arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Het was al eens gebeurd begin oktober. Bekende hollywood-scenaristen hadden de Amerikaanse veiligheidsdiensten advies gegeven over de plot en de karakters van een terrorismeverhaal en over scenario's.
Zondag was het weer zover. Deze keer was gans Hollywood vertegenwoordigd op een vergadering om ideeën uit te wisselen over hoe de entertainmentsector haar steentje kan bijdragen aan de oorlogsinspanning. Onderaan het twee artikel vindt u en lijstje van wat van Hollywood verwacht wordt. Hollywood krijgt de taak een bewustzijnsoorlog te voeren om de Amerikanen en de rest van de wereld te overtuigen dat deze oorlog een rechtvaardige oorlog is, een oorlog van goed tegen kwaad. Van de huidige omstandigheden moet gebruik worden gemaakt om massaal te rekruteren voor het Amerikaanse leger.
De liefhebbers van het zachte pluche van Kinepolis en UGC zijn bij deze gewaarschuwd.

BBC, Monday, 8 October, 2001, 12:36 GMT 13:36 UK
American intelligence specialists are reported to have "secretly" sought advice on handling terrorist attacks from Hollywood film-makers.
According to the trade paper Variety, a discussion group between movie and military representatives was held at the University of Southern California last week.
The group is said to have been set up by the US Army to discuss future terrorist activity in the wake of the attacks of 11 September.
Among those reported to have been involved were Die Hard screenwriter Steven E De Souza and Joseph Zito, director of Delta Force One and Missing in Action.
Other, more conventional, feature makers were also said to have been present, including Randal Kleiser, who made Grease.
Expertise
Such a scenario - where the army turns to the creators of film fantasy for advice about real-life disaster - would seem an unusual, not to say unlikely, reversal of roles.
Variety dismissed the notion that such a scenario - where the army turns to the creators of film fantasy for advice about real-life disaster - was unusual, not to say unlikely, reversal of roles.
The paper argues that there is much the masters of screen suspense can offer the US Army in the way of tactical advice.
In particular, says Variety, the entertainment industry can offer expertise in understanding plot and character, as well as advice on scenario training.
The US Army is also behind the university's Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT).
The ICT calls upon the resources and talents of the entertainment industry and computer scientists to help with virtual reality scenario simulation.
Variety reported that the ICT's creative director James Korris confirmed that the meetings between the film-makers and the US Army were taking place.
However, the paper added that Mr Korris had refused to give details as to what specific recommendations had been made to the US government.
[END of REPORT]
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/film/newsid_1586000/1586468.stm

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) 12/11/2001 -- Representatives of Hollywood's major studios, television networks and creative community met with a White House delegation Sunday for what was described as a "lively exchange of ideas" on how the entertainment industry can help in the war against terrorism.
Despite the sometimes contentious relationship between the worlds of entertainment and politics, "there was a seamless web of unity that was really quite affectionate to behold," said Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, in a news conference after the meeting.
"This was about contributing Hollywood's creative imagination and their persuasion skills to help in this war effort so that one day Americans can lead normal lives again," said Valenti, who was an adviser to President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s.

Both Valenti and senior White House adviser Karl Rove, who attended the meeting, made it clear Hollywood would make its own decisions about how to help in the war effort and that the White House was not asking the entertainment industry to produce propaganda.
"The world is full of people who are discerning, and we need to recognize that concrete information told with honesty and specificity and integrity is important to the ultimate success in this conflict," Rove said.
"There was no mention of content," Valenti said. "The White House and its representatives did not say anything about that because they knew that was not the subject that was up for either debate or suggestion. Content was off the table."
"Directors, writers, producers [and] studios will determine the kind of pictures they choose to make and compelling stories they want to tell," he said.
The heads of all the major Hollywood studios and representatives of television networks and theater owners attended the brainstorming session, along with officials from creative guilds representing writers, directors and actors.
The discussion centered around themes Rove said the Hollywood community could help address:

-- The antiterrorism campaign is not a war against Islam.
-- There is an opportunity to issue a call to service for Americans.
-- U.S. troops and their families need support.
-- The September 11 attacks were an attack against civilization and require a global response.
-- Children need to be reassured of their safety and security in the wake of the attacks.
-- The antiterrorism campaign is a war against evil.

No specific recommendations or plans were unveiled after Sunday's meeting, which was described as "the beginning of the beginning" of Hollywood's effort.
Ideas mentioned included developing public service announcements for distribution domestically and abroad, providing first-run movies to troops overseas, and encouraging Hollywood stars to participate in USO shows to entertain troops.