In order to investigate the epidemic of male suicides, I will need to obtain hard-hitting, emotional  interviews that demonstrate the crisis from a first hand perspective. When creating a radio documentary it is crucial that the listener must be engaged almost immediately, as they have no visuals to stimulate them.

 

It will be important that I have great access to emotional accounts of how suicide has affected my interviewees’ lives, as this is something the listener will be drawn too. The human side of my documentary will be at the forefront, although statistics and reports will be touched upon throughout. I identified that it will be necessary for my project to manage to speak to families who have had direct experience of suicide; be it a son, a father, a husband or boyfriend. 

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I am aiming to gain three to four interviews with those impacted by a close family suicide in order to illustrate the differences in circumstances, but ultimately show the same unfortunate outcome. Luckily, I have already managed to gain access to three families who are willing to discuss their experience of suicide, which is an understandably highly sensitive subject.

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My first case study is Stuart Falconer, who’s teenage son Morgan tragically took his own life in May last year. The teenager became one of the thousands each year that make suicide the biggest killer of males under 45. Except Morgan’s death is not included in the national statistics, due to the coroner passing a ‘open verdict’ at his inquest, because the young man did not leave a note. I got in contact with Stuart Falconer after finding his charity online during my research – he now successfully runs the ‘Ollie Foundation’ which focuses on preventing suicide through ‘Safe Talk’ training in schools.

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My second case study is mother of two, 50-year-old Caroline Chandler, whose father tragically killed himself when she was 21 years old. This will be the first time Mrs Chandler openly speaks about the death of her father to someone outside of the family, so the interview will be handled with the up most sensitivity, as will all interviews. I hope to find out more information surrounding her father’s death during the face to face interview, as she was not comfortable discussing it via the phone.

My third and final case study – for now, wishes to remain anonymous in order to protect her son’s identity, who unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide earlier this year. Her son is currently still struggling with mental illness, and comprehending the failed attempt he made to take his own life.

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I am planning on travelling to my interviewees home location; which luckily are all in the same area, in order to get the best audio and good video elements for my blog.

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Currently, I am just clarifying dates for these interviews to take place – hopefully within the next week or two.