BBC3 unleashes 'Killer' documentary

Towerblock Dreams
Towerblock Dreams: production team careful not to breach BBC guidelines about filming illegal acts

Digital youth channel BBC3 looks certain to court controversy with an uncompromising new documentary series following a group of lawless young men dealing drugs and running pirate radio stations.

Towerblock Dreams features characters such as Killer, a young man who thinks nothing of tearing down a rival pirate radio station's mast in order to protect the interests of his own operation.

One morning during the year-long shoot the BBC film crew turned up to find Sloth, another man featured in the documentary, sporting fresh stitches because three men had broken into his flat during the night and stabbed him in the back when he refused to hand over his stash of drugs.

BBC3 commissioning executive Celia Taylor, who executive produced the three-part series, admitted the production team had been very careful not to breach BBC producer guidelines about filming illegal acts.

However, Towerblock Dreams is likely to draw criticism from some quarters of the media for allegedly glamorising illegal behaviour.

"These people are very up front and honest and they take drugs, basically. Some of them have done time for dealing, but they're not drug barons. We didn't film them dealing. We kept out of that completely," said Ms Taylor.

"If anyone started talking about stuff like that, the director would switch off the camera and say to them 'don't incriminate yourself and don't tell me'. It was a very tricky and difficult series to make," she added.

"The people in the series are generally really bright, intelligent guys, who just didn't make it through the school system. They are not part of mainstream society. The characters say their choices are thieving, grass dealing, or pirate radio," Ms Taylor said.

Towerblock Dreams was shot on council estates in Southend and parts of London - including Tottenham, Finsbury Park, Bow and Archway, - by experienced documentary director Dave O'Neal and TV newcomer Adam Smith.

Ms Taylor said that from the outset the production team aimed to give the documentary a definite cinematic style and highlight an area of society that did not often appear in the media.

"We talked about film-makers like Scorsese, who has transformed the image of Italian-Americans. We didn't want it to be a worthy social documentary. It's a beautifully shot, heartfelt, passionate look at a bit of Britain that doesn't often get a look in," she added.

"Most of the time these people don't really operate within the establishment. It was a real achievement to get their trust and get them to open up. One minute you really like them and the next minute they reveal themselves as a rough lot, they reveal their attitudes. I haven't seen anything this honest and raw for a long time," Ms Taylor said.

Killer is filmed coming out of court after collecting a £200 fine and a driving ban, saying "fuck the judge", getting into his car and driving off. But Towerblock Dreams also shows a gentler side, when he is with his daughter and girlfriend.

Another character, Skinny, is offered a recording deal by a music company, but then gets sent to prison for dealing marijuana.

Towerblock Dreams has been made for BBC3 by independent production company Raw.

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