Comic writer/novelist Neil Gaiman has published two letters on his site from actress Anna Gurji, who appeared in the controversial short film/trailer "Innocence Of Muslims". She feels quite horrible about the entire business, as you can quite imagine:
"I feel awful about the lies, about the injustice, about the cruelty, about the violence, about the death of innocent people, about the pain of offended people, about the false accusations. I don’t know what else to do but speak the truth. I will not go into hiding (since I have nothing to hide), because if we don’t speak the truth, there is no world worth living for."Gurji then goes on to tell how she and the rest of the crew were duped into filming a movie that was originally entitled "Desert Warriors." Of particular interest is this:
"My character Hilary was a young girl who is sold (against her own free will) by her parents to a tribe leader known as GEORGE."George?!
Of course, the film was later altered and redubbed, with "George" being replaced by "Muhammad" and "Desert Warrior" being replaced with "Innocence of Muslims."
The inclusion of such a banal, commonplace, and thoroughly American name as George (no offense to the Georges reading this) in the script makes me feel like this was totally a set-up -- a film purposely created to create controversy and start riots.
But while a number of conservative websites are falling over backward to defend the producer of the film's "free speech" -- some even insinuating that the FBI's investigation of the film is tantamount to the persecution of Christians -- who is looking out for Gurji and the other crew members who might be getting death threats over this film?
The actress also was promised by producer "Sam Bacile" that "the premiere of the movie was going to happen sometime soon and I would get a good amount of tickets to invite my friends and family."
Again, she was lied to:
"I have never been informed about the premiere after that (if it ever happened) and have not seen the final product (if there is any, except for the short one that is uploaded online."If there is any lesson at all to be had from this -- and this is totally not a "blame-the-victim" observation (Gurji was an actress from another country, the language barrier making it even harder for her to figure out that something was up) -- it's to be really really sure of who you are working for:
"A year ago, in the summer of 2011, I submitted my materials to various projects on the Explore Talent web-site. I received a call from the casting director of the movie “Desert Warrior”, and my audition date was scheduled."It doesn't matter if you're an actor or even a comic book creator -- research who you are working for. Anybody can make a halfway professional-looking website. Question things that seem suspicious. Get references. I know the temptation is there to just take the first gig that comes your way...and that paying gigs are sometimes such a rarity that you might just jump on the chance.
But what if you're really working on political propaganda, without you even realizing it?
Here's sort of an example. When I had my previous comics blog some years ago, I was pitched a story by an acquaintance. I agreed to cover the story and "break the exclusive" -- but when I did research on the company, I realized they had really shady (possibly criminal) roots. In fact -- my personal blog was being used not just for publicity, but outright propaganda (complete with a list of "talking points")! And so I had to back out. And that was reallllllllly awkward. But I was so relieved that I backed out.
Now somebody please tell this to Fred Williamson.
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