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16 Minute Film on BBC Newsnight Tonight

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Tonight is the night: 10.30pm on BBC 2. BBC Newsnight plan to show my 16 minute film. I could get bumped off by a major news event and if this happens it should then appear tomorrow night. The film might get picked up by BBC World and shown internationally. The 16 minute film was shot on one particular operation in the Sangin Valley. Rather than narrate it myself, which is the usual way these stories get told, I have interviewed the 4 Grenadiers involved and got them to explain it. So the film has no formal interviews, nor do you see me! I am also putting extra material on BBC Newsnight's website, including an interview with Brigadier John Lorimer, the Brigade Commander of 12 Brigade, currently in Helmand. Once the film has been shown I will upload it to this blog as soon as possible.

4 Comments

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stretch armstrong | September 26, 2007 11:11 PM | Reply

Thank you for your film. Keep at it, showing UKCivDiv what our guys go through on a daily basis

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Jeanne Bryer | September 27, 2007 10:30 AM | Reply

Compelling viewing - Jeanne

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stonker | September 27, 2007 11:20 PM | Reply

Just caught up with your Newsnight piece: particularly impressed by the absence of a "Julian Mannion" figure (apparently insisting that what makes the story important, is that he's there to report it).



Instead, a story about remarkable - yet ordinary - young men doing a tough job extremely well, and all told through their own words and deeds. No spin, no 3rd party - lovely.



This government - which refuses to support the military action with even a fraction of the civil/diplomatic effort that success in Afghanistan demands - does not deserve their dedication.



Future employers take note:Soldiers are leaving the Forces in droves because of their current employer's amateurish and niggardly attitude toward the nation's defence. When an ex-soldier asks to work for you - take him on, and treat them well. You'll get an employee who - as these films show - will literally go through hell and high water to get the job done.

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Anonymous | September 29, 2007 11:37 AM | Reply

Stonker, I agree that television journalists too often think that they are the story and they would be better to keep out of it sometimes. But then I am too ugly for television so I would say that!

Actually, I find television news increasingly corporate and its product too formulaic. I want to see a larger role in the future of journalism for independents...like me.

vaughan

What do you think?