Following widespread criticism regarding the decision to designate filmmakers as "creators" on the newly launched streaming platform, Max Communications has officially announced its intention to revise the credits to accurately acknowledge directors, writers, and producers by their respective titles. The streaming platform, which launched on Wednesday, May 22, had initially attributed the term "creators" to filmmakers, inadvertently undermining the substantial contributions made by each individual involved in the production process.
Olivia Beer from Max Communications writes, “We agree that the talent behind the content on Max deserves their work to be properly recognized. We will correct the credits, which were altered due to an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max and we apologize for this mistake.”
PREVIOUSLY: HBO Max rebranding to Max was already an incredibly stupid idea, but now, writers and directors should be united in addressing how their work has been erased by the company.
The new Max app specifically refers to writers, directors, and producers as "creators" and is erasing their distinct roles on the "details" page. We don't have much more info than that, but it appears to be a deliberate choice made by the creators of the app.
'Kingsmen: The Secret Service' page on MaxCredit: Max
Why would they ever do that?
In recent years, we've seen a broader use of the term "creator" to encompass various roles involved in filmmaking, including writers, directors, producers, and others. The intention behind this broader terminology is often to acknowledge the collective effort and creativity that goes into producing work.
But it is also that these companies view movies and TV shows as "content" and not art.
This devaluation of roles on set has destroyed the clarity and recognition of individual contributions within the creative process. Writers, directors, and producers play crucial and distinct roles in shaping the narrative and visual aspects of a production.
The term "creators" should not undermine the specific contributions and expertise of writers and directors or erase their voices within the creative process.
If you want to know why all these workers might strike together, look no further than streamers trying to erase their roles on set.
