Inside Movies & DVD with Drew McWeeny

The Vacation Read: Do filmmakers and social media make a good mix?

As studios begin to use social media to market movies, we look at one major change

By Drew McWeeny Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 10:30 AM

William Friedkin, seen here on the set of his latest movie 'Killer Joe,' has taken to Twitter like a duck to water.

Credit: LD Entertainment

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Have you ever spoken to a filmmaker via Twitter?

When I was a kid, it was unthinkable to have unfettered access to someone who made a movie I loved. If there had been a Twitter account for George Lucas, I shudder to think what kind of lunacy I'd have indulged. These days, you see all sorts of filmmakers signing up for social media outlets that allow the public to speak directly to them in a way that is truly unprecedented. There was one evening in particular recently where we all sort of simultaneously realized Billy Friedkin had signed up for Twitter, and it turned into a three or four hour free-for-all with people bombarding him with questions about everything from "Cruising" to "The Guardian" to "The Exorcist" to "Jade," and he answered everything with grace and charm. It was amazing.

It also may have been contractually obligated.

Until I interviewed Derick Martini recently about his film "Hick" as part of the Motion/Captured Podcast, I had no idea companies were now including a social media clause as part of the standard filmmaker's contract. When he told me, it blew my mind. It seems counter-intuitive to me, since forcing someone to interact with the public rarely ends well. Still, we are in a new age of how media works and how audiences interact with the media they consume, and so I guess things are going to evolve no matter what.

In the two or three weeks since that conversation, I've been asking around and I realize how much more widespread this is than I understood. I think we're heading towards a future where we see most mainstream filmmakers doing regular appearances on some social media platform, directly speaking to the audience. I think we're also heading towards a time where people will have whole careers built on "playing" someone for social media, serving as a filter between the actual person and the audience. I would imagine that for a filmmaker who is creeped out by the idea of speaking directly to fans, it would be a blessing to be able to hire someone who can do that for them.

When someone does an appearance like, say, an AMA on Reddit, I can't help but wonder if they really understand what "ask me anything" means in today's media landscape. Audiences feel possessive of personal details in a way that is downright unnerving, and there are very few lines that people won't cross. I go to at least one press day a month where I have to be given special instructions on what I can or can't ask somebody, and it's always about the personal stuff. I don't do those kinds of interviews, but if publicists are telling me not to do it, then it's a safe bet someone else already has.

My question today for you is this: do you enjoy having that sort of direct interaction with a filmmaker, and what difference does it make to you? Are you more likely to go see something because you got to ask the director some questions, or does that matter at all? And if you do talk to filmmakers over the Internet, do you think there's a line that you personally wouldn't cross, or do you think anything is fair game if someone opens themselves up to an audience? Do you want that kind of access to the people who make the films and the TV shows you love, or would you rather we pay more attention to the work itself?

I look forward to reading your responses to this and all the other topics this week, and I'm thanking you in advance for participating, even if you don't normally participate. If you guys don't respond, this is going to be a very slow week here on the blog. I'm counting on you, and I hope that by the time I return next Monday, I'll know a lot more about you, and that I can use your answers to help make Motion/Captured even better.

Drew McWeeny
Film Editor

A respected critic and commentator for fifteen years, Drew McWeeny helped create the online film community as "Moriarty" at Ain't It Cool News, and now proudly leads two budding Film Nerds in their ongoing movie education.

Related Searches: The Vacation Read, Drew McWeeny, Motion/Captured

That Werewolf Guy

A few years ago, a filmmaker (I'm not telling who, but he is British) tweeted all day stuff like: "If we get 1 million likes on Facebook, we will show you the new trailer for my movie!" I said on Twitter (not to him via @ reply, just a general tweet) that I lost some respect for him, because he did that. After all the trailer would be released anyway. Shortly afterwards I received a DM (not an @ reply! A direct message!) from him, in which he apologized and said that "releasing such a big studio movie is a lot of pressure". That was pretty cool. Especially because this is one of the celebrity Twitter accounts, that are very clearly run by the real person and not an impersonator or publicist.

It kinda disturbs me to hear that filmmakers are now apparently forced into the social media game. If they don't want to do this, they shouldn't. I don't mind if an official social media account is in fact done by a publicist, but they should make this clear from the beginning.

I remember when MySpace became big and we suddenly had the chance to "talk" to our favourite celebrities. First nobody could believe it, because why should actor/director/popstar XY spend so much time on the internet? Then it became clear that if it was true! They really were interacting with their friends! That was cool. Of course it didn't take long until for every real celeb we got 4 or 5 impersonators and after that it didn't take long until "the man" took over and most celebrity profiles were run by record labels and publicists, but it's still cool to think: "Man, maybe my favourite star REALLY read my comment!"

It's a shame that the business side of social media now seems to be the norm, but it's no surprise. Once there was a time where it was something special to advertise your mmovie on the internet! I think STARGATE, back in 94, was the first movie with an official website. Now every small independent low budget movie has one and most of the time it's just cheaper to open a Facebook profile, instead of creating a site from scratch. The new found importance of social media is a natural progression. I just hope we won't reach the level, where it's all just business.

And to answer the question if there is a line I won't cross: I always try to be respectful. There were many tweets that I wanted to send to celebrities, but didn't. Just because I think somethign is funny, it doesn't mean they think so too. I love to go to conventions and when I see a celebrity from my favourite TV show in the hotel lift, I usually just nod and say "hi". If they want to start a smalltalk, that's cool, if not, whatever. I've seen people just running up to their stars and act completely inappropriate, both in real life and the internet.

So what I'm trying to say is: Use your brain, people! Treat them nice and they might stay! I remember reading a story, about how Ron Perlman signed up to a message board to answer questions years ago, but got treated so badly that he still refuses to do any "internet appereances". I think this is the point: It's bad enough when people sign up to Facebook and the fans don't behave. I don't want to think about it how it makes them feel when their contract forces them to do this. Having the ability to ask your favourite celebrity a question is a great thing, I just hope that this won't be another experience, that will soon be ruined by both sides. (The suits and the average Joes.)
August 30, 2012 at 11:27AM EST Reply to Comment
- That Werewolf Guy We really need an edit button...
  August 30, 2012 at 11:42AM EST
Fireflame94

I think it all depends on context, and how much the personality/personal life of a film-maker is going to impact on how you perceive the work. I don't use social media (Twitter, Facebook) at all, but I do enjoy following Reddit AMA's and other personal interaction stuff if it gets linked to me from another website. The direct interaction is interesting, but the sometimes disastrous responses by film-makers suggests that it definitely isn't for everybody. I definitely enjoy the idea that if I was inclined to do so I could ask the film-maker something about a movie that I couldn't find an answer to elsewhere.

If I did get involved in the kind of direct interaction that social media allows, I would probably only be asking questions about the films because the personal lives of film-makers don't interest me in this kind of format. I definitely don't think anything is fair game simply because a film-maker has opened himself up to being asked questions by the public, as I think there is still (or at least should be) an inherent layer of privacy. You probably wouldn't ask a friend the same sort of questions over the internet that I've seen asked of some people.

August 30, 2012 at 11:28AM EST Reply to Comment
jeves23

I like seeing celebrities on social media because it often humanizes them, bringing them down to a relatable level. I don't mean that I like to see them ripped from their pedestals and thrown into the mud; it is just nice to see some of them conversing like regular human beings.
It's too bad we live in a celebrity culture right now, where just because someone is famous (however tenuous that fame might be) some people feel they have the right to know all the most personal and private details (oddly enough, it is never about getting to know someone in the traditional sense, you know, as a person; but about collecting the information). I like the idea of the AMA, and Twitter Q&As so that I can ask more about the process of their craft.
I would hope that as this social media thing continues to evolve celebrities are humanized more and more, and that this acidic culture or celebrity worship evolves into something more positive and constructive.

On a side note, I also find it exciting to interact with and discover independent and amateur artists. I think as a tool for new talent it is indispensable, opening up possibilities that never could have existed before.
August 30, 2012 at 12:56PM EST Reply to Comment
Paul S

It's seems to be the way the industry is heading towards.

I prefer to just watch and enjoy a good movie and give the actors and filmmakers some privacy. However, if I met them on the street, I think I would be inclined to ask one or two questions, or simply tell them how great one of their films was for me.
The flaw is when you multiply my intentions with the other 7 billion people on the planet and what they want to say....that's an awful lot of information for some people to handle!....
Celebrity...it's a can of worms!

August 30, 2012 at 1:38PM EST Reply to Comment
Adam.Sexton

It's a matter of choice on whether to interact with a filmmaker that way. I follow a handful of directors via Twitter (Friedkin, Oliver Stone, Edgar Wright, Darren Aronofsky, Kevin Smith, Cameron Crowe) but primarily to read their postings. I feel as though I'd have questions for any of them and so far I haven't felt compelled to ask, which feels strange. I suppose I'm waiting for the right question to come along. Or maybe I should just buck up and at least tell them how much I enjoy their work.

A lot of what I learn about directors come from interviews or articles, in particular those specific to their work not any of a tabloid variety. As long as I've been into cinema, a good interview can tell as much as I need to know about a director and how he/she approaches their craft.

As others have mentioned, you need to be respectful when you're interacting with filmmakers, which should be no different than how you interact with other people. I think we should all be responsible and accountable for the way we express ourselves or the things we share with the world.

And just as not every filmmaker is on social media, I think it's fine for certain artists to limit their time for media access. People like Stanley Kubrick arguably thrived on the mystery of their public images and I like that. If someone like Terrance Malick ever popped up on Twitter, I'm sure we'd all freak but its probably best if that never happened.

As I said, it's a matter of choice on whether to communicate with a director. Most of the time, I feel as though I should let the professionals ask the questions.

August 30, 2012 at 1:45PM EST Reply to Comment
Stormshadow4life

Simply put....no. I really can't stand twitter, and facebook is annoying too.
If a director or actor wants to an AMA on Reddit, that's a different story
August 30, 2012 at 2:09PM EST Reply to Comment
JoeK

Growing up as a movie fan where all information was decidedly one sided and limited this is absolutely a new frontier so it's way too early to give a verdict. That said, a negative or downside to it definitely lurks in the notion of it as obligatory or overly calculated. That doesn't mean I don't want to see stuff explicitly produced/planned for social media consumption/distribution but it is potentially a slippery slope.

Could you imagine ILM tweeting intentionally vague photos of setups back in the day....Or having our filmmaking/character heroes on something like Twitter? How about a short stream from a new scoring session for something everyone is madly anticpating? Madness!

It's an undeniably cool thing. Anyone cynical about it should look at the FB production diaries that Peter Jackson has been teasing out. That is just incredible relative to the same opportunities for movie fandom merely 20+ years ago.
August 30, 2012 at 2:23PM EST Reply to Comment
Cody B

I can live without filmakes being on Twitter. I think twitter can be a great way to get a unique insight on some of your favorite directors or actors, but it's really not something I need or crave for. Although, now that you mention that some filmakers are being forced onto twitter, that really bums me out because I used to think that. for the most part, the people who were getting on twitter were people who really wanted to get into touch with there fans. I think overall, I'd rather pay attention to the work itself. To me, that's what is most important.
August 30, 2012 at 10:15PM EST Reply to Comment
Eyes

There must be some seriously manipulative thinking behind forcing filmmakers to use social media. It might go something like this: filmmakers are invested in the final product; so they are compelled (maybe also legally) to never say anything bad about it on social media; so all social media interaction is good publicity. It doesn't take much to see the weak links in that reasoning.

I'm not very keen on talking to people who have a contractual gun at their head. A lot of what consumers want to know will be already shrouded in confidentiality agreements even where social media contracts allow direct questioning. So I can't see much more coming out of it than Have A Nice Day-type interactions. Anyone who uses social media in any substantial way knows that it's not just about liking and sharing, but also hating and concealing. Business as usual, in other words.
August 30, 2012 at 10:50PM EST Reply to Comment
BigAl6ft6

Speaking of AMA gone awry, anyone read up about Woody Harelson's AMA? It was a madhouse. A maddddddhouse!!
August 30, 2012 at 10:55PM EST Reply to Comment
dyikini

I enjoy updates, comments and interactions from filmmakers – but it depends on the nature and quality of the post really. I gotta say I do love it when we get a solid opinion and the odd filmmaker vs filmmaker spat can be good car crash reading.

It makes little difference to whether I will watch a film or not. However it can form my opinion on an artist in some ways. It’s not ‘social media’ but the Q&A’s Harry have done have really formed my opinion on Stallone – those sessions did him nothing but favours in my book and now I feel I understand and empathise with him and what he’s trying to do. He was honest, abrupt and forthright in those answers and you can’t fault him for it.

In just about any situation where I’ve had the chance to ask an artist or film maker a question, I have no idea what to ask. I would only ask questions that I think I couldn’t devise the answer myself and that I don’t think the person would find tedious or inconsequential. Thus I just sit and stare while others do. That said, I met Danny Glover on the London tube once – but we just talked about how he likes a drink, walking and getting himself around town rather than drivers and taxis. Was awesome!

The access is great but only if it’s used for things that interest me. I recently joined twitter (actually, mostly to follow you Drew) and follow a handful of directors and film connected people and find most posts uninteresting or not relative to things I am interested in.

Personally for me, it’s all much of a muchness.

August 30, 2012 at 10:56PM EST Reply to Comment
- dyikini Oh, and in regards to the contract thing - I work in marketing and I'd say it's pretty much standard practice these days.
  
  If people don't want to do it, they should exclude it. The problem at the moment is people take signing it too 'lightly' and often feel a bit like 'sticking it to the man' by posting mischeivous and off handed comments and photos around - lots of athletes are getting in trouble for this lately.
  August 30, 2012 at 11:00PM EST
Espresso

I think it'd be really neat to have a director who tweeted about days on the set and posted photos of the process or the cast hanging out. But instead you get promotional crap or weird posts that only make sense to them. As soon as I got a Twitter I searched for directors but didn't find many that I actually cared to follow.

At the end of the day, I don't really care. I love finished products, really good movies that these people put time, effort and creativity into. Outside of that, I don't ask for much of them. If I ever ran into one of them somewhere and we were able to strike up and cool convo, neat. But I don't want to be one of the faceless blunt fans with endless questions and praises on the internet.
August 31, 2012 at 2:24AM EST Reply to Comment
Cody

I like it when a really shows off a side of that filmmaker that is hinted at in their films. The choices a writer/director makes for each project (and the content of the film itself), really speaks to them as a person, and it's interesting to see them share their life surrounding every step of production. In best case scenarios, it can work almost like a film journal.

In other cases, some directors are flat-out funny, entertaining, or just plain nice. Case in point: right after Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World came out on DVD, I wrote a review of the movie for my college newspaper. It was probably my favorite film of the year, and it went criminally unnoticed, so I wanted to spread the word around campus, and hopefully get some people to see it. I mentioned Wright in the tweet linking the online version of the article, not expecting him to actually read it, and was surprised to find a Direct Message from him, saying he loved the review and thanking me for writing it. It gave me a whole new appreciation for a director I already loved, because it shows that his films really mean something to him, and it matters that they connect with people. This is the best result for filmmakers taking part in social media. Connecting with the fans. Letting the filmmakers know their work matters, and letting the fans know their appreciation and love of their work matters just as much.
August 31, 2012 at 2:41AM EST Reply to Comment
- jimead Keep updating.
  http://www.alacraft.com.au/stickers-cat8
  August 31, 2012 at 5:36AM EST
jimead

Keep updating.

www.alacraft.com.au/stickers-cat8
August 31, 2012 at 5:35AM EST Reply to Comment