The Fear Factory by Spirit Level Films

The Fear Factory by Spirit Level Films

I was asked by The Fear Factory team at Spirit Level Films whether I would write a blog post for their blog. Anything to oblige.

It'll be alright on the night

I am undoubtedly the film's star. It start's with a black screen with a voice over giving a news bulletin. I was reminded of Simon and Garfunkel's Seven O'Clock News/Silent Night. Then came the image of a baby in the womb. More voice over, I recognised Juliet Lyon, Director of the Prison Reform Trust. I was just settling down in the chair as a voice over stated "Nobody want's to meet a killer on the streets at night", cue me sat in what reminded me of the chair in Mastermind. I sat up with a jolt, as though somebody had hit me on the back of the head. It was a shock to the system. A masterstroke to grab the audience's full attention. I was not offended. However, I have been told that some of my supporters are hot happy with it.

On reflection, I recall telling the production team about the time I was going through the transformation from law breaker to law-maker. And I asked myself the question 'How would you like to live next door to a killer?', 'How would you like to live in the same house as a killer?'. Until I could answer questions such as these to my own satisfaction, I felt I could not satisfy the Parole Board that I was safe enough to be let loose on the general public.

The Fear Factory is about the youth justice system. Personal accounts from those who have gone through it, those who have worked in it, those who try to reform it, and politicians and journalists responsible for it failing as badly as it does.

Dominic Grieve comes across as a blithering idiot. He made a fool of himself stating crime had risen when all the evidence is that it has fallen. It was pointed out to him that he was out by a factor of 8. I don't want to do a spoiler, but there is another scene where I feel that Dominic Grieve has put himself into the hot seat.

The National Offender Management Service quotes the cost of £30,000 per prison place per year. However, when all the other costs are factored in that figure rises to £200,000!

In a word, I thought the film is brilliant. It should act as a wake up call for society, the media and politicians.