A dystopian drama produced by students of the North East Media Training Centre (NEMTC) set in a future where the government have implemented a form of social control called ‘T.R.E.A.T.S. – Technology for Recreation Education Amusement and Tranquillity’. The film tells the story of Terry, an addict who has his supply of T.R.E.A.T.S terminated as a form of punishment. He attempts to find help from his friend Annie, but she tries to convince him of its dangers. Although Terry is initially...

A dystopian drama produced by students of the North East Media Training Centre (NEMTC) set in a future where the government have implemented a form of social control called ‘T.R.E.A.T.S. – Technology for Recreation Education Amusement and Tranquillity’. The film tells the story of Terry, an addict who has his supply of T.R.E.A.T.S terminated as a form of punishment. He attempts to find help from his friend Annie, but she tries to convince him of its dangers. Although Terry is initially unconvinced, on returning home he attempts to destroy his computer and breakaway from his addiction. However, things don’t end the way he was hoping. At night searchlights from a moving vehicle travel along a street of derelict houses. Title: The Interruption A young man sits mesmerised in front of five computer screens. He looks deeply into one of the monitors placing his hand sensitivity over the screen. Suddenly, a man and woman burst into the room, the young man spins his chair to face them. At the request of his partner the man begins looking up the young man’s details on his computer. He identifies the young man as Terry Sanderson, aged 21 and in receipt of state benefit and T.R.E.A.T.S. They go through his criminal record for ‘two charges of state disorder’ and tell him he has been ‘monitored performing unlisted activities’. Pulling his hair the woman asks her colleague what the ‘solution’ is for Terry’s disorder. He replies with a smile ‘Temporary deletion of recreational transmissions until disorder is corrected’. The woman then hits Terry on the back of the head knocking him to the floor. He begins to cry as he crawls into the corner of the room. They look on him with disgust before heading for the door. Before leaving the woman points at the computer screen which has a message written across it that reads ‘T.R.E.A.T.S. – Technology for Recreation Education Amusement and Tranquillity’. A younger woman hums as she works to disconnect Terry’s computer. He attempts to stop her, but she headbutts him knocking him to the floor again. She looks down on him complaining about her job and ‘zombies’ like Terry. She attempts to sympathise with Terry by saying the disconnected might not be a bad idea, a chance to re-connect with ‘real people’. She talks about other people like Terry who have become addicted to their ‘T.R.E.A.T.S’, Terry remains on the floor rubbing his bloody nose whimpering as she finishes his disconnect and leaves. Terry gets up from his computer and reads a printout of a message from an Annie Stevens. Putting on his jacket he leaves and runs through a demolition site and over a smouldering pile of brick and debris towards a high-rise apartment block. Annie and Martin sit together chatting when they hear the doorbell. Getting up to answer it Annie tells Martin to ‘take it easy, you know how difficult it is for them at first’. Terry burst into the room, ignoring Martin and sits down at their computer. He becomes agitated when nothing happens, Annie explains it’s not turned on. She tries to assure Terry that he doesn’t need T.R.E.A.T.S’. Sitting with Annie on the sofa Terry explains he doesn’t understand what’s going in. She explains he’s been manipulated and conditioned from birth. Bringing in cups of tea Martin joins them explaining that ‘other people’ had made choices about his life. Annie asks how much ‘correction treatment’ has he had; Terry doesn’t remember. Martin begins to explain how the state has been able to ‘dissolve your memory banks and wipe out your past’. He and Anne talks about a time before when people went out in groups to riot and how the government developed a scheme to keep everyone at home; T.R.E.A.T.S. As they speak footage of riots are superimposed over the scene. Terry in his confused state defends T.R.E.A.T.S even though he knows it’s a form of social control. Martin talks about how in the past people use to make music and enjoy themselves with ‘unidentified objects’, musical instruments. Again, as he speaks a musical group performing is superimposed over them talking. Unconvinced by their arguments Terry gets up stating he doesn’t want to lose his T.R.E.A.T.S before leaving. Again, Terry races back through the demolition site and across a piece of waste ground with the River Tyne in the distance. Back at home he grabs his head in pain before picking up his chair throwing it at the computer in an attempt to destroy it. Instead, it gives off a large flash causing Terry to fall to the floor in pain. Over the song ‘Prisoner 768’ the film ends with a montage of waves crashing in slow motion over rocks, the launch of a tanker from Wallsend, men taking part in a protest march and a crowd at a rock concert applauding. Credit: Terry, Michael Yeamen Annie, Angie Gilchrist State Woman, Jane Jermyn State Man, Stephen Thirheld Martin, Buster Scott Title: With special thanks to Amber Films, Phil Bailey, Phil Brown, Alan Mackay, M and J Film Services, Sean Mackenzie NFTVA, Trade Films, Steve Vallins, TV History Workshop and all the staff at NEMTC especially Pete Woodhouse (stock) Credit: Editor Colin Bone Soundtrack… Mark Revell. Song: ‘Prisoner 768’ words and music by Mark Revell and Mike Gillings (copyright Eaton Music 1987) Musicians Mark Revell, Angela Stead, Julia Stead, Tommy Stead Sound Engineer Tommy Stead Recorded at Suite Sixteen Studios, Fellgate Credit: ORIGINAL CREATION by James Allan, Lisa Jones, John Morris, Karen Paul, Karen Revell, Louise Taylor, Nondumiso Yabantu End title (Copyright NEMTC 1987)