Monday, April 18, 2005

Geraldine Brooks came as close as anyone I know in recent times to challenging some tired old local reactionaries doctrines about good writing. While I enjoyed Andrew Denton's and 774's engagement with her, I feel , as a succesesful outsider, she still had much more to give to shock us out of our complacency over the doldrums in reality dramas.
Andrew is good, but he could be better at upsetting his audience . I won't bore you with more details, except to say that the ABC overpromotion of what was once popular reality TV ( The Bill) is a good example of some of its producers living in the past and focusing on the frame instead of the substance in such matters.

By the way Sunday night church on the ABC is too often either boring, or predictably revisionist or partisan (( altered agatha , stonehearted elizabeth or vicar of drivel) or both.

WE are not dumb - we also work with real people in real Aussie communities of genuine engagement unlike the tired old stereotypical images often on screen say on Compass ( apart from aust story etc )
we tell better stories than your sources meddle with ! There is no need to meedle and alter - just get your camera out on the patch and stop fiddling with other peoples good reporting work. It may be sometimes lavish and colourful but clothes and excessive commentary often cover a multitude of weaknesses or worse .