One of my favorite online film writers is Drew McWeeny, and this recent post gives a good case for why you should follow him. He gives a persuasive argument as to why filmmakers should treat the subject of rape more responsibly in their films, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Part of the job of the filmmaker is to use the content of our films to control and shape the visceral reaction of the audience, and there is a temptation to use high-impact situations to get these reactions. The problem is that once you go into high-impact situations you are playing with the deepest fears (or even worse, the horrible personal memories) of your audience. That has to be done with complete responsibility.
Think of it this way… If your film is released to the public, the odds are good that someone who was raped will eventually watch your film. You are creating story material out of what is almost certainly the most devastating and damaging moment of their lives. You are probably making them relive or at least remember this moment to some degree while they’re sitting in your audience. Now I’m not saying that this means you can’t address rape in your films, but you better have a damn good reason for doing it.
