Over the years there has been a powerful increase in Aborigines fighting for their rights, by boldly challenging the misrepresentation created by the media and the ignorant myths, which have placed a shadow upon our native people. "Broken English", part of the series of four, "Blood Brothers" was produced by both Rachel Perkins, head of the Aboriginal Unit at SBS Television, and independent film maker Ned Lander. The first episode of the four looks in on the unethical imprisonment of Rupert Max Stuart, a young Arrente man from central Australia, for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl by the name of Mary Hattam. Documentaries are frequently structured and presented to position viewers to agree with a bias point of view. By selecting verbal language, information, creating an effective filmic presentation and utilising doco-drama techniques, the viewer is swayed to believe in Stuart's innocence for a crime by which he was falsely accused.
             The selection of information was carefully constructed to persuade the viewer to agree with the perspectives of the documentary - that Stuart was wrongly convicted. The producers decided to include all evidence that sided with Stuart to enhance the truth of his virtuousness. For example, an incomprehensible re-enactment, displaying Rupert's natural verbal ability at the time, showed clearly to the viewer that he was not only defenceless, but was completely unaware of what was going on and in no way, was capable of relaying his side of the story - had he ever been given the chance. It also used convincing personalities such as John Starke, the Royal Commission lawyer who took over Stuart's case following Shand's withdrawal and a Catholic Priest, Father Dixon, he too assured of Stuart's innocence. This type of information selected brought credibility to the documentary's persuasive argument showing the corrupt and immoral legal system at the time. When the documentary shows the carnival organis...