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A modern look at the people who were the ‘Central Park Five’ – let our experts help discuss the media’s role in shaping the narrative

Jun 10, 2019

2 min

Matthew Buzzell



The recent release of the Netflix series “When They See Us” about the Central Park Five raises questions about the power of the media in the public’s perception of news stories. The narrative is different with this production than it was in the media when the trials were going on, and still today, the media has the power to shape – or sensationalize – a news story.


In this version, the four-part series attempts to portray what happened and just how this tragic event impacted so many lives for so long.


“Over the course of the series, the audience watches the boys, who are all between 14 and 16, get coerced into confessing to a crime they didn’t commit. … While other dramas of this kind often focus on victims and investigators, the focus here is on the accused. It’s a haunting story that shares a space with the innumerable podcasts, films and limited-run docuseries that try to rationalize and memorialize true crime incidents of years past.” – VICE.com


Films – and the way they are made – are changing, and some are attempting to change the public’s perception of how actual historic events in America happened.


  • This comes with benefits and no doubt, risks.
  • What challenges do writers and directors take on when trying to tell a true story from our past?
  • How has this been done correctly – and what happens if it fails?
  • And is it up to the entertainment industry to educate audiences about the truth in our collective past?


There are a lot of questions, and that’s where the experts from Augusta University can help.


Dr. Matthew Buzzell is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose films have screened at festivals the world over and been broadcast nationally on PBS, Turner Classic Movies and Netflix. Matthew is available to speak with media at any time – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.



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Matthew Buzzell

Matthew Buzzell

Associate Professor, Department of Art and Design

Matthew Buzzell is an award-winning filmmaker whose films have been screened and distributed internationally.

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