Watch Diary: Surveillance Oz

Surveillance Oz.

Surveillance Oz is an Australian docu-series reviewing footage from CCTV cameras around Australia, and the crazy things that happen on them. It involves recreations of what happens in the CCTV offices and footage from the original CCTV camera when the incident occurred. There are also interviews with the people watching the CCTV cameras to get their opinions on what had happened.

The interviews in Surveillance Oz are quite formal, but the editing of the show is quite informal and makes it easy to watch. The interviews are in the office itself or on a set, with professional lighting, and it's likely that there is a degree of scripting to the interviews. They also recreate the interactions between the controllers so that the viewer can get an understanding of their reaction, and it's likely quite close to what they were actually saying during the incidents, but there is also a sense of some scripting and direction added to the scenes. Along with this there is a voice-over and title screens to guide the viewer to what is happening. This combined makes for an easily-watched show, as the viewer gets all of the information they need told to them, and it's not a documentary that challenges peoples' opinions on topics. It is purely for entertaining the viewers and also brings attention to how people are often being watched by CCTV even if they don't think so.

I think there's an interest in this kind of documentary because it's easy to watch as you can look away and come back to it and still understand what is going on thanks to the different techniques they're using to tell the story, and, like I mentioned in my previous watch diary, there is the "dark intrigue" of the viewer, as there is the danger of something bad happening to the people on CCTV and the viewer wants to know what is going to happen to them.

It's interesting that they have recreated the scenes. They are done fairly realistically and you probably wouldn't think about them being fake if you just watched the show without analysing it. It helps the viewer to understand how the operators work, and also how the situation played out in both places. It shows how the situation was resolved by the operators.

I found the show interesting but I think this style is better for when the show is reflecting on events that have already been and gone, whereas it wouldn't work if it was showing current events. However, 24 Hours in A&E is quite similar with the interviews and use of what looks like CCTV footage. But the difference is the recreations and that the footage is actually happening at the time of production in 24 Hours. 

I prefer shows like 24 Hours as you're given the chance to connect with the characters, whereas in Surveillance Oz there are no interviews with the people on the footage and you get a follow up title screen but you don't get to know how the people involved were really feeling, making the programme more detached from the viewer, which also explains the easy viewing.