“I’m very interested in a film coming from Joe Bullman. He made last year’s film The Seven Sins of England, and this time he’s going to use his innovative technique of connecting history with present tense documentary to look at the Muslims in Britain. He’s found out that over a hundred years ago there was a plot to blow up the London Underground by foreign radicals, and that obviously throws up interesting parallels.
It’s always a challenge to find new territories – or re-invent old ones – but I do feel that our documentary output should be political and angry at times. I think we should be looking at the wealth divide in Britain; we should be looking at the way in which our public institutions are now overwhelmed by demand; the way in which we’ve been seduced into becoming a nation of debtors.
I feel that while good films can be made about extraordinary individuals, the greatest power that television has is to make us think again about how ordinary lives are lived. I think the public has a hunger for real world, uncomplicated stories having been served up so much constructed television. Meet the Natives, The Seven Sins of England, The Secret Millionaire and The Doctor Who Hears Voices are all strong powerful films about the real world that use simple but exciting devices to bring life to their subject.
Channel 4 is on the way to being the place where film-makers know they’ll get encouraged to be bold and ambitious; where they might get backing for their most innovative work. I’m desperate to find more young and new voices to make our films. I’m going out of my way to use young directors on Cutting Edge, and to make sure we spot the best people making First Cuts and 3 Minute Wonders. We have a talent ladder and it’s vital it works – and the rungs reach to the top.
Meredith Chambers: Commissioning Editor, Documentaries, Channel 4
