Anybody and everybody can vote for Shine Global’s proposed panel “The Long Term Impact of the Sexy Story” to be a part of the 2016 SxSW film festival in Austin, TX this coming March.
Vote here before September 4, 2015: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/53691
The Long Term Impact of the Sexy Story
Sex sells. If it bleeds it leads. This reality means that stories like “starving sex trafficked war orphans in Africa…with AIDS” bombard us daily. Sensational and dramatic storytelling gets ratings, attracts an audience, and helps secure funding but it has a real world, negative impact on those we are (mis)representing. Power dynamics between storytellers, promoters, audiences, and subjects raise difficult ethical questions. Our panel brings together storytellers who’ve worked on controversial topics with vulnerable people and explore ways that creatives can approach ethical issues in narrative in a way that produces a compelling story, yet involves subjects in safe and respectful ways.
Questions Answered
- How does our appetite for sensational stories have a real world impact on subjects as well as viewers/consumers of stories?
- How can filmmakers guarantee subjects’ informed consent and why does this matter?
- Do the ends of obtaining compelling footage ever justify the sacrifice of informed consent by subjects?
Speakers
- Lina Srivistava, Regarding Humanity
- Susan MacLaury, Shine Global Inc
- Josie Swantek, Run Riot Films
- Linda Raftree, Regarding Humanity