Four Corners wanting information for documentary

i noticed this posted in the Bluelight Discussion....

Hi,
My name is Jo Puccini and I'm a researcher for ABC Television's "Four Corners"
program.
We're hoping to make a film about the dance/rave culture through the eyes of the
people who actually experience it. We want to look at the music, the fashion,
the politics and the philosophies that intersect within that lifestyle. We also
want to discuss the use of drugs like ecstasy within the dance/rave experience.
We're not interested in making a program that will be sensational or
exploitative.
We want to talk to smart, talkative people who can tell us what the scene's
really like from the inside, hopefully helping us smash a few stereotypes and
misconceptions along the way.
I know you're out there! If you're interested in finding out more please email
me at [email protected] or give me a buzz on 02 9950 4869
Cheers
Jo

Click to expand...

[This message has been edited by miss apple (edited 03 April 2001).]

nice find (miss apple), maybe enlighten can have a look into this?
[This message has been edited by BigTrancer (edited 04 April 2001).]

Approach with EXTREME caution...

Hmm Four Corners eh? ...I'd be a little sceptical, but they're not as bad as Today Tonight eh? *shudders*
I'd say enlighten and JB get incontact with em...
Tho they wanted people in the 'rave' scene eh? ...Guess that counts JB out
...Time to send a few emails I think

spoke to her yesterday before she posted this. she is cool, and this is legit. this show isnt a hack job, its a cultural price on the scene. you can all be reflexively fearful and untrusting if you want, or maybe for once try and contribute. remember, dont hate the media, BE the media.

of course we can contribute in a positive way, but just don't trust them.
What is going to get better ratings?
a."Raves - The Truth: not so bad after all?"
b."Raves - THE HIDDEN TRUTH - WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW - DRUGS, LIES, SEX, MORE DRUGS, SATAN DEATH"
?

It's a good idea if it is actually going to be portrayed properly... but you can't blame us for being cynical...
After all - isn't that what our Year 12 CAT 1 taught us? (Apologies to non-Melbourne people for that reference)...
------------------
"It was one of those days, when it’s a minute away from snowing. And there was this electricity in the air. You can almost hear it. And this bag was just... dancing, with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. That’s the day I realised that there was this entire life behind things. And this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know that there was no reason to be afraid. Ever..."

Journo's suck - whether it be for tv or papers, they will twist everything said or analyse the crap out of it into some irrelevent 'hidden meaning' shite.
They'll probably end up doing some half arsed story which is soooo wrong and we will just laugh over heads off - but every one else will think its awesome and the utter truth
Soz, thats my contribution from the peanut gallery

Fortunately, it's on the ABC, which means they don't have a history of ratings chasing. For all you people out there who criticise the ABC for not chasing ratings, and squandering your tax dollar as a result, this is exactly the kind of benefit I would outline in defence. If it weren't for the driving philosophy behind having an "independent" national broadcaster, there would be no objective reporting like this.
By the way, there's a good chance she will be reading what you all write now. It'd be real nice if we could present a more level headed, balanced approach to what she's doing, in the hope she'll do the same for us when she compiles her documentary piece.

Nice call pleonastic re: cat 1.
Ive never looked at the media the same way after that John Laws is coooool

horse: are you going to be speaking in 24 hour time soon too?

Ok. This is the ABC and yes, they still maintain a good measure of "journalistic integrity." Its also worth noting that 4 corners is a quality program that does not take the easy ratings option when compiling its stories.
HOWEVER...
The one thing that never ceases to make the rave scene newsworthy, and that is the drugs. It fails to matter if the presence of drugs is greatly overstated, that is what makes it all interesting. Despite decades of time to reflect, it is still popular to accociate the hippies soley with acid, weed and tiedye...
In order to make this story a balanced and favourable one, it will have to conceed that intermittent responsible drug use is not such a bad thing. That is a line somewhat unfashionable anywhere in society. It will also have to break the cliche that raves exist soley for drug use, a fact that most people take as a given.
Concluding, I think this could be an opportunity to destroy some of the negative rumours surrounding rave culture, and present the whole scene in a positive light. It must be remembered though its hard to understand it all unless you are a part of it... The music is out of the popular framework of rock, which instantly people find puzzling to begin with. Just make sure thought is given to what is said. I don't think 4 corners ever sets out to do hachet jobs, but it is easy for misconceptions to arise.
Perhaps if they want to do filming at a party, a guide could go along to help them out and offer explanation if needed?
I reckon the enlighten dudes could do a good job on this... Or the whole BL crew for that matter
------------------
The woods are dark and deep, and you have miles to go before you sleep...

4 Corners is much better than a lot of other programs...
However do they want to show true "rave" culture or drug culture???
If rave culture, then it is rigged asking for participants from bluelight... since they will obviously be the drug takers in the scene, right?
Shouldn't they really get participants from a rave/dance site instead of a drug site???
After reading her shpiel (how the fark do you spell that?) about representing the "dance/rave" scene, it will be interesting to see just how much of the final story is about raves and music, compared to drugs... betcha it will be disproportionately more about the drugs than about the music... which is the main mistake "outsiders" make anyway...
The same as saying a rock concert is about the alcohol - for some idiots it is, but overall you go to hear music you love, or have never heard before, on a big sexy sound system! It is an experience you cannot find anywhere else, and it's almost an insult when people assume it is just an excuse to take drugs...

The best way for her to write a piece about the raving the music and all that, is to go to a few. I don't mean bring the camera's and stuff just go and enjoy with some friends(With or without the drugs). Anyway I hope it is an objective price, and being the ABC I'm sure it will be AOK.
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Vote for the Party, Party, Party at the next election
[This message has been edited by Airwalk (edited 05 April 2001).]

Four Corners usually presents well balanced programs, especially compared to ACA (sic). Therefore, the Four Corners doco could be an opportunity to show the other side of the scene. I think this is important because one of the main reasons society hates raves is because of ignorance; and we as a society, generally want to destroy anything we don't understand.
Most of these current affairs programs fall down because the researchers don't do their homework. Instead, they usually find it easier to sensationalise the common myths. Often, the presenters ignorance of is astounding, especially when it comes to illicit (read non-taxable) drugs.
I think we should help because at least the researcher is asking the people who know for a change, instead making up some bullshit. I just mhope the journalists know the difference between speed, ecstacy, acid, heroin etc. It never ceases to amaze me that most people don't realise that heroin is an opiate.

Its been years since I did my yr 12 CAT - what did it teach you?

when it comes down to it, the average bluelighter is more educated about what they do and concientious abt drugs than most non-bluelight, drug-taking ravers. thats why we came here and stayed here. when the issue of drugs is raised, who would you rather was the representative of ravers. i'd rather someone knowledgable abt raves, the music, the drugs, the issues & politics surrounding the rave scene. who better than a bluelighter?
also, just a thought to those cynics.. rather than always dissing the media and refusing to co-operate, its always better to try and get your voice heard. even if its one small soundbyte, its better than nothing.
lastly, pleonastic, who is that quote from? i *know* i have heard that somewhere, i saw it on tv once quite a while ago, i believe the voiceover was over a film of a plastic bag swirling in the wind. i must have thought it was cool, cuz i havent forgotten it
=)
[This message has been edited by atomica (edited 05 April 2001).]

one thing they want is interviews with older, more respectable looking ecstasy users. they want to show that a great many people, from very varied backgrounds and social groups, are using this drug.
if anyone is willing to stand up and be counted, just email me.

Well I've already emailed her, will hopefully get to have a chat soon...
Unfortunately I'm neither older nor more respectable looking, but hell, I'm gonna give it a shot...

JB brought up a good point regarding the fact that not all users of MDMA associate it with the dance scene. The spectrum of people that use MDMA is so wide, it's unfortunate that, by the media, it is only associated with raves, clubs, etc, etc. There is a bigger picture to be painted. In answer to that signature-movie Atomica, American Beauty. That scene touches a nerve.
[This message has been edited by samadhi (edited 05 April 2001).]