Climate Group Regrets Shock Film Tactic (So Does Sony)

6:04 p.m. | Updated
There are much more important things to focus on than an utterly misconceived mini movie blowing up kids to recruit carbon cutters, so it’s welcome that Eugenie Harvey, the director of the 10:10 UK group that commissioned the film, has moved toward closure by issuing a real apology (text below). The rather reluctant regrets note posted on Friday essentially encouraged YouTube visitors to copy and disseminate it by saying, “We won’t be making any attempt to censor or remove other versions currently in circulation on the internet.”

Of course the 10:10 folks can’t do anything about the even more horrific “remixes” of the video that are now being propagated by foes of climate action. (Sorry, you’ll have to Google for them yourself.)

If you’d like to see what funny gory humor looks like, I encourage you to check out climate blogtoonist Marc Roberts’ take on the “No Pressure” video:

A Greenwire report on The Times Web site describes more reverberations related to the film.

If you missed it, I encourage you to read my initial post on the film, including my (two thumbs down) review and a variety of reactions by people involved in moviemaking and/or environmental communication.

Here’s today’s apology from Harvey, followed further below by a note from Sony’s European division:

STATEMENT BY EUGENIE HARVEY, DIRECTOR OF 10:10 UK

Last week, 10:10 made available a short film. Following the initial reaction to the film we removed it from our website and issued an apology on Friday 2 October.

Subsequently there has been negative comment about the film, particularly on blogs, and concern from others working hard to build support for action on climate change. We are very sorry if this has distracted from their efforts.

We are also sorry to our corporate sponsors, delivery partners and board members, who have been implicated in this situation despite having no involvement in the film’s production or release.
We will learn from this mistake. Today I have written to supporters and stakeholders explaining that we will review processes and procedures to make sure it cannot happen again. Responsibility for this process is being taken by the 10:10 board.

The media coverage of the film was not the kind of publicity we wanted for 10:10, nor for the wider movement to reduce carbon emissions.

If people have been in touch with us personally about the film, we will be replying to individual emails over the next few days. Meanwhile our thanks go out to all those who support 10:10 and who work to combat the threat of climate change.

This evening, a representative of Sony Corporation (Europe) sent a note to an angry viewer of the video that was then forwarded to me by Marc Morano of Climatedepot.com. I just confirmed its authenticity with the author, and here it is:

Thank you for your email concerning the video released by the 10:10 climate change campaign group. Sony has supported the 10:10 climate change campaign because we share its objective to reduce carbon emissions. However, we strongly condemn the “No Pressure” video which was conceived, produced and released by 10:10 entirely without the knowledge or involvement of Sony. The company considers the video to be ill-conceived and in extremely bad taste.

We also believe the video risks undermining the work of the many thousands of members of the public, schools and universities, local authorities and many businesses, of which Sony is one, who support the long-term aims of the 10:10 movement and who are actively working towards the reduction of carbon emissions.

As a result we have taken the decision to disassociate ourselves from 10:10 at this time.

In our press statement we will be posting tomorrow morning we reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the reduction of global carbon emissions as part of our ‘Road to Zero’ environmental plan.

Yours sincerely,

Nick

Nick Sharples, Director of Corporate Communications
Sony Europe