I’m writing this having just watched BBC4’s documentary Life and Deaf (you can now see it on iPlayer here), and I was really impressed.
The documentary, which is an hour long, followed Marios, Tina, Memnos and Abigail, a group of Londoners who are all linked to St John’s Deaf Club.
Abigail is deciding whether to have a cochlear implant, which her mother has concerns about. Memnos, who is football mad, is hoping the football team he manages can win the Deaf Cup. Marios and Tina are having a baby, and wondering whether it will be deaf or hearing.
Watching the programme felt like being with Deaf friends, because it all felt so natural.
The slightly precarious signing car journeys and football team trips across the country in a mini bus. The conversations with midwives and audiologists. The awkward discussions with parents. Best of all, the Deaf family chat at dinnertime.
What was really refreshing was how the scenes looked absolutely natural, and real, the conversations often allowed to flow, uncut, for minutes at a time – something you rarely get in documentaries.
Because of this we got to know the contributors really well. We got to see the in-jokes Deaf people make (especially Abigail’s – I laughed out loud at several of her quips), the rising tension during several conversations, and best of all I think, we got to see some everyday swearing. Just like in real life.
Deaf culture and our community is often so hidden away from wider view that programmes like this are vitally important in humanising Deaf people, showing how similar we are to everyone else, but also the ways that we’re different, too.
It was great that this programme was shown on a mainstream channel, at a peak viewing time, and will now be available on iPlayer. Let’s hope it reaches a wide audience.
Another note: I also really liked the fact the programme wasn’t voiced over, it asked the mainstream audience to look, to read the subtitles and look at what was going on. It was also nice to hear natural Deaf voices.
Well done to everyone involved – and if you haven’t yet – make sure you watch it!
Watch Life and Deaf on BBC iPlayer (UK only) by clicking here.
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Kerena
July 5, 2016
Enjoyed it! (Except when Charlton got beaten!) It was a much stronger programme without voice overs do invasion of Hearing Culture. Something I used to do with my Deaf Children’s programmes and had to fight Channel Controllers worried about switch off in morning TV. A foreign language films would just have subtitles, unless it was dubbed. Just wish we had a version of Life and Death without subtitles!
Editor
July 5, 2016
Yes it’d be good if a version was released on iplayer in BSL only
MarlaCrews
July 5, 2016
I would love to be able to see this in the U.S. 🙂
MW
July 5, 2016
I too enjoyed watching this program and I agree that “voice over” can spoil it. I was very moved by the cochlear consultation at ENT how upsetting this can be.(I have been there). I was also surprised by the body language on finding out the baby was not DEAF. Oh! had to laugh at BSL proud Mum trying to tell her daughter she won’t be Deaf with cochlear. Mum she still is! Are we going to see any more of this?
Cathy
July 5, 2016
I did debate with myself whether to watch: Life and Deaf or Brief Encounter. I opted for Brief Encounter and thoroughly enjoyed it!
I will watch on catch up and see what I think. Iam not sure it is on the best mainstream channel, especially if you want more “Deaf Exposure”. I certainly would not have put this on BBC 4 but BBC 1.
This would ensure a much wider audience and I fear the bulk audience would have been Deaf. It would be interesting to know the number of hearies who watched it? After all, they are the real group we are trying to impact on aren’t they?
However, I do know plenty people who can’t stand subtitles or hate reading, so without voiceover I know for certain these people are highly unlikely to have watched it.
Only time will tell how popular the programme is. Usually when programmes become really popular they are moved from bbc 4 to a more prominent channel like bbc 1, but as this is a one off, we will not get the opportunity to know if it has become so popular that it moves.
Tina
July 5, 2016
I enjoyed it and it was painful watching the CI assessments and consultation, for it was the same hospital and audiologist I went to. I had the same hard decision to make.
I’ve been told not all the dialogue was subtitled, such as when the midwife was speaking. .. so a lot of deaf/hard of hearing people are left out, particularly those who can’t understand sign language. Very disappointed at the lack of full access.
I would like to see a similar program but for deafened & hard of hearing & oral deaf who don’t use sign language – which is the majority of deaf people …. we are forgotten, yet again.
mjfahey
July 5, 2016
Loved it! Particularly the referee trying to keep Memnos off the pitch! Also gave an insight into the CI process… how Abigail wanted the implant and she was the one moving the process forward, NOT the consultant, who advised her to go away and think hard about it. Glad she is enjoying the music, and agree with her about the ticking clock!
Roz
July 5, 2016
The CI was the most interesting story for me, and I found the pregnancy interesting too. However it felt like there was a lot crammed into the hour and we didn’t see each storyline in as much depth as I would have liked. From a hearing perspective, I felt the intro could have been gentler, launching straight into four people signing BSL to camera and each other in a natural way had great impact and made me realise how rarely we see deaf people signing on TV, but it can also be alienating for a hearing audience. I think most of my hearing friends who have never met a Deaf person wouldn’t have watched past the intro. Now you’ll probably give me a lot of stick for writing that, but it’s important to balance the impact of the show and visibility of Deaf culture with the need for it to reach a hearing, deaf unaware audience. That’s not bowing to hearing culture, it’s an important step towards ensuring more mainstream TV is made featuring Deaf culture/people/stories.
As the show went on and we were able to get to know the contributors I was really enjoying it, so hopefully BBC will see some value in commissioning it as a series, to allow for a more in depth look at each contributor or storyline. I hope lots watched it and that we will see more programmes featuring a range of different types of deaf people, and more investment in opportunities for deaf creatives. It’s a great start
ohdear
July 5, 2016
Yawn…. CI again. Almost every time there’s a deaf program – CI has to be included. Boring.
What did I learn?
Marios can’t drive properly. Twice, he reversed his car without looking properly.
Kerena Marchant
July 6, 2016
Hahaha!!! The driving really amused me. My son – Deaf – watching the programme – told me Deaf – that I might be culturally Deaf but I don’t drive like a Deaf person. Apparently I keep my hands on the wheel, don’t sign while driving and look in my mirror and behind me when I reverse!!!
Tinycloud
July 6, 2016
I really enjoyed this documentary and agree with Charlie, it would be great to see more programmes like it. It’s a privilege to have a window into someone’s life and very brave of the people who took part to allow us this snapshot of their lives. How many people would let a TV show into their living room while they discussed their hopes, expectations and worries about their unborn child while they feed Quavers to their cat?
The decision about the sound in this documentary was also excellent and served the dual purpose of demonstrating the importance of eye contact and engagement in signed conversations and also to allow people’s natural voices to be heard rather than muted and voiced over.
How amazing for Tina and Marios to share the uncertainty of pregnancy and the many decisions they would need to make if the child was deaf about communication, technology and education. And what a rich family life that child is born into! Surrounded by love, language and togetherness. And football. So much football!
I also think it was extremely game of Patsy to air her motherly input into Abigail’s decision. I wonder how it will be perceived? I thought it was refreshing for someone to speak about the CI decision on TV in a way that reflects the parents’ worry not necessarily about the impact it will have on their child’s hearing but their emotional well being. Would it meet Abigail’s expectations and how would she manage the disappointment if it didn’t? Would it change who she spent her time with? Especially if that means turning her back on the very same community depicted in the documentary. Important questions and go Patsy for being an honest Mum.
It’s called an experimental film and without a commentary, it will be interesting to see how differently it is viewed. I found it warm, funny and engaging. I hope many people are taking the opportunity to view it while it is still available online outside the UK…