's American propaganda exploitation drama drug addiction film revolving around the melodramatic events that ensure when high school students are lured by pushers to marijuana , that they don't cave in as this will lead to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape (madness). The film was directed by Louis Gasnier and starred a cast composed of mostly unknown actors. It was originally financed by a church group  and was intended to be sown to parents as a morality tale attempting to teach them about the dangers of cannabis use. 

  
  The significance within the opening (how drugs are portrayed to a passive audience)
  • At the beginning there is a note for the viewers appologising in advance for the upcoming content and the "menace" which is "destroying American youth".  "Marijuana is a violence narcotic" and is "the real public enemy". - note to self: the media are selective with what 'news' is in relation to Gautung and Ruge's News Values - in relation to drugs (print newspaper articles: "Cocaine Kate". 
  • Directly addressing parents "Your son/daughter" (to be in contact with drugs..) - Moral Panic upon a 1930's audience 
  • Zoom close ups of drug scandals on newspaper covers; similarly still exists in UK news - e.g. "Cocaine Kate", The Sun. Non-diegetic parallel classical music accentuating panic among an audience. 
  • White A class American teacher/professor projects views in relation to the negativity and "danger" associated with drugs, upon a passive audience (the parents and an audience).  The scene resonates imagery of dictatorship within the government associated with the political views of the drug war.
  • Initially, the 'dictator' had his back turned to an audience (Medium Long Shot) and facing the parents, which reverted to a medium close up of the professor addressing the viewer placing us in the seats of the parents he was addressing. 
  • Documentary news style aesthetic is illustrated through the scene changing while the professor's voice becomes non-diagetic sound as he describes the panic revolved around marijuana while the scene captures high angle shots of marijuana fields. - this style of editing adds a sense of realism to the production emulating similar features to watching to the news.  

Section 4 - American Social and Historical Context (with other American film examples)

• Films and ethnic minorities/social class 
• Books and Journals (K.Q.) 
• Academic Essays

split other American media texts (films, history and academic essays +online resources) into 3 sub paragraphs showing drug representations) 

Section 5 - Comparative UK v.s. USA  

• Political and Social Context 
• Genre and representational effects

Section 6 - Conclusion

• America have discovered a new approach in maintaining power upon audiences through moral panic's circulated around specific ethnic groups, to marginalise them from society.
• American productions glamorise drug culture more than illustrating the brutality and rawness of life, unlike British texts
• British drug related texts tend to be of the social realistic or urban genre, creating the depiction to be realistic and socially reflective. 

Critical Investigation Task #3 Historical text analysis and research

Key Notes in the Film: 

Reefer Madness was originally made as "Tell Your Children" and is a 1930's American propaganda exploitation drama drug addiction film revolving around the melodramatic events that ensure when high school students are lured by pushers to marijuana , that they don't cave in as this will lead to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape (madness). The film was directed by Louis Gasnier and starred a cast composed of mostly unknown actors. It was originally financed by a church group  and was intended to be sown to parents as a morality tale attempting to teach them about the dangers of cannabis use. 

The significance within the opening (how drugs are portrayed to a passive audience)

• At the beginning there is a note for the viewers appologising in advance for the upcoming content and the "menace" which is "destroying American youth".  "Marijuana is a violence narcotic" and is "the real public enemy". - note to self: the media are selective with what 'news' is in relation to Gautung and Ruge's News Values - in relation to drugs (print newspaper articles: "Cocaine Kate". 
• Directly addressing parents "Your son/daughter" (to be in contact with drugs..) - Moral Panic upon a 1930's audience 
• Zoom close ups of drug scandals on newspaper covers; similarly still exists in UK news - e.g. "Cocaine Kate", The Sun. Non-diegetic parallel classical music accentuating panic among an audience. 
• White A class American teacher/professor projects views in relation to the negativity and "danger" associated with drugs, upon a passive audience (the parents and an audience).  The scene resonates imagery of dictatorship within the government associated with the political views of the drug war.
• Initially, the 'dictator' had his back turned to an audience (Medium Long Shot) and facing the parents, which reverted to a medium close up of the professor addressing the viewer placing us in the seats of the parents he was addressing. 
• Documentary news style aesthetic is illustrated through the scene changing while the professor's voice becomes non-diagetic sound as he describes the panic revolved around marijuana while the scene captures high angle shots of marijuana fields. - this style of editing adds a sense of realism to the production emulating similar features to watching to the news.  

Comparing this to "Run: Richard" 

• One could interpret "Reeffer Madness" to be a text that ultimately intended to educate a 1930's audience, however, a 21st century audience would dispute this and argue that in fact injects moral panic upon a passive audience, (Hypodermic Needle Model and Cohen), revolved around drugs. This contrasts greatly with "Run" by Channel 4, a social realistic production that can also be interpreted as a text that intended to inform audiences. However, it is prime Channel 4's approach differed greatly in terms of representation of drugs and those associated with them. The production is clearly capturing the social effects and consequences circulated around drugs and those dependent on them, whilst refraining from dehumanising and injecting panic upon audience groups. One could argue that this is due to the increasingly desensitised social norms that are forming in society in comparison with the early 20th century. 
• The text "Reefer Madness" in juxtaposition with "Run: Richard" provides sufficient evidence towards the differing approaches that British drug related texts have in comparison with American texts. The evolution of American related drug productions using "Reefer Madness", "Scarface", "Miami Vice" , are model examples of the moral panic in terms of drugs and youth and drugs and ethnic minorities that American productions happily highlight. In comparison, with the arguably more raw approach that Britain has towards drugs and how the honesty that is depict them within the film platform. 

Issues and debates: 

• Stanley Cohen's 'Moral Panic' - the opening of the production, where the professor directly addresses the audience, in a news style bulletin format, is a prime example of the director's attempt to inject worry and fear upon a 1930's audience regarding the use of drugs amongst the youth. This is therefore a negative illustration of the "youth" as "young, wild and reckless",  and despite the production being a non-fictional film, it almost serves as an informative tactic for producers to inject fear upon audiences and marginalise drugs as a bad thing in society. This is further evident through the fact that they compare the use of marijuana to be worse than cocaine and heroin, which has scientifically proven to be true and in modern society is a social norm. 

Theories: 

Audience

• Blumbler and Katz - In terms of 'Surveillance', as information about the world was decreasingly accessible in the early 20th century, audiences relied on the niche amount of news that they were able to access from TV and Cinema, as well as film productions to be educated about what was happening in society. Therefore, 'Reefer Madness' acts as informative product to insight audiences about drugs, their effects and how they will impact society, (through the eyes of the director). 
• Adorno's Hypodermic Needle Model - The audience that are presented as passive creatures on screen (the parents), which accurately reflects the behaviour of the 1930's audience as they are directly addressed by the professor about the danger of their children being in contact with drugs. 
• Stuart Hall -  The dominant reading of drugs being portrayed as a negative and dangerous weapon that will destroy society and the youth, was accentuated. 

How does this show how the genre/society/issue has changed?

• There are many ways to identify the evolution of the drug war when comparing the two texts "Reefer Madness, 1939" and "Run: Richard". It is firstly evident through the specific drug is being represented - marijuana is a B class drug and "Reefer Madness", created an extreme moral panic in association with it and it's effects on the youth. Whereas, in 2013, "Run: Richard" revolves around a heroin addict, which is an A class drug and instead of the production embodying a panic around the drug and the dependent, it instead educates the audience about the social effects without dehumanising the character. However, a noteworthy point to recognise is the fact that this could be due to the opposing countries that are producing the texts - America v.s. Britain.   

Bibliography

- Goode, E. and Ben-Yehuda, N. (2009) Drug Abuse Panics, in Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance, Second Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. 

(Refers to "Reefer Madness", Marijuana Panic in 1930's - other drugs through to the early 2000's, and the moral panics circulated around them) - ideal for historical text)

- Critcher, C. Moral Panics and the Media. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2003. 

(Examines moral panics within the media and uses drugs as a case study to convey how the media injects views towards passive audiences through rave/drug culture creating a public outcry) 

- Critcher, C. Critical Readings: Moral Panics and the Media. Maidenhead [England: Open University Press, 2006.

(Describes the differences between Moral Panics in the USA v.s. UK, and taps towards supporting case studies including drugs) 

- Malik, Sarita. Representing Black Britain: Black and Asian Images on Television. SAGE Publications Ltd, 2001

(Use as a reference towards representation of black lead male in Run, would this illustration of the heroin addict been different if he was white - compare to white males in other productions) 

- MacKinnon, Kenneth. Representing Men Maleness and Masculinity in the Media. London: Arnold, 2003

(How drugs are used as a tool in American productions to accentuate a sense of manliness and dominance 'Wolf of Wall Street' - draw in with themes revolving race, too.) 

Manning, Paul. Drugs and Popular Culture: Drugs, Media and Identity in Contemporary Society. Cullompton, Devon, England: Willan Pub., 2007.

(The 'normalisation' associated with drug culture, the evolution of war on drugs and how it is changing and expanding in some cultures - more in America, who, within media texts are portrayed to be more liberal, in conjunction with British social realistic productions such as Channel 4's Run, Benefits Street and ITV's Jeremy Kyle - the dehumanising presentation of those associated with drugs) 

Lee, Lydia L. (2015) "Drugs in the Media: The Production of Hegemony," Sociological Imagination: Western’s Undergraduate Sociology Student Journal: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 4. 

(The essay establishes the elite's attempt to maintain social control and dominant ideologies about the immorality and deviance associated with drugs and how this is reiterated through the mass media - use examples within the news in the UK and productions from commercial broadcasters to enforce the different quotes. The essay strongly sways towards the view that the government intend to create a view condemning the use of drugs.) 

Crano, William D. Mass Media and Drug Prevention Classic and Contemporary Theories and Research. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2002.

(The book outlines the mass media's war on drugs, how and it's effect on society [hypodermic needle model] - other theories are applied, in relation to extensive media based context) 

Wheatley, Simon. Don't Call Me Urban: The Time of Grime. Newcastle upon Tyne: Northumbria University Press, 2010.

(The book is a contemporary documentary exploring one of the biggest social issues in the UK - drug abuse, through the deprived, predominantly black, but white youth too. I can relate this to my study through the social realistic productions and documentary's the British TV broadcasters air - that reflect these lifestyles, that have formed stereotypes and representations - e.g. TopBoy.) 

Reinarman, Craig. Crack in America Demon Drugs and Social Justice. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997.

(Key Quotes in the book revolve around America's techniques in the media, that associated drugs with ethnic minorities during the "war on drugs" and the impact on their lifestyles - social and historical context on the representation of drugs in society in the US. Does this explain for the growing positive "American Dream", that US productions revolved around drugs, now convey?)