Introduction

Similar to the majority of people, I have always enjoyed watching television, films, and documentaries. However my growing interest in documentaries became noticeable in my early teens. I have always had a keen interest in 'real life' and getting an insight into the world we live in. The fact that I tend to enjoy watching real life scenarios in documentaries correlates to the fact that my preferred genre of film is realism. I tend to stray away from the fantasist or escapism/ Science- fiction genre of film, However I do like to watch different genres of films on occasion my preference is social realism.

I have strong preference for the hard hitting documentaries that channel 4 is known for, for example 'The 12 year old lifer' An extraordinary film which portrayed the life of a 12 year old boy in Indiana who helped his friend murder his step father. The piece documented the life he was adjusting to in prison and the trial he was facing.

Although these types of documentaries might be ignored by other mainstream television companies. I admire Channel 4 for making ground breaking documentaries and treating subjects with honesty and portraying life in the raw. These types of documentaries give people a voice who are marginalised sections of society for example . 'The undateables' a documentary series that followed people with disabilities who were searching for love.

Another interesting Chanel 4 documentary that I particularly enjoy is Gogglebox. It is a documentary series which gives us an insight of the public and their living rooms and their reactions to the weekly programmes whilst watching TV. This gives us an insight into how the 'ordinary' people respond to different programmes and replicate each other. These people are not Television critics but we are taken into their living room to watch their reactions to popular shows that week, for example 'UTV's X-factor and Downtown Abbey' It probably sounds quite boring, watching people watch television? But I think that it is a fantastic show, its the first of its kind and its filled with great characters who are normal members of the public and I think lots of people can relate to them.