Blog post #1 Lock Up

Lock up is an hour long documentary on MSNBC that gives the viewer a closer look into maximum security prisons. MSNBC investigates what goes on behind the bars and inside the minds of the criminals and guards. The documentary style show is usually an hour long and focuses on specific prisons, some of which include San Quentin, Pelican Bay, Holman, Folsom and New Mexico. They also have shows dedicated to a specific topic whether it’s about gangs or the criminal minds themselves. They touch on many different issues and the precautions and steps they take when all hell breaks loose. Everything is raw with little edited out.

The show consists of interviews with the prison mates and guards as well as narrative of what is going on in certain moments of the show. There are often captions set on the screen either explaining what a certain prison slang word means, or describing the interviewee. The topic of the show is always stated next to the title “Lock Up” and each one is vague yet describes enough in a catchy way that one would want to know more about the topic at hand. For example the title Lock up: Hugs, not Drugs has a catchy saying that describes that the show is about drugs but not much more. Until one reads the information on it they may not realize that the show will be about the new ways the inmates have been using to smuggle in contraband. By having short yet affective titles of the show, it will draw in more viewers out of pure curiosity.

The setting is always dull and gray and it does not look like they use much extra lighting while taping this show. It seems that the more natural “raw” aspect of the whole show is a theme. Showing everything that happens inside the prison from fights breaking out, relationships inside the prison, gangs, riots, cell searches and close interviews with the inmates themselves MSNBC is holding nothing back from its viewers when airing this documentary. The narration is usually done by a man, an officer or guard, who has a serious tone while explaining different things that happen at the prisons. This keeps the tone of the show more serious and hard like a prison is perceived to be. The Music is always instrumental with usually just a beat in the background of someone talking or while showing a clip. The music is more of a harcore style with a rock feel.
Analysis:
It would be interesting to me to compare the prisons that are being taped. I am sure there are guidelines and rules that all prisons follow, but how issues are handled at each place mot likely does not always coincide.

I think that this show has many different views inside the prison. Each show has a different topic or some sort of action going on in it. The fact that it is so real makes it appeal to many. When it talks about maximum security prisons it lures people in because its something that not many people know much about and its interesting to see what happens inside a prison and learn about all the the different events that happen inside at a more closer look then one would see anywhere else unless they were actually there. Also, reality television along with crime shows in general have been more and more popular and with a show as open as this one it cannot get much more real.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036750/ This website has clips of some of the "Lock Up" shows that MSNBC airs.