Hitting Hollywood Hubris

By: David Astor The topic moved to movies as attendees at an AASFE workshop discussed guidelines aimed, in part, at Hollywood's efforts to control coverage and reviews of films such as "Star Wars: Episode 1 ? The Phantom Menace."
Guidelines may be developed in coming months and possibly unveiled at next fall's AASFE convention in New York. A committee may also be formed. If it hears, for instance, that a movie studio withholds invitations to screenings because a newspaper ran a review early, the AASFE Web site might publicize this.
"A lot of editors are operating out of fear of retribution," said session moderator Jane Freiman, Sunday features editor at the New York Daily News.
There was also discussion about papers outside huge markets getting little respect from studios. Katherine Monk, The Vancouver Sun's film critic, recalled how some Canadian natives who worked on "Phantom Menace" e-mailed her about getting interviewed. But a George Lucas representative told Monk not do the story until a month after the movie's release. "People were threatened with their jobs if they spoke to me," said Monk.
Philip Martin, features editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock, noted that his paper covers films, but avoids hyping them. And San Francisco Chronicle movie critic Ruthe Stein said papers should strive for an original angle when they write about a film.

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