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Most are familiar with the cliché of the self-serving, duplicitous “studio executive” or “movie mogul” that exploits young ingenues in front of the camera and naive wannabe auteur filmmakers behind it. It’s a cliché because it happens. When it happens, it hurts. What makes it hurt more? The fact that it’s a cliché. It’s a vicious cycle.
When the Utah Filmmakers™ Association adopted its vision of bridging the gap between aspiring filmmakers and industry filmmakers, we asked industry professionals to help us better understand what it takes to become working filmmakers in the industry. Using the platform with the greatest reach available to us—Ben Hawker’s “Utah Filmmakers and Actors” Facebook group—we asked the professionals in that forum to define the group's standard and invited the other members—students, hobbyists, and amateurs—to aspire to it.
The first rule in the group is an expectation of Professionalism. This is all anyone needs to remember, because the other rules address specific issues that wouldn’t arise if people just remember to be professionals. It’s thanks to those higher standards that the Utah Filmmakers™ group has become an increasingly valuable resource for Utah’s film industry and the local film community, while also helping define how the Utah Filmmakers™ Association, as an organization, can better serve them.
Professionalism is the first of our Core Values, along with Integrity and Respect—i.e., being a good and trustworthy person—which inform our Code of Ethics & Conduct. With over 19,000 Community Members (as of the current revision of this post), it does not exist to dictate anyone’s behavior. It sets a standard to strive for and lets others know what they should expect from a Utah Filmmaker™.
When someone in the industry casually remarks, “I know that person! They’re a Utah filmmaker,” we hope the descriptor is automatically associated with Professionalism, Integrity, and Respect, inspiring other filmmakers to want to work with them.
When it comes to UFA™ Members placed in positions of trust and recognition—including Forum Moderators and Community Liaisons—there’s an implicit expectation to be held to this standard. For our Principal Members and Associates, an unequivocal commitment to abide by that Code is required.
| The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and—especially where guest posts are concerned—do not necessarily reflect the official policies and/or practices of the Utah Filmmakers™ Association, its officers, and/or associates. |