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| SmokeScreen - film smoking campaign | ||
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The
article below, written by an Australian screenwriter, was first
published in AWG Update (Australian Writers' Guild online newsletter) on
11 July, 2002. ‘More than
a puff of hot air’
by Maggie Lawrence
As
writers we may need to consider other alternatives before writing
smoking scenes into our scripts. Action
on Smoking and Health (ASH), together with the Australian Network on
Young People and Tobacco (ANYPAT), are calling for creative people in
the film industry, particularly writers, to explore creative
alternatives to gratuitous glamourisation of smoking. Although
ASH are opposed to censorship and appreciate that this would take away
our artistic freedom, they also feel that writers could work harder at
avoiding smoking being shown in movies unless it is absolutely necessary
for the depiction of a particular character or scene.
“It’s
a sad fact that in Australia there are 19,000 deaths a year from
tobacco. This is more than
car accidents, illicit drugs, alcohol, AIDS, murder, suicide, diabetes
and breast and skin cancer combined!” said Anne Jones, Chief Executive
Officer of ASH, Australia. In
the 13 top grossing teen-popular Australian films of 1999-2000, 62% had
at least one tobacco scene. An average of 4 scenes per film.
A high percentage of visual smoking incidents connected smoking
with at least one plus: enjoyment, attractiveness, glamour, power, etc.
Philip Morris have made 28 appearances in blockbuster films in
the last decade. More than
any top star! Given
the way our film industry is growing, with more deals being done with
big Hollywood studios, it is becoming more important than ever that all
those responsible for films getting made, do not accept inducements from
tobacco companies. Research
has shown that young people are influenced by this kind of subtle
advertising. A recent study
in the USA which looked at a cross section of 4919 school children aged
between 9 and 15 has shown that smoking on the big screen influenced
young people’s perceptions and weakened their resolve not to smoke.* According to Anne Jones,
“Movies that glamourise smoking are the latest weapons in the
competitive hunt for tobacco profits from young people.
Despite the claims by Tobacco companies that they don’t want
children to smoke, they are using movies as a way to maintain their push
to enlist young smokers. Perhaps
for the simple reason that over 19,000 smokers die in Australia each
year and they need to be replaced.” Philip
Morris had this to say in their market research study, 1989. “…most
of the strong, positive images for cigarettes and smoking are created by
cinema and television. We have seen the heroes smoking in ‘Wall Street’,
‘Crocodile Dundee,’ and ‘Roger Rabbit.’
Mickey Rourke, Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn are forever seen, both
on and off the screen, with a lighted cigarette…If branded cigarette
advertising is to take full advantage of these images, it has to do more
than simply achieve package recognition – it has to feed off and
exploit the image source.” Perhaps
we need to consider that the smoking scenes that we sometimes write into
our films, for a young impressionable audience, may end up being more
than just a puff of hot air. *
“Brand appearance in contemporary cinema films and contribution
to global marketing of cigarettes”:
Back to Facts
and Issues
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