Sangue, câmera, ação

I have liked Nightcrawler. I like it better than Shot in the Dark. After all it is a finished script and this is reality TV. Yet I strongly disliked the preaching writer voice and the cheap moralistic take. And here that aspect is missing. I am aware that the temptation is strong so that makes this series quite valuable. Another strong point is that the production team was able to make every team have a personality and not treat them all as one faceless group. The downside is the perceived repetition. I know the cases were hand picked to avoid having two of the same, yet by the 5th or 6th episode I was feeling I am watching the old pieces. By the 8th episode the dullness was toned down by the conflict between the teams. So overall, it was a good TV experience.

Netflix, yet again, has provided the public a look into a profession many never knew existed, a "Stringer". Ask me yesterday what a "stringer" was, and I'd probably tell you that it was something polar opposite from what it actually is. The members of this profession are on site and are determined to document crime, heartbreak and accidents like nothing else matters, often before law enforcement even arrives. Despite the inside fighting of figures as seen on this show, these stringers are on the front lines to provide the media with the coverage every news watcher relies, all around the world. Their footage is captured in a way to give proof, long before well established media teams and even, in many cases, emergency crews arrive. It is raw footage that helps the public realize how susceptible and vulnerable we all are to crime, violence and heartbreak as humans. This has provided a whole new perspective of what could be perceived as an underground network of professions we might have never given heed to without the documentary professionals of Netflix. I finished the series today, the day it was released. It is enticing. I can't wait for the next series. I wish for all members involved to be safe and to continue doing the brave work of which is helping society realize the truth of our surroundings.

The premise of shot in the dark is following LA stringers as they attempt to get newsworthy footage of car accidents/police chases/shootings to sell to news agencies. The show follows three different groups of stringers as they respond to these police scanner calls and race against each other to sell the news. The cinematography is really impeccable on this show, with map visuals of locations, first hand from the stringers and from their following cameraman, and even news footage if the story was used. I really enjoyed getting to see this as I've never been exposed to it before. My only fault is that they interactions between the different groups felt very staged. After 8 episodes the show does become very repetitive (car on fire, building on fire, etc.).

I have to say this is one great documentary and 8 episodes is just too few. I'm not one who will easily give a show a 9 on IMDb but this one gets it. The storytelling, the editing, multi angle shots, the map of LA are of really high quality. This together with the enthusiastic stringers makes up for a very engaging documentary. It being on Netflix makes it a great show for binge watching.

Disgusting. There is one scene, a black suv stalls on the freeway, lights still on. All of a sudden, the suv goes completely dark. You know someone is going to smash. One of the cameramen is sitting on the side of the road waiting for the crash. He could have used a flashlight or camera light to illuminate the darkened vehicle. Instead, he just sits there and waits for the crash, which happens. .