The Second Trauma Documentary

Produced in collaboration with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.

Contact the Logan Center to request a screening.

About: The Second Trauma documentary

There’s a shooting, TV crews rush to the screen, take a shot of a police car, of shell casings, a draped body and neighbors crying. If they are lucky and if there is time, a close relative will speak on camera. It’s all a big rush. You need video for your package, you need to go live and you need to fill your very short time slot.  

Reporters who write have a slightly different agenda because they have the gift of a little more time. You arrive on the scene and you hunt for details and color, you comb the block for interviews and push hard to get a relative, but you too are on deadline so “hurry up” is embedded in your brain. 

Journalists show up at possibly the worst day of a person’s life with our own narrow agenda, oftentimes never to return. We leave behind grief and fear. Our reporting offers no hope and rarely any solutions. 

Even the most empathetic reporter’s final piece is often a sensationalized view of the event because an editor wanted more flash to attract readers and viewers. The reporter barely has time to reflect because they are off to the next story. 

How can we do better? 

This 28-minute documentary led by gun violence survivor Oronde McClain takes us to people who we need to listen, Philadelphians who have been impacted by the record setting violence that plagues our city. Through tears and lived experience they give a road map on how the media, journalism students and those who consume news, can do better.

The documentary was produced , directed and edited by the Center’s Director, Yvonne Latty, Director of Photography was Natalie Reitz and our Production Assistant was Allison Beck.

Additional Team Members