Director Reputation - Potential Controversial Project

Hi All,

So I direct music videos and am excited for my next project, but wanted to ask advice from fellow creatives.

After agreeing to make the video, the group involved storyline for the video was a plot with a strong drug related theme, with the characters taking mind altering substances and everything going weird etc etc.

The group themselves have a strong following and would be a great move for me in terms of career, but I was wondering if I should be concerned about being involved in something that could be seen as glorifying drug use and could have an adverse affect on my reputation.

Is this something that matters? Is it just a standalone work and should be treated as such? Or should all my works (even if under hire) keep to things that match my own views etc.

Many thanks for discussion.

I wouldn't worry about drug use.

There are certain themes that I would worry about following me in my career - criticisms of religion/race, sexual abuse, misogyny, child abuse - but drug use isn't really one of those. It just isn't really stigmatised, especially hallucinogenic drugs. If The Beatles can get away with writing a song called Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, I'm sure you'll be fine

LP13 said:

Is this something that matters? Is it just a standalone work and should be treated as such? Or should all my works (even if under hire) keep to things that match my own views etc.

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Two very different issues there.

Will future producers discriminate against you as a director if you make
music video that doesn't support their personal views. And should you
only work on projects that reflect your personal views.

To the first; maybe. Some producers may discriminate against you. And
for many reasons. Some producers looking for a director for a horror movie
may not hire a director with several music videos and a comedy or two
on their resume. I imagine you may run into a producer who will not hire
you because at one time you made a music video that that could be seen
as glorifying drug use. I do not believe your entire reputation will be affected.

To the second; to some people their own personal views are who they are.
They could never compromise their personal views by directing a project that
does not reflect those views. Nick gave a nice list of what he would not touch.
It's very personal - impossible to answer for you. I do not have those
restrictions to what projects I will direct. But I cannot answer what would
make you comfortable.

As has been said, it is a very personal decision.

When I was exclusively a music recording engineer I worked with many artists - especially rappers - whose topics and/or language choices made me cringe; hey, it's tough overcoming your upbringing! But I was a "hired gun" working for a studio and my job was to make clients happy, and that's my position 99% of the time now that I run my own business.

The only audio post job I turned down was a promotion piece by a group of Neo-Nazis. You have to draw the line somewhere, and hate groups is one of those lines for me.

I wouldn't worry about drug use, you'll get just as many jobs for it as you will lose for showing it (i'm betting 1 each.)

I wouldn't touch a project I felt conflicted with my sense of self. I see it as my job as a creative to build the world I want to live in. For me this world involves humans crushed under heel by our robot overlords, and given intto more and more perverse attempts numbing our existential angst. For you maybe its drug free. Do what feels right, man.

If it were me, I wouldn't care about the drug use. That is to say, my version of personal integrity should not involve me compromising my principles to get jobs: in this case, potential jobs with pearl clutchers who can't handle portrayals of drug use.

On the other hand, I'm probably as much of a whore as anyone else; meaning, in the right circumstances I suppose I might do the opposite to get the job or keep my hypothetical career alive.

I'm under the impression, though, that portrayals of drug use have been pretty stigmatized in America. That is, hasn 't there been a concerted effort to do so? For instance, hasn't it become a serious no-no to portray your film characters smoking? I'm under the impression that portrayals of drug use these days are liable to get you an R rating.

Anything to that impression?

I, personally, would also tend to avoid treating all those subjects that Nick mentioned, as well. For one, they're just not very fun subjects. For another, it's liable to earn you some serious demerit points in much of the public's eyes.

The other thing I got that this question reminds me of is a story I heard in some kind of rockumentary. It was explaining how the "Relax" video for Franky Goes to Hollywood got made. After making the "Relax" video, the director was hired to direct a Foreigner video. Apparently, the members of Foreigner didn't know about the "Relax" video being on the director's resume until, like, the day of shooting? Something like that. The story was that when they found out the director they (or someone) had hired to direct their next video had previously directed the gay-themed "Relax," they flipped out.

I don't know if it was homophobia or an intense fear of the gay rubbing off and damaging their band's reputation and their careers...apart from their personal feeling about gayness.

But it made them sound like raging homophobes, the way it was being told, anyway, which forced me to think less of them, if that was what was going on. On the other hand, maybe they were just very sensitive about their "brand," which, especially back then, you can't hardly blame them for. Still, even then, not their finest moment.

I just can't recall how the story ended. I'm thinking it didn't end well for the director; that is, I'm thinking maybe they dismissed him. But I just can't recall for sure. I suppose it might be something one could look up.

Just goes to show that in the business such things can have import to some.

I am curious to know if there is a possibility of legal issues when recording drug use? Are the drugs real or props? Can they be proven to be real? How do shows like intervention broadcast drug use without the persons being documented receiving fines or jail time?

I've seen video where people blatantly say this is "weed" this is "cocaine", then ingest the drug. Followed by talking about their high or exhibiting wild behavior. Is this all said to be acting and they walk free? Has their been cases where people have been convicted of a crime?