The United States of America Essay Example for Free

The United States of America Essay Write a letter to the documentary maker, Paul Hamann, explaining how effective you thought the film Fourteen Days in May was as an illustration of issues surrounding the use of capital punishment in the United States of America. Dear Mr Hamann, I am writing to you regarding the documentary that you made on Edward Earl Johnson called Fourteen Days in May. I overall found your documentary very informative and useful. However I personally thought that there are some things that you could of changed to make it better. At the beginning I think that the voice over off the radio, which informs us of all the information, is very useful. Edward Earl Johnson was convicted of the 1979 shooting death of Walmet Grove Marshall J. P. Crest. Johnsons attorneys say theyve got a strategy to save the inmate from execution on the 20th May. You get the initiative that you are there in Mississippi going to see the Edward Earl Johnson. Before I watched your documentary I had my own preconceptions about death row and the people who were on it. I thought that it was a place where very evil people were put when they have committed a serious offence, I felt that all the people here deserved to die and that I had nothing against them being executed. When the helicopter is circling over the prison where Johnson is being held I think it would be a better idea to have a view of where the murder takes places. Then the narrator could read the information to the viewers. They would be able to see the place of the murder. Also during this it could show a view of the grave where the Marshall is buried. This would add an extra effect, letting viewers see the crime scene and then the grave. Furthermore when you are still having the view that you are I the car you can see black prisoners digging at the side of the road. I individually think that this is a good idea since we are all quite aware that places such as Mississippi in the South of America are still prosperous Ku Klux Klan areas. The things that I would change are first when you interview Edward Earl Johnson I think it would be better to have him in a cell. At the beginning of the interview you zoom in through the window of the cell into him as he is sat alone. Possibly having him sat in the room where he will be executed would be a very good effect, but this would be unfair on Johnson going to the place where soon he may be killed. He may become even more defensive about the murder, stating even more that he is not guilty because seeing where he may die could frighten him. If you were however allowed to do this and Johnson did not decline this then it would have a very good effect, it would make people understand the seriousness, that he will die here if justice is not done correct. I also would not let the interviewer be seen. You could also have a view of Edward Earl Johnson through the bars of the cell. This would let people see him in prison behind bars as he is, and I also think that it would give a mysterious effect, did he do it or didnt he? If it was necessary to see the interviewer then you could see him while he asks a question but then go back to focusing on Edward Earl Johnson while he answers. This is an effect used often on television shows, and in my opinion looks good for interviewing a person.