ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

4 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

South Asian, I guess, to cover those regions.

If you're making a documentary about real people you don't *need* a media lawyer, but it's probably smart to open a dialogue with one to make sure you start off on the right foot and for when the project is finished. You don't need to be on the phone to them the whole time, and indeed you don't formally need them, but it is helpful to have one on your side.

4 years, 5 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

I mean, the people I want to mention in my documentary are the preparators as well. It's where I think I may need a lawyer.

4 years, 5 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

I mean perpetrators

4 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

It can't hurt to get a professional opinion/guidance in such circumstances. Not that it should affect a documentary, but knowing how to position/phrase/express the opinions/interpretations in the film will be the difference between being exposed to challenge or having that hedged.

4 years, 5 months ago - Ross Cullum

I've been wanting a definitive answer to this for ages: This article covers it nicely:

East Asians are people who are from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan or Mongolia.
South Asians are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka or Maldives.
Southeast Asians come from countries that are south of China, but east of India. This includes eleven countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Timor-Leste.

Re: Solicitor: I would have thought you'd need a 'release' form to prove they've agreed to be in the documentary, but someone else will know better than me - (they'll probably direct you to a contract that you can download and use for free).

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/05/30/difference-between-east-asians-and-south-asians_n_16872338.html#:~:text=it's%20pretty%20simple.-,It's%20all%20about%20geography.,Bhutan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%20or%20Maldives.&text=People%20who%20are%20Southeast%20Asian,China%2C%20but%20east%20of%20Indiat%20of%20India.

4 years, 5 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

Thank you for the advice guys. It's really helpful. I really appreciate it.

4 years, 4 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

For example "The Crown" the TV series which is about the royal family. How did they do that? I don't think the royal family has sighed an agreement that they can make this series about them. So how can the production company / Netflix make this series anyway?

4 years, 4 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

They're ultra-public figures, the series is a drama covering things of public record, and the royals will never sue. They're kind of unique.

You do not need a release to make a documentary about someone, but you'd better be sure any opinions (and all documentaries are coloured by opinion) are defendable in court (and that you can afford to do so!). Britain has some pretty strong anti-defamation laws, so taking advice upfront means you'll cover the topic in a way that means you're less likely to get sued.

For instance I can say Jonathan King is a paedophile because a court says he is. If I said the same about another public figure, I would be in the shit if they objected and I couldn't prove it. There will be a fine line between what I can and cannot say unchallenged. If making allegations I need to be able to back them up. If I'm expressing an opinion, it needs to be VERY clear that it's an opinion, and that I have solid reasons to have that opinion.

So it depends what you want to say and why you want to say it and how you say it.

4 years, 4 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

Before I make this doc. I will definitely consult lots of layers and similar first.

Also, how about films like The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Social Network, The Wolf of Wall Street, etc.

4 years, 4 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

I mean lawyers.

4 years, 4 months ago - Paul W Franklin

Yes, what Ross said ^
Although if you asked most British people what the difference was, they probably wouldn't know. (Although many have been to Thailand, so they'd probably know that was SE Asia).
India and surroundings are often called 'The Indian Sub-Continent'.

As for lawyers etc: I'm no expert, but if you say "Cases of racism by British nationals on East Asians has risen N% since Covid", then you'd need statistics to prove this.

4 years, 4 months ago - Zan Barberton

Just to speak about The Social Network I think that they were probably careful not to make any factual claims about Zuckerberg that were untrue or not elsewhere documented. They might well have had a disclaimer at the start of the film saying that dialogue is imagined. However you are talking about a doc. The rules are quite different. You need to be clear you have written permission from those who appear in the doc (the victims I imagine) making it clear they understand the content of the film. For this you will need a contributor release (google it). It's really worth doing this early as someone pulling out at the end of the edit can impact you financially, and jeopardise the while film. And you never know what might happen in someone's life. If any accusations are made about public figures you need to be very sure they will stand up in court if need be. From memory, your defence for impacting someone's privacy is "public interest" which means you need to be able to argue convincingly that the public interest of the story is greater than the impact of their loss of privacy. If the perpetrators of the racism are NOT public figures then it raises the question - why do you need to identify them? Is it possible to keep them anonymous? After all on a moral level you are attempting to shed light on a social evil not an individual one, so the film should be able to achieve that end without naming and shaming. However if they have been proven guilty in court then (I believe) you are free to do so. This was written entirely from my own general knowledge as a working producer, my info could be inaccurate and is unverified so please feel free to contradict me shooters!

4 years, 4 months ago - Zan Barberton

(But also don't let your legal concerns stop you - my advice is get your main stories on camera, then worry about the legalities of libel and slander in the edit. You can always cut dodgy stuff out, and if you are working with lawyers who are doing you a favour, this will be the best use of their time.)

4 years, 4 months ago - Buppha Wittaya-Amponpunt

Well, maybe it's easier to make it a drama film instead, then, that is inspired by true events about racism in the UK or in the Western world in general. Think Spike Lee, for instance.

4 years, 4 months ago - Kiren Anandji

Its always better to be specific. I personally don't like to be called asian as I don't represent the entire continent. its the same as people being referred to as British/english/ Scottish / wales/Irish instead of European people may say thats different but the UK is part of the continent Europe.If you have to generalist then yeah South, East ect but its better to acknowledge the specifics. the list might get long but once its mentioned you can then refer to sections into regions

4 years, 4 months ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc

I’ve always understood that those from India etc are Asian but from China etc are Oriental. Racially very different.

4 years, 4 months ago - Paul W Franklin

"Maybe it's easier to make it a drama film instead"

Nah. If you wanna make a documentary, make a documentary. Find real stories. So long as you make it clear these are opinions, and throw some stats in, you'll be fine.

4 years, 4 months ago - Mohammed Tahir

People from (or with heritage) Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were described as 'Asian' for many, many years. That was certainly the term I used to descirbe my heritage. Then it changed - I heard 'Southeast Asian' being used quite a lot. But it seems from the above definition, I should really identify myself as having 'South Asian' heritage. In the UK, those of us born here with Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi heritage use 'British Asian'. To be quite honest, I don't think anyone minds. I think it was far simpler when I could describe my heritage as 'Asian'. I hope that doesn't make it more confusing! :)

4 years, 1 month ago - Jason Yip

@Franz von Habsburg - 'oriental' is quite a derogatory term. It's what you might call a rug or carpet. 'Oriental' means from the east, which is essentially a prejudiced term because it assumes England is the centre of the world (and 'oriental' means east).

I'm from the UK, and even when I was young (back in the 80s), I never understand why people from South Asia were called 'Asian', but I couldn't call myself 'Asian'. Nowadays, I call myself Asian (ethnically) because, well, China is in Asia. I have no problems with someone from India calling themselves 'Asian', but it's never sat well with me to think of 'Asian' as just from South Asia.

4 years, 1 month ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc

New one on me. It’s always been Oriental. It’s a normal English word. Can’t see a problem but you are obviously very sensitive and misinformed. Our local Chinese restaurant uses the word… Taste of the Orient! We also have the famous train Orient Express.

4 years, 1 month ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc

PS The concept of East and West is pivotal around Greenwich Mean Time where Zero longitude was established and now recognised internationally on all maps for navigation. Sorry but personal opinion can’t change that! Why should “from the East” mean insulting? It’s merely geographically factual.

4 years, 1 month ago - Jake Morris

Not if the Earth's round...

4 years, 1 month ago - Annette Nkwocha

@Franz von Habsburg - Those things are descriptive of a restaurant and a train so they're objects. You haven't actually disputed Jason's point. Oriental is considered offensive when referring to people so don't use it.