Open Letter from the International Quorum of Film & Video Producers
March 31, 1994
To Whom it May Concern;
As President of the International Quorum of Film and Video Producers, IQ, with members from over 70 countries around the world, find both the opportunity and need to caution the typical viewer about programs purporting to document the facts of a given controversial issue. In far too many instances the facts are manipulated and distorted to reflect a specific point of view.
The particular issue I am referring to in this letter is concerned with a number of so-called “documentaries” produced for or by the anti-fur organizations and offered to many television stations throughout the world.
According to internationally reputed experts both the commentary and the pictures of many of these programs are grossly manipulated. Characteristically many of these “propaganda” films and videos use the same distorted stock footage over and over again. They add horrifying sound effects and the uninformed public has no way of detecting that the visuals they see are artificially staged and the words and sounds that they hear are purposely distorted to achieve the greatest emotional impact. I appeal to all television station and program editors, as fellow professionals, to be wary of programs of this nature. I believe we all have a responsibility to neither mislead the general public nor unwittingly serve as a messenger for those who distort the truth.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Gay Hennessey
President, International Quorum of Film and Video Producers
GH/gb
21-25 St. Anne’s Court, London WIV 3AW, United Kingdom. 44-71-434-1121; Fax: 44-71-734-0619
