| Abstract | Films reflect society, telling stories about people in a country, claiming a moment in history. Moving pictures are a bridge between thought and action; a tool used to stir up discussion, promote thought, incite action, and advance freedom. In this environment, it is nearly impossible for a film to be released and not receive any kind of pushback. In order to most appropriately handle a film crisis, moviemakers must be proactive.
Looking at case studies for The Exorcist (1973), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), and Rust (2023), these three examples reveal just how atypical the response strategies have to be for crisis communication in film. Because there are so many people involved on a film set, it is an impossible task to handle every individual, making movies an inevitable destination for internal conflicts. Regardless of how many preventative steps or preparatory actions are taken, accidents on movie sets are certainly going to happen. Sometimes, you can take a hands-off approach and let the crisis resolve itself like in the The Exorcist case study. Sometimes you can bring the movie to a full-on stop like in the Rust case study. Or, sometimes, you can end up engaging in dialogue for years like Jonathan Demme and his movie The Silence of the Lambs. There is no one right way to respond to a film crisis, but by understanding the societal context a film is being released into and planning for the unexpected, moviemakers can strategically prepare for the inevitable. |
