Research Into Exisiting Products: Louis Theroux Behind Bars

• Louis Theroux is the director, writer and presenter.
• Louis does a number of quirky documentaries in America, by following people such as pageant people daily routines.
• San Quentin; Oldest prison which was built in 1852.
• Spends two weeks with the inmates.
• 2o people per room in prison.
• David Silva; Long sentence in jail, more than Hannibal Lecture.
• The prison houses 3,000 sexual predators, murderers and small time criminals.

The opening starts with an establishing master shot in an extreme long shot framing of the prison is used to display where the action will take place. To grip the audience they open with a short informal interview with David Silva and the audience are told he has 521 years sentence. The footage of this is used by a hand held shot and then a series of pans are used. The first minute or two is an introduction voice over of the documentary including statistics and what the topic is about whilst filming of Louis walking around the prison where guards and prisoners are doing their daily routines is shown. Incidental music plays whilst more footage and the voice over continues. The titles then appear on to the screen after the introduction. The titles look as if Louis is drawn as a silhouette behind bars in a prison cell and a spotlight is used on top of Louis, this is traditionally used for questioning a suspect.

Louis is given a bulletproof vest for safety concerns as the inmates may try to attack him, the vest will cover vital organs. Giving him the vest whilst filming is another way to capture the audience as it builds tension as if something is going to happen. He asks the officers a number of questions to get detailed reasons and how things work in the prison, he asks what the audience would ask if they had the opportunity.

Some of the inmates are separated from the other criminals due to attacking guards and other prisoners therefore they are tied down for 23 hours per day to prevent attacks. In these cells they make mirrors to notify when officers enter the isolated area as well as to see what other inmates are doing. Officers find the prisoners amusing with what they say and how they act. Ambient sounds are used to intimidate Louis and the criminals are shouting and show off by throwing items down the isle which is known as fishing, it is forbidden therefore they are doing it to seem 'cool'. 'Playboy Nolan' is a nickname for one of the prisoners he is located in this area because he mixed urine and other substances to assault the guard with however to one officer he has never assaulted him due to knowing him for years and they have grew a friend relationship. His original offence was carjacking which sentenced him for three years in prison. Louis is able to look around Nolan's cell which has nothing in there; no mattress but has a lot of noodles because the food is not tasteful. However there is no hot water this suggests that he may use the toilet water for his food.

The next scene is when hundreds of black men are shown exercising in the yard dressed in the stereotypical orange jumpsuit, they are allowed to relax and exercise a couple of hours a week. Rap music is played as the appear on the screen emphasising their culture. Louis discovers that the prisoners stay segregated to their ethnic group. There are many crews' that divide the inmates, the white power group and the barbarian brotherhood racist group are two of the main and well known. Different ethnic groups have different areas of the yard and they are kept segregated so that there is no confusion. Although the groups say there is no leader, it is clear that this is false because it is obvious that one talks more than others and carries out more actions.

In the prison there are a couple of rules that can't be broken as the other inmates will turn against the individual. If food is stolen the prisoner will be beaten up by the group and always watched to ensure no more stealing has taken place.

Playboy also states that it is easier to do time in prison that being in the normal world as it is harder and being in prison is an easy way of life. Therefore continues to do drugs, assault people and steal because bored and nothing to make life easier outside of prison.

The badger section is the worst section in the prison, it is level four and it is where criminals such as serious murders, rapist and robbers are located. Louis meets a man called Anthony whom is a new arrival to the prison. He describes the prison as a playground and it is easier. He was put in jail for supposedly murdering his best friend, he has claimed he was set up and he was not guilty. He has been sentenced 50 years as well as it being his first crime. He states that it is easier in prison than outside because no worries. In prison he has learnt not to show any sign of weakness as they are beaten up, stolen from and sometimes their manhood is taken. A fade out occurs once Anthony walks away implying it is a new day.

At lunch, 2000 inmates eat at once and only get 20 minutes. Once they have eaten a brown bag is given to ensure the prisoners have something to eat in their cell for the rest of the day.
Gun rails are used above the blocks to ensure that the criminals do not run as the guards would be permitted to shoot but not kill.

Bradley also known as Debra is a transgender male/ female who has been sentenced into jail on a number of occasions for robbery. He/She has created a relationship with Robert his cell mate. In the prison many inmates try to separate the two lovers as they are jealous. They do get judged but they believe they are jealous of being starved from companionship.

A loud, screeching alarm goes off and the officers don't know what is happening and look worried encase there is a mini riot and no way of leaving the block as there are only 3-4 officers in this area.

Although a large majority of the prisoners have wives and children many have sexual relationships with other male inmates because they want that love and sexual activity however they never declare themselves as gay due to have a huge lead on this as well as they don't want to be bullied in the prison.

David Silva has been sentenced to 521 years in jail and 11 life sentences. He has been given so many years due to carry out a number of brutal home invasions in which he and his gang tortured innocent people by drowning, shooting or sexual assault. His reason for doing this crime was he wanted a better life of luxury therefore the only way of getting this way robbing homes however he felt the home owners weren't giving enough information on where valuable items were. "None of the victims were killed but they wished they were", the way he tourtured them made them feel like not wanting to live anymore however he never killed anyone which is worse as they have to live with what he did and having to be frightened every day/ night. In another state, the crime importance is different, for example in one state murdering would be extremely bad and it can result in more years than paedophilia. Therefore where silva was sentenced home invasions must have been a very serious crime since he has been convicted 521 years. Silva says that 'someone' had sexually assulted one of the home owners with a pistol. He tries to detach himself from this tourture and implies it was another member of the group, he does this in an intellectual way as he knows it is disguting and does not want to be associated with this. However it suggests that he did take part in the crime. David Silva had always been a trouble; he was in the young offenders from the age of eleven to twenty and then went to prisonn at the age of 22. When this documentary was made he was 33 years old and still has many years left in prison; he wont live through his sentence. Although he knows this he continues to live through it and try to act as if it is a normal day.

Another fade out occurs with again the image of the prison in an extreme long shot framing and establishing master shot at a different angle of the prison. This is done at the start of everyday to inform the audience that it is a new day.

The yard is then shown with majority of the offenders exercising and relaxing. They are all blocked in for their own safety as there are too many people. Many of the prisoners whilst in the yard stick in groups normally with what crime they committed. Louis interviews many of the groups and the atmosphere is normal; loud and everybody doing their own thing. However when Louis and the guard are finished talking to a group of religious prisoners the atmosphere changes and tension arises. Supposedly a gun shot is fired and all the criminals are seated on the yard floor, as Louis and the guard exit they are shouted and booed "get out of the yard". This tension occurs as soon as Louis was finished talking to the religious group who did not want him to know what they did to be put in jail. This suggests it was child matter crimes as none of the other inmates spoke to this group and they did not want the audience or Louis to know what they did. Although the other criminals committed crimes majority of them did not commit something that harmed children in a sexual way it was robberies and murders, they feel pedophilia is the worst crime that can be done.

The scene cuts to the canteen where the inmates are eating, Louis sits with DD, another transgender person. 'She' states that it is easier to be appeal gay and act like a woman rather than masculine. DD says this because they are less likely to beat up a woman so if they act, dress and literally be a woman they will have less harm done to them. As well as men enjoy the female aura around the prison.


The scene changes again to Playboy, he is shown in what is known as a 'walk alone' cage, they are considered rats and the cage is where they have their exercise and outdoor relaxation. He explains about the drug use in the prison. How there is a lot, more than what people think and the gangs have most authority of it. Although he is in the cage he can still get drugs, he can fight and do what the other prisoners do.

In the prison they are somebody, they have an identity whereas on the streets they are a nobody. They prefer being in jail because they have no worries of job security, paying bills and having food on the table it is provided for them.

Louis then interviews some of the inmates who are leaving the prison that day. Debra whom was spoken to earlier is also leaving today. The guard states that half of the 27 people leaving will come back in a matter of days or months because they are hanging in the same gangs still doing the wrong things.

The documentary is a book end which means it starts and ends with the same topic. In this case it would be David Silva. At the start Louis interviews him about the crime he had committed and the ending finishes with Louis interviewing him about if he felt remorse for the torture he had done to innocent people. Silva says that he did feel responsible and remorse for the things he did do if he didn't he would be cold hearted but also says he was wrongly convicted for some crimes.

A fade out then occurs and blues music is played as the titles appear. This is unconventional to have in a serious documentary however the words are relevant to the study.





Author: Kiran Paul