As a survivor of sexual violence, trigger warnings make it possible for me to engage with material which contains this subject, or to allow me to opt out if I just can't right now. What I am opting out of is not a negative feeling of being upset or disliking exposure, but a panic attack or otherwise harmful episode that causes intense flashbacks and overwhelming negative emotions. What I want, as a survivor, more than anything, is the opportunity to give consent. Having sexual violence content exposed to me by surprise is, you might imagine, kind of upsetting.
Trigger Warnings aren't necessarily to cause people to change their reaction to media but to allow people to not read/watch media that would cause them harm. It's incredible easy to dismiss Trigger/Content Warnings as unnecessary when one doesn't have experience with a traumatic event that could be re-triggered by certain content causing unnecessary mental distress. Having a trigger/content warning, allowing people to opt out, is a more granular, and therefore more useful, form of the warning afforded by age classification on games and films.
@@DOSeater Yes, but 'moving on' is typically done in a controlled fashion where people make informed choices about what they consume and whether they're in an appropriate space to 'move on'.
The point of a trigger warning is to allow someone to opt out of something distressing, not prepare them for something distressing. These warnings exist to help people with serious mental health issues rooted in traumatic experiences manage their conditions, not protect people from feeling uncomfortable, and why this very small accommodation cannot simply be afforded to people who need it without all the sophistry is a total mystery to me. Sorry if you've experienced a horrific trauma, but Marina thinks you're going to be reminded of that trauma anyway, so you're just going to have to take your chances with graphic depictions of what happened to you in the media you're consuming!
@@danielleoliver1734 ive never watched a film and been like "it was good but i wish they didnt spoil the rape scene with the trigger warning, I prefere rape scenes to be more spontanious" you can also just choose not to look at the corner of the screen when you know a warning is gonna flash up.
32 years - The whole of the wild west period of American history lasted at most 32 years, which is bizarre when you consider what a massive genre it's been for the film industry. The west was, quite literally, only wild from 1865 to 1897.
i dont know what you mean about trigger warnings not working? if i know a show has flashing lights and i have epilepsy i know im not gonna watch the show. that works in preventing someone having a seizure. same with any mental health triggers, if youre someone whos been assaulted you might avoid watching a show that has a trigger warning for SA thus avoiding ecxperiencing the trigger. i think its rather stupid to say they dont work when you clearly arent the one their meant for
Fun fact concerning book prices: In Germany (and much of continental europe) biik prices are fixed, shops can't make special offers or undercut the competition! A publisher setts a price, and every retailer has to sell at that price (a loophole is importing books, as this only applies to books published in Germany)
I’m afraid the trigger warnings conversation felt quite out of touch. As others have pointed out we’ve had trigger warnings in film and TV for decades, (age ratings, continuity announcers before a show) but people are only having a problem with them now because of the culture war. The Nocebo effect is real, however the most common use of warnings is to allow the audience to decide whether they want to consume the work or not. In that sense they definitely work! Whilst people with trauma are often constantly reminded about it day to day, that doesn’t mean they want to live through a re-enactment on TV, particularly if it comes out of nowhere. In fact, I personally have experience of ‘trigger warnings’ being useful. Some theatre shows will have warnings for sudden loud sounds, like explosions or a balloon popping. I’ve seen some people online call this evidence that trigger warnings have gone too far and that we’re all too soft now (whether or not it even makes sense to call this warning a trigger warning shows that the term trigger warning has lost all meaning). As someone who is neurodivergent, being warned ahead of time of sudden loud noises IS incredibly important and certainly does not produce the nocebo effect. By preparing myself mentally it makes me a lot less rattled and negatively affected by the noise when it eventually comes. Whilst I don’t personally even view that as a trigger warning, I do know people who claim that content warnings help them in the same way. I also certainly disagree with Richard that content warnings send the message that you shouldn’t talk about a subject. I mean given that the content warning should be followed up by a whole piece of media devoted to talking about that subject, I frankly find that a ridiculous statement to make. I do think most content warnings should be optional, but I certainly do not think they are in any way worth getting worked up over. What problem does having them really cause, even if you feel they might not work as intended. If some people are saying they are useful and work for them, it doesn’t seem like that much of a cost to give them the space to decide whether the material is likely going to be for them or not.
I would love trigger warnings about shows with references to dementia . Firstly it's a lazy over used plot point . Secondly I am very likely to develop it so I don't wanna have to think about it all the fucking time .
The closest I've seen to a modern western vibe are films like No Country for Old Men and Hell or High Water. They have the feeling without being set in 1850. Another great discussion!
Not a compulsive car plate spotter, but I do like (sometimes!) seeing if i can identify where a location was shot, on Street View. Can be fun spotting clues as to a location. Did that most recently with The French Dispatch, but mainly because I've recently got to know Angoulême where many scenes were shot, and can be fun identifying where a shot was filmed. Especially as a friend who has recently moved there pointed out that the Chess battle scene was filmed just around the corner from where she currently lives. And have walked through the arch there a lot recently.
Trigger warnings aren't for everyone, but people with mental health issues, PTSD or traumatic experiences they work very well. I have to disagree with you Marina, if you've had a trauma then you probably do get to a point eventually where you aren't sitting there thinking about it 24/7, but could be caught off guard if something pops up in a film, and trigger warnings existing are a very helpful tool to enable people to make conscious choices about what to watch and to manage their own triggers. Knowing a film has a sexual assault scene for example can mean you avoid watching it entirely, or avoid it when you are feeling more vulnerable. Some films absolutely have scenes that come out of nowhere, and an 18 rating for strong sexual content doesn't go far enough with the specifics of the warning if its a graphic assault scene. It's fine if people don't get why trigger warnings are needed, it's probably because you personally don't need them, but there are huge numbers of people who absolutely rely on them. It actually comes across quite ableist to decide trigger warnings dont work, and should be dropped!
I think being vehemently against ‘trigger warnings’ or those emails lacks critical thinking. As someone who has lost their mother at a young age, clicking an email to unsubscribe once won’t make me feel sad, but an onslaught of 20-30 daily emails about celebrating a mum you don’t have is something that would really upset me. It’s very much about the quantity and in the same way you would unsubscribe from a company you no longer care about, it’s giving people the choice to determine what content they consume or are forced to consume.
Marina's comments on trigger warnings speak to a highly selective and frankly academically dishonest reading of the literature combined with a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of trigger warnings. They aren't there to avoid low level discomfort with challenging ideas. As the name suggests the main purpose is so that people with PTSD and similar can choose to avoid content that will trigger extremely painful experiences. And for that purpose it is incredibly effective.
exactly, people seem to think a trigger is just someone being sad or having a basic human emotion. it really isnt. its like an intense physical and emotional pain. id much rather know not to watch something or to make sure im in the right headspace before watching. the amount of times ive not read a tw and then realised half way through a triggering scene that im having an attack i know for a fact i need to always read them for everything. not telling someone that youre depicting horrificly triggering stuff is just a weird flex.
I completely agree. She's missing the point of them being a *warning* rather than censorship, an apology or a disclaimer. They can be (and nearly always are) a heads up that a particular topic is covered. The idea that we're shying away from these topics because of the warnings is nonsense - if anything it gives creators a chance to delve further into darker concepts given that they can feel comfortable they've given a sufficient warning to those that might be affected, and at that point those viewers can make their own decision.
lmao @ the lady saying trigger warnings are some sort of 'in group signifyer' and 'performative mumbo-jumbo' Maybe people who have experienced trauma just don't want to relive it again? It's not that complicated Mrs Nocebo Forbidden Fruit Effect.
A lot of young people today mislabel feelings of discomfort/unhappiness/anxiety as trauma. The best way to deal with these feelings is not to avoid things that cause anxiety and unhappiness. It is to progressively expose yourself to these things you can grow stronger.
On trigger warnings, I think movies and television have had it covered for ages. Movies have an age rating which describes the more adult elements contained therein. Tv has the same, or if it’s live you’ll have that voiceover with a warning the show contains “violent scenes” or “scenes some viewers may find distressing.” They never call it a trigger warning or a content warning, but it seems to do the same thing in a less extreme way.
"less as artistry and more as banking" This, more than fatigue, is the problem. Of course, the relentless feeding of a similar diet isn't as conducive to retaining viewers, but the biggest problem in Hollywood is the quality of the finished product. We don't need another genre to take over, we need less reliance on particular genres dominating.
There have been some excellent westerns recently. The Brad Pitt movie about the assassination of Jesse James, Django Unchained, The Magnificent Seven & True Grit (both remakes), The Revenant, The Power Of The Dog, The Hateful Eight… the genre isn’t as popular now as it was twenty years ago but there will always be good westerns because Americans are obsessed with the frontier spirit of the Wild West and what it says about their history and culture.
Regarding the western question - The trailer for a four part Kevin Costner western was released just the other day, which looks excellent. And although they're not released thst often there have been some very good westerns in recent-ish years like Hostiles, Bone tomahawk, The power of the dog, etc.
On Amazon, the pricing is totally managed by them. As a supplier you have a price list with them that is fixed and over time their orders are placed automatically by an algorithm that sometimes over orders and they end up with loads of stock. They quite often will slash the price the get rid of the stock at no cost to the supplier. At one company I worked for that happened and the price they went to was so low it was even lower than the price the companies own staff could buy the product at and we all ended buying it from Amazon!
have I completely misunderstood the purpose of trigger warnings? Never did I think it was a way to impact an emotional response, but rather to dissuade anyone from watching who might be upset by the content. example, if I saw a trigger warning about animal cruelty, I'd 100% not watch it. wish they'd given me a warning about the 3rd episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I had yo turn it off part way through, but the damage was done. makes me wonder if the research Marina is referring to isn't hugely biased or purposefully framed in a disingenuous way to promote an anti-woke agenda.
I think with American Psycho, it's a very vicious satire on elite culture and with more we learn about how they allegedly operate would it be too close to the truth? The most shocking thing about that book is how people don't see it as social satire. It's very dark comedy.
Marina, has it historically been a good idea to get the authors involved in their books' adaptations? For Stephen King, Lee Child, and Neil Gaiman, the final product is better when they're involved. For JK Rowling, it's a mixed bag.
re westerns: Mandalorian, Book of Bobba Fett - these are westerns, set in space/the future. Disney has co-opted the western into it's Star Wars series of films. The soundtrack, the frontier mentality, all of these are western film tropes. To the point when my better half started to watch them with me, then when invited to again said 'i'm not that into westerns...'. She is often correct.
How is a trigger warning all that different to the sensitivity content notes you get from the BBFC when a film is about to start in the cinema? The term 'trigger warning' has made some people cry woke when this is something that's been around as a normal part of media for a while
Trigger warnings are a great idea in theory. You do seem to missunderstand their purpose. The reason Trigger warnings exist is to increase viewers. Trigger warning are meant to remove the extra labour performed by those who sufer with PTSD. Having to research every piece of media and entertainment before you engage is exhausting but necersery. The real problem with trigger warnings is they usualy come too late. The appear once youve already payed for your ticket, at which point you are more likely to risk being triggered. By which point, if you are triggered it's your fault and the studio already has your money.
I was a little take aback when you guys discussed Westerns dying yet you've already talked about how massively successful the show Yellowstone and it's showrunner are. That thing was like number one in america for a really long time. Cool western stuff will always be around and hopefully this will just thin out the overproduction on them so they can tell the most interesting stories. I still need to get a No Country for Old Men every once in a while.
The 555 number thing, always reminds me of the Simpsons meta-joke, where Chief Wiggum is trying to find someone and he goes "We have tracked his number! It's... 555... oh, no, this must be a fake number!"
I think the estate agent that was selling the flat he hid the body in, is the worst character in the whole novel. Truly sickening. I skipped the album review sections, they grew to become tedious.
I’m currently reading it - a chapter or two each night - and often I have to take five minutes after reading to decompress before I’m able to even consider sleeping lol
I think 50 Shades of Grey would show that you can publish today what seems outrageous - Christian Grey is a pretty horrific character (or he would be if he wasn't rich and end up marrying the heroine).
One of my favourite films is The Watchmen. Whilst it does a lot of what a standard super hero movie does, it also shows a lot the super heroes as very flawed characters. At least one of these characters just goes rogue because he realises people are not worth saving in the first place.
American Psycho? Not by Hollywood. But it could be made by an Indy and put on a streaming service as a multi part series. Demise of the Western? Since Heaven's Gate we had (even if we don't count pseudo Westerns like NCFOM Django Unchained and The Revenant ) we've had... Tombstone, Young Guns (1 and 2) Unforgiven , Wyatt Earp, Dances with Wolves. Those made between 3x and 7x their budget back in box office alone. And more in video and later DVD sales. Also Pale Rider came out the same year as Heavens Gate and did rather well. So I'm not sure Heaven's Gate was the reason as when a good Western has come out, it's done well Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a spiritual follow up to "Half Hours in the Wild West"
Richard Osman defending the boring formulaic world of publishing….. well there’s a surprise - the wariness and safe formulaic attitudes of publishers is exactly why only people who already have a media profile (like him) get publishing deals
@@simoncarswell3515 no he is making the argument that the publishing world is dynamic and would still do something like American Psycho - which is bullshit as publishing now only publishes celebrity work in the main (ie people like him) but it serves him (and his publishers) to pretend that it is still as creative and edgy as it used to be - which it really isn’t
One problem westerns have always had that the superhero subgenre does not is the pretense of historical accuracy. We now know that the so-called heroes of the old west were anything but, and that the real history of westward expansion is messy at best and shameful at worst. Superheroes aren’t based on real people, so they can’t let us down as cultural heroes the way sanitized and glorified historical figures can.
On the topic of westerns, I thought the TV show The English was absolutely fantastic, and it felt modern in the way it didn’t shy away from the realities of how brutal western expansion was
Marina's brain is incredible. She thinks so fast and seems to have an incredible range of knowledge. Every episode she has me wanting to hit pause so I can take a moment to grasp what she is saying. How can I not have known her until this podcast?
The part about not locking nice cars brought back floods of angry memories about the film Official Secrets (2019, starring Keira Knightley). Set in GCHQ. One of the most secure buildings in the UK. Handing..... Official secrets. The number of people walking away from their computers and not locking their screens. I've worked in a bank and a call centre. If you walk away without locking your screen, that's a borderline disciplinary offense. Took me completely out of the drama!!!
14:40 (ish) - paused after the question, cos this is pretty much me... I've lived in quite a few countries over the years, and what I've noticed is that they're mostly kinda right, but mostly all subtly wrong, as in, at a glance they look fine, but the layout or numeroalphabetical (doh - I mean alphanumerical, but couldn't remember the actual term) order is incorrect (like having a UK plate that doesn't follow a XX11 XXX, or X111 XXX, or XXX 111X (or XXX 1111 for Northern Ireland registrations) format. It's similar for other country's plates in a lot of fictional stories (at least that I'm familiar enough with the registration system to speak with any authority). I would suggest it may be to avoid the potential for blowback on the current actual owners of any "real" registrations, from lunatics who think movies are real life. Easier to knock up something legally impossible, but close enough to be almost unnoticeable to the average viewer.
After listening to the following few minutes, and while they didn't actually answer the feckin question, I guess my guess wasn't too far from the mark... I do notice it "taking me out of the moment" though, which I doubt I would experience without familiarity with what those things like phone numbers and reg plates "should" be.
I recently watched the blackly comic, musical version of "Heathers", and boy, the trigger warnings that thing would need. Bullying, homophobia, sexism, date rape, school killings, suicide etc. A good show though. And the millennials love it.
When I booked my tickets for Heathers, there absolutely was a trigger warning and an age guidance on the website. I can't remember if there was anything before the performance as well, but I think it's a bit late by then - people are unlikely to leave at that point and generally already have an idea about what they're about to see. I've also been to performances that have warnings for things like flashing lights and loud noises. So these things aren't exclusive to recorded media.
The camera filming James needs to be aimed at Marina and vice versa, so as to give us proper three-quarters front views, not profiles. This podcast has been going on long enough and is otherwise brilliant enough for somebody to have figured that out.
I don't quite understand your stance on why content warnings are supposedly counterproductive or ineffective. Some RUclips channels I watch regularly display content warnings for transphobia, r*pe, c*icide, animal abuse and various other violent topics because those channels either present video essays about mental illnesses, or review movies or analyse media that contains those themes. And in those cases these warnings are actually very considerate and helpful because the audiences of these channels often have personal experience with these topics which potentially resulted in traumata. Without these warnings that are supposed to help prevent people from getting triggered, viewers could unsuspectedly find themselves confronted with a lot of personal pain.
Did you not listen to the video? It was made quite clear that studies into content and trigger warnings show that they are, at best, ineffective and may actually led more harm being caused to the viewer.
@@vincewarrington1926 In my experience this is not the case. I have met people that have seen a trigger warning on something and decided against watching something because it could bring up painful expereiences from their past. Obviously this is just anecdotal but without seeing the studies can't really comment on them. Also imo its also about choice and being informed. If someone who has experiences SA gets triggered by a movie with SA in it after seeing a trigger warning its kinda on them but if they go into a movie that doesnt seem like it would have that in and get triggered they didnt really have a chance to avoid that situation.
Is this a byproduct of echo chamber though? You find that content because you interact with that content type and creators in that content type use that architecture? I watch a wide range of content and barely ever see it. But also, to that point, there can be extremely good reason, especially on news content, where there are genuinely aspects people do not want to see, such as graphic sexual or violence imagery or depictions. The ‘trigger’ warnings being added to movies are generally family movies, and without disrespecting the people and groups it affects, these go by unnoticed 99.9% of the time. After hearing about the Mary Poppins reclassification I searched out the reason. I’ve now learned a new racial slur. Never would have happened without the trigger warnings.
Personally I think content warnings are great, BUT one should have to seek them out, they shouldn't be added by default. They can be quite spoilery, and a lot of people want to go into a film knowing very little about it. As a sensitive soul myself, I usually check imdb parents' guide and "does the dog die" because I like to be forewarned. It baffles me why people are so keen to police others' movie-watching experience. "You must always take the risk of a gratuitously violent scene triggering your own horrific memories, every time you want to be entertained! You can't avoid everything upsetting, therefore you must avoid nothing!" Like, why? I don't think I must, actually. Thanks all the same.
Triggering events of Trauma are more important than spoilers, but ultimitely yes, being forced to accept dog deaths, sexual assault, murders - all in 'surprising' ways I might add - is wrong. Those needing warned should always have a way of finding out that they could be triggered by them. It shouldn't be judged on if it's worth it for the general public either.
Watched American Psycho for the first time yday. Can someone explain to me why it's become such a cult film? Aside from the Paul Allen/Huey Lewis scene and the chainsaw through the apartment, it was pretty crap wasn't it?
Re: game show couples, I remember once Sara Pascoe and John Robins appeared on Mock The Week together, and there was a lot of direct competitiveness going on between them that was a bit uncomfortable to watch, and they broke up soon after. I haven't seen their stand-up about their relationship, so I'm only guessing at this.
I can't understand why anyone watches it - why would you want to watch other people watching TV? It's also not like you get to see them react a whole episode of anything, it's all just clips. I actually wonder if its main purpose is just to increase viewership to the featured programmes. I imagine production companies pay to be featured, so it's basically an additional advertising platform.
Marina's comment about Heaven's Gate reminded me of Lew Grade's comment about the flop Raise The Titanic which he'd invested a lot of money in, 'It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic'. As far as trigger warnings on stuff is concerned I've got news for you people. Young teenage boys didn't only like Hammer horror films because they had a morbid interest in the genre, it was also the chance of seeing a buxom wench, usually Caroline Munro, Valerie Leon or Jenny Hanley (sigh)😂 I'd like to hear what your favourite answer on a quiz is, so many to choose from. My personal favourite from Family Fortunes- Q- Name a bird with a long neck. A- Naomi Campbell.
I find Googlebox very false and shallow. I get they can't afford to watch a whole show, but compared to YT reactors, it's Victorian. Especially considering my favourite reactors are grossing 20k a month on Patreon alone. Not to mention merch, sponsors etc.
@kirkschwarz The difference is Googlebox "reactors" are only shown 15 minutes of each show. They have little context to anything. Imagine showing them 15 minutes of Oppenheimer, a 3hr 5 min film
@@chrischarlescook the other difference is that so many of the reactors only add about 60 seconds of commentary per hour of watched footage. I agree there are some great value reactors out there, like Charlie. But in the grand scheme of things there are many that aren’t. Also, there really isn’t much to react to for a majority of media. I watched Dune recently. It’s a 2+ hour film with about 25 minutes of content. I don’t want to see top line reactors reacting to exposition dumps or slow pacing, I want them to deliver the headline round-up, the explosive moments with social media-worthy reactions.
Marvel released superhero shows based on comic characters, then butchered the characters qnd made them unrecognisable to fans. Thor and hulk are perfect examples. All the while they also belittle mental health in she hulk and make massivley offensive comments about their fans. Fuck disney.
there is a modern day version of American Psycho, a man made an animated one for youtube called "If American Psycho Was Set In 2023", and it's absolutely brilliant. It's only 3 minutes and it is perfect
As a survivor of sexual violence, trigger warnings make it possible for me to engage with material which contains this subject, or to allow me to opt out if I just can't right now. What I am opting out of is not a negative feeling of being upset or disliking exposure, but a panic attack or otherwise harmful episode that causes intense flashbacks and overwhelming negative emotions. What I want, as a survivor, more than anything, is the opportunity to give consent. Having sexual violence content exposed to me by surprise is, you might imagine, kind of upsetting.
I think this podcast had become my latest obsession. Love every episode.
A simple request, The Rest Is Entertainment view on the Glasgow Wonka Experience. Thank you.
It was a scam surely? Make quick money and run away
@bekindrewind9675 that's why the want it to be talked about lol
The Wonka Experience was a variation on a well-known Yuletide scam. Wonka = Santa, Oompa Loompas = Elves. So, what is there to say about it?
You just got your wish in today's latest episode 🎉 (13/03 - 11:58 talking about the Ch5 doc)
Trigger Warnings aren't necessarily to cause people to change their reaction to media but to allow people to not read/watch media that would cause them harm.
It's incredible easy to dismiss Trigger/Content Warnings as unnecessary when one doesn't have experience with a traumatic event that could be re-triggered by certain content causing unnecessary mental distress.
Having a trigger/content warning, allowing people to opt out, is a more granular, and therefore more useful, form of the warning afforded by age classification on games and films.
I would have said a simple reading of the blurb would give you enough information to tell you if you wanted to read it,or not.
@@Trebor74 not necessarily, which is why explicit warnings of content that night cause someone harm us useful
What's your opinion on the point that part of moving on is being exposed to things that do trigger you? Do you think there's truth to that?
@@DOSeater Yes, but 'moving on' is typically done in a controlled fashion where people make informed choices about what they consume and whether they're in an appropriate space to 'move on'.
@@phyphor check the blurb. I don't think anyone who brought 50 shades was unaware of its content. Read blurb,choose to read or not. And grow up.
I know it wasn’t his question, but a shame we didn’t hear richard’s opinion on the trigger warnings question
Relieved, personally.
The point of a trigger warning is to allow someone to opt out of something distressing, not prepare them for something distressing. These warnings exist to help people with serious mental health issues rooted in traumatic experiences manage their conditions, not protect people from feeling uncomfortable, and why this very small accommodation cannot simply be afforded to people who need it without all the sophistry is a total mystery to me. Sorry if you've experienced a horrific trauma, but Marina thinks you're going to be reminded of that trauma anyway, so you're just going to have to take your chances with graphic depictions of what happened to you in the media you're consuming!
I like them being able to easily find if you want them, but not advertised so if don’t want the ‘spoiler’ you don’t have to
@@danielleoliver1734 ive never watched a film and been like "it was good but i wish they didnt spoil the rape scene with the trigger warning, I prefere rape scenes to be more spontanious"
you can also just choose not to look at the corner of the screen when you know a warning is gonna flash up.
32 years - The whole of the wild west period of American history lasted at most 32 years, which is bizarre when you consider what a massive genre it's been for the film industry. The west was, quite literally, only wild from 1865 to 1897.
Regarding Gogglebox, I've always wondered if they all sit down and watch the entire programme or just the same five-minute clip?
i dont know what you mean about trigger warnings not working? if i know a show has flashing lights and i have epilepsy i know im not gonna watch the show. that works in preventing someone having a seizure. same with any mental health triggers, if youre someone whos been assaulted you might avoid watching a show that has a trigger warning for SA thus avoiding ecxperiencing the trigger. i think its rather stupid to say they dont work when you clearly arent the one their meant for
Fun fact concerning book prices:
In Germany (and much of continental europe) biik prices are fixed, shops can't make special offers or undercut the competition! A publisher setts a price, and every retailer has to sell at that price (a loophole is importing books, as this only applies to books published in Germany)
I’m afraid the trigger warnings conversation felt quite out of touch. As others have pointed out we’ve had trigger warnings in film and TV for decades, (age ratings, continuity announcers before a show) but people are only having a problem with them now because of the culture war.
The Nocebo effect is real, however the most common use of warnings is to allow the audience to decide whether they want to consume the work or not. In that sense they definitely work!
Whilst people with trauma are often constantly reminded about it day to day, that doesn’t mean they want to live through a re-enactment on TV, particularly if it comes out of nowhere.
In fact, I personally have experience of ‘trigger warnings’ being useful. Some theatre shows will have warnings for sudden loud sounds, like explosions or a balloon popping. I’ve seen some people online call this evidence that trigger warnings have gone too far and that we’re all too soft now (whether or not it even makes sense to call this warning a trigger warning shows that the term trigger warning has lost all meaning). As someone who is neurodivergent, being warned ahead of time of sudden loud noises IS incredibly important and certainly does not produce the nocebo effect. By preparing myself mentally it makes me a lot less rattled and negatively affected by the noise when it eventually comes. Whilst I don’t personally even view that as a trigger warning, I do know people who claim that content warnings help them in the same way.
I also certainly disagree with Richard that content warnings send the message that you shouldn’t talk about a subject. I mean given that the content warning should be followed up by a whole piece of media devoted to talking about that subject, I frankly find that a ridiculous statement to make.
I do think most content warnings should be optional, but I certainly do not think they are in any way worth getting worked up over. What problem does having them really cause, even if you feel they might not work as intended. If some people are saying they are useful and work for them, it doesn’t seem like that much of a cost to give them the space to decide whether the material is likely going to be for them or not.
Firefly worked as a western space show.
Well, I would say it was good despite the silly western theme. Westerns in space are terrible.
I would love trigger warnings about shows with references to dementia . Firstly it's a lazy over used plot point . Secondly I am very likely to develop it so I don't wanna have to think about it all the fucking time .
The closest I've seen to a modern western vibe are films like No Country for Old Men and Hell or High Water. They have the feeling without being set in 1850. Another great discussion!
Not a compulsive car plate spotter, but I do like (sometimes!) seeing if i can identify where a location was shot, on Street View. Can be fun spotting clues as to a location. Did that most recently with The French Dispatch, but mainly because I've recently got to know Angoulême where many scenes were shot, and can be fun identifying where a shot was filmed. Especially as a friend who has recently moved there pointed out that the Chess battle scene was filmed just around the corner from where she currently lives. And have walked through the arch there a lot recently.
Trigger warnings aren't for everyone, but people with mental health issues, PTSD or traumatic experiences they work very well. I have to disagree with you Marina, if you've had a trauma then you probably do get to a point eventually where you aren't sitting there thinking about it 24/7, but could be caught off guard if something pops up in a film, and trigger warnings existing are a very helpful tool to enable people to make conscious choices about what to watch and to manage their own triggers. Knowing a film has a sexual assault scene for example can mean you avoid watching it entirely, or avoid it when you are feeling more vulnerable. Some films absolutely have scenes that come out of nowhere, and an 18 rating for strong sexual content doesn't go far enough with the specifics of the warning if its a graphic assault scene. It's fine if people don't get why trigger warnings are needed, it's probably because you personally don't need them, but there are huge numbers of people who absolutely rely on them. It actually comes across quite ableist to decide trigger warnings dont work, and should be dropped!
I think being vehemently against ‘trigger warnings’ or those emails lacks critical thinking. As someone who has lost their mother at a young age, clicking an email to unsubscribe once won’t make me feel sad, but an onslaught of 20-30 daily emails about celebrating a mum you don’t have is something that would really upset me. It’s very much about the quantity and in the same way you would unsubscribe from a company you no longer care about, it’s giving people the choice to determine what content they consume or are forced to consume.
Marina's comments on trigger warnings speak to a highly selective and frankly academically dishonest reading of the literature combined with a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of trigger warnings. They aren't there to avoid low level discomfort with challenging ideas. As the name suggests the main purpose is so that people with PTSD and similar can choose to avoid content that will trigger extremely painful experiences. And for that purpose it is incredibly effective.
exactly, people seem to think a trigger is just someone being sad or having a basic human emotion. it really isnt. its like an intense physical and emotional pain. id much rather know not to watch something or to make sure im in the right headspace before watching. the amount of times ive not read a tw and then realised half way through a triggering scene that im having an attack i know for a fact i need to always read them for everything. not telling someone that youre depicting horrificly triggering stuff is just a weird flex.
Shut up
I completely agree. She's missing the point of them being a *warning* rather than censorship, an apology or a disclaimer. They can be (and nearly always are) a heads up that a particular topic is covered. The idea that we're shying away from these topics because of the warnings is nonsense - if anything it gives creators a chance to delve further into darker concepts given that they can feel comfortable they've given a sufficient warning to those that might be affected, and at that point those viewers can make their own decision.
Is it now intentional that Marina calls it the Questions edition and Richard Clarifies Questions and Answers?
By now I would have thought so! they have done it every episode I think.
lmao @ the lady saying trigger warnings are some sort of 'in group signifyer' and 'performative mumbo-jumbo'
Maybe people who have experienced trauma just don't want to relive it again? It's not that complicated Mrs Nocebo Forbidden Fruit Effect.
A lot of young people today mislabel feelings of discomfort/unhappiness/anxiety as trauma.
The best way to deal with these feelings is not to avoid things that cause anxiety and unhappiness. It is to progressively expose yourself to these things you can grow stronger.
On trigger warnings, I think movies and television have had it covered for ages. Movies have an age rating which describes the more adult elements contained therein. Tv has the same, or if it’s live you’ll have that voiceover with a warning the show contains “violent scenes” or “scenes some viewers may find distressing.” They never call it a trigger warning or a content warning, but it seems to do the same thing in a less extreme way.
Those warnings *are* trigger warnings, and there's nothing "extreme" about including them, regardless of the style of warning
This is the most intelligent show on entertainment I have ever heard. Down to earth and informative
Really enjoying the podcast, one of the very few I look forward to watching. Keep it up, please.
"less as artistry and more as banking" This, more than fatigue, is the problem. Of course, the relentless feeding of a similar diet isn't as conducive to retaining viewers, but the biggest problem in Hollywood is the quality of the finished product.
We don't need another genre to take over, we need less reliance on particular genres dominating.
There have been some excellent westerns recently. The Brad Pitt movie about the assassination of Jesse James, Django Unchained, The Magnificent Seven & True Grit (both remakes), The Revenant, The Power Of The Dog, The Hateful Eight… the genre isn’t as popular now as it was twenty years ago but there will always be good westerns because Americans are obsessed with the frontier spirit of the Wild West and what it says about their history and culture.
Thank you for answering my 'American Psycho' question , guys. But I'm DAN not DON! 😅
Sue them!😊
Sorry Dan, thanks for the great question and for listening!
Regarding the western question - The trailer for a four part Kevin Costner western was released just the other day, which looks excellent. And although they're not released thst often there have been some very good westerns in recent-ish years like Hostiles, Bone tomahawk, The power of the dog, etc.
The Ballard of Buster Scruggs
@@bearhustler good shout, I really enjoyed that.
One of the best podcasts around (even though I'm watching this on RUclips, which isn't a podcast medium, but you know what I mean)
On Amazon, the pricing is totally managed by them. As a supplier you have a price list with them that is fixed and over time their orders are placed automatically by an algorithm that sometimes over orders and they end up with loads of stock. They quite often will slash the price the get rid of the stock at no cost to the supplier. At one company I worked for that happened and the price they went to was so low it was even lower than the price the companies own staff could buy the product at and we all ended buying it from Amazon!
have I completely misunderstood the purpose of trigger warnings? Never did I think it was a way to impact an emotional response, but rather to dissuade anyone from watching who might be upset by the content.
example, if I saw a trigger warning about animal cruelty, I'd 100% not watch it.
wish they'd given me a warning about the 3rd episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I had yo turn it off part way through, but the damage was done.
makes me wonder if the research Marina is referring to isn't hugely biased or purposefully framed in a disingenuous way to promote an anti-woke agenda.
I think with American Psycho, it's a very vicious satire on elite culture and with more we learn about how they allegedly operate would it be too close to the truth? The most shocking thing about that book is how people don't see it as social satire. It's very dark comedy.
Same with Clockwork Orange. Guess it's generational.
The Proposition is the best western ive seen.
Marina, has it historically been a good idea to get the authors involved in their books' adaptations? For Stephen King, Lee Child, and Neil Gaiman, the final product is better when they're involved. For JK Rowling, it's a mixed bag.
re westerns: Mandalorian, Book of Bobba Fett - these are westerns, set in space/the future. Disney has co-opted the western into it's Star Wars series of films. The soundtrack, the frontier mentality, all of these are western film tropes. To the point when my better half started to watch them with me, then when invited to again said 'i'm not that into westerns...'. She is often correct.
The thing that annoys me in films is people leaving a bar or pub without finishing their drink...!
Or eating two bites of a massive breakfast before taking off.
What bugs me the most about TV and film is.. When people don't close the door! It happens more than you think, you will see it this week.
How great is this podcast. Just brilliant. And Marina and Richard are my favourite duo since Dolly and Kenny.
How is a trigger warning all that different to the sensitivity content notes you get from the BBFC when a film is about to start in the cinema? The term 'trigger warning' has made some people cry woke when this is something that's been around as a normal part of media for a while
I'd pay a Netflix subscription to see a movie called "Steak vs Jelly"
I've lost count of the amount of cars I've MOT checked off the telly 😂
These shows are always great - thanks.
Trigger warnings are a great idea in theory. You do seem to missunderstand their purpose. The reason Trigger warnings exist is to increase viewers. Trigger warning are meant to remove the extra labour performed by those who sufer with PTSD. Having to research every piece of media and entertainment before you engage is exhausting but necersery. The real problem with trigger warnings is they usualy come too late. The appear once youve already payed for your ticket, at which point you are more likely to risk being triggered. By which point, if you are triggered it's your fault and the studio already has your money.
I was a little take aback when you guys discussed Westerns dying yet you've already talked about how massively successful the show Yellowstone and it's showrunner are. That thing was like number one in america for a really long time. Cool western stuff will always be around and hopefully this will just thin out the overproduction on them so they can tell the most interesting stories. I still need to get a No Country for Old Men every once in a while.
The 555 number thing, always reminds me of the Simpsons meta-joke, where Chief Wiggum is trying to find someone and he goes "We have tracked his number! It's... 555... oh, no, this must be a fake number!"
reading american psycho actually made me feel physically sick..but..i couldnt stop reading it...
I think the estate agent that was selling the flat he hid the body in, is the worst character in the whole novel. Truly sickening. I skipped the album review sections, they grew to become tedious.
it was the scene with the small child that affected me most...@@andrewt836
I’m currently reading it - a chapter or two each night - and often I have to take five minutes after reading to decompress before I’m able to even consider sleeping lol
I liked "Bone Tomahawk." and "Jane got a Gun" Good independent low budget westerns.
I think 50 Shades of Grey would show that you can publish today what seems outrageous - Christian Grey is a pretty horrific character (or he would be if he wasn't rich and end up marrying the heroine).
50 Shades came out 13 years ago.
This is different to the podcast audio only version. 😮
One of my favourite films is The Watchmen. Whilst it does a lot of what a standard super hero movie does, it also shows a lot the super heroes as very flawed characters. At least one of these characters just goes rogue because he realises people are not worth saving in the first place.
American Psycho? Not by Hollywood. But it could be made by an Indy and put on a streaming service as a multi part series.
Demise of the Western? Since Heaven's Gate we had (even if we don't count pseudo Westerns like NCFOM Django Unchained and The Revenant ) we've had...
Tombstone, Young Guns (1 and 2) Unforgiven , Wyatt Earp, Dances with Wolves. Those made between 3x and 7x their budget back in box office alone. And more in video and later DVD sales.
Also Pale Rider came out the same year as Heavens Gate and did rather well.
So I'm not sure Heaven's Gate was the reason as when a good Western has come out, it's done well
Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a spiritual follow up to "Half Hours in the Wild West"
Cowboys Vs Aliens as brilliant as that was, originated from a comic book!
Eventually it was but it was first talked about in the 90s as the first million dollar elevator pitch.
ruclips.net/video/BqJoDD-agG8/видео.html
Just found this podcast and I'm loving it!
Welcome aboard Diegesis!
Have they not heard of Yellowstone? Or maybe it wasn't that big in the UK
Young Guns and even more so, Young Guns II are bloody awesome!
15:18 Marina’s got a Muttley laugh!
Richard Osman defending the boring formulaic world of publishing….. well there’s a surprise - the wariness and safe formulaic attitudes of publishers is exactly why only people who already have a media profile (like him) get publishing deals
Hard agree. Company man through and through.
Were we watching different videos? He said the exact opposite of that.
@@simoncarswell3515 no he is making the argument that the publishing world is dynamic and would still do something like American Psycho - which is bullshit as publishing now only publishes celebrity work in the main (ie people like him) but it serves him (and his publishers) to pretend that it is still as creative and edgy as it used to be - which it really isn’t
90% of the answers to questions is that it costs too much money.
One problem westerns have always had that the superhero subgenre does not is the pretense of historical accuracy. We now know that the so-called heroes of the old west were anything but, and that the real history of westward expansion is messy at best and shameful at worst. Superheroes aren’t based on real people, so they can’t let us down as cultural heroes the way sanitized and glorified historical figures can.
These are fantastic! Keep going 👌
On the topic of westerns, I thought the TV show The English was absolutely fantastic, and it felt modern in the way it didn’t shy away from the realities of how brutal western expansion was
i find trigger warnings helpful.
Marina's brain is incredible. She thinks so fast and seems to have an incredible range of knowledge. Every episode she has me wanting to hit pause so I can take a moment to grasp what she is saying. How can I not have known her until this podcast?
My favourite thing to try and spot in films/tv is the cameraman in reflections! Happens more often than you realise 😂
The part about not locking nice cars brought back floods of angry memories about the film Official Secrets (2019, starring Keira Knightley). Set in GCHQ. One of the most secure buildings in the UK. Handing..... Official secrets. The number of people walking away from their computers and not locking their screens.
I've worked in a bank and a call centre. If you walk away without locking your screen, that's a borderline disciplinary offense. Took me completely out of the drama!!!
Thrilled you both started this podcast!
Cowboys Vs. Aliens was based on a comic book of the same name.
Fantastic podcast.
I find the trigger warning about "smoking" is odd.
Love these episodes
14:40 (ish) - paused after the question, cos this is pretty much me...
I've lived in quite a few countries over the years, and what I've noticed is that they're mostly kinda right, but mostly all subtly wrong, as in, at a glance they look fine, but the layout or numeroalphabetical (doh - I mean alphanumerical, but couldn't remember the actual term) order is incorrect (like having a UK plate that doesn't follow a XX11 XXX, or X111 XXX, or XXX 111X (or XXX 1111 for Northern Ireland registrations) format.
It's similar for other country's plates in a lot of fictional stories (at least that I'm familiar enough with the registration system to speak with any authority). I would suggest it may be to avoid the potential for blowback on the current actual owners of any "real" registrations, from lunatics who think movies are real life. Easier to knock up something legally impossible, but close enough to be almost unnoticeable to the average viewer.
After listening to the following few minutes, and while they didn't actually answer the feckin question, I guess my guess wasn't too far from the mark...
I do notice it "taking me out of the moment" though, which I doubt I would experience without familiarity with what those things like phone numbers and reg plates "should" be.
Lee Herring not Lee Mack?
Paris doesn't end in 2 consonants either 🤪
The best podcast
I recently watched the blackly comic, musical version of "Heathers", and boy, the trigger warnings that thing would need. Bullying, homophobia, sexism, date rape, school killings, suicide etc. A good show though. And the millennials love it.
When I booked my tickets for Heathers, there absolutely was a trigger warning and an age guidance on the website. I can't remember if there was anything before the performance as well, but I think it's a bit late by then - people are unlikely to leave at that point and generally already have an idea about what they're about to see.
I've also been to performances that have warnings for things like flashing lights and loud noises. So these things aren't exclusive to recorded media.
Please stop the curtain thing, I understand why you do it but it's clipartish and too fast.
The camera filming James needs to be aimed at Marina and vice versa, so as to give us proper three-quarters front views, not profiles. This podcast has been going on long enough and is otherwise brilliant enough for somebody to have figured that out.
I made the same comment several times. Between Richard’s glasses and Marina’s hair we can’t actually see any of their faces!
I don't quite understand your stance on why content warnings are supposedly counterproductive or ineffective. Some RUclips channels I watch regularly display content warnings for transphobia, r*pe, c*icide, animal abuse and various other violent topics because those channels either present video essays about mental illnesses, or review movies or analyse media that contains those themes. And in those cases these warnings are actually very considerate and helpful because the audiences of these channels often have personal experience with these topics which potentially resulted in traumata. Without these warnings that are supposed to help prevent people from getting triggered, viewers could unsuspectedly find themselves confronted with a lot of personal pain.
Came to the comments to say exactly the same thing
Did you not listen to the video? It was made quite clear that studies into content and trigger warnings show that they are, at best, ineffective and may actually led more harm being caused to the viewer.
@@vincewarrington1926 In my experience this is not the case. I have met people that have seen a trigger warning on something and decided against watching something because it could bring up painful expereiences from their past.
Obviously this is just anecdotal but without seeing the studies can't really comment on them.
Also imo its also about choice and being informed. If someone who has experiences SA gets triggered by a movie with SA in it after seeing a trigger warning its kinda on them but if they go into a movie that doesnt seem like it would have that in and get triggered they didnt really have a chance to avoid that situation.
Is this a byproduct of echo chamber though? You find that content because you interact with that content type and creators in that content type use that architecture? I watch a wide range of content and barely ever see it. But also, to that point, there can be extremely good reason, especially on news content, where there are genuinely aspects people do not want to see, such as graphic sexual or violence imagery or depictions. The ‘trigger’ warnings being added to movies are generally family movies, and without disrespecting the people and groups it affects, these go by unnoticed 99.9% of the time.
After hearing about the Mary Poppins reclassification I searched out the reason. I’ve now learned a new racial slur. Never would have happened without the trigger warnings.
@@fieldmarshalgaig4856 100%
Vampirates! I'm convinced there's a film there.
Love the question ep8sodes 😊
A review at the time said Heavens Gate ended because they ran out of bullets
Personally I think content warnings are great, BUT one should have to seek them out, they shouldn't be added by default. They can be quite spoilery, and a lot of people want to go into a film knowing very little about it. As a sensitive soul myself, I usually check imdb parents' guide and "does the dog die" because I like to be forewarned.
It baffles me why people are so keen to police others' movie-watching experience. "You must always take the risk of a gratuitously violent scene triggering your own horrific memories, every time you want to be entertained! You can't avoid everything upsetting, therefore you must avoid nothing!" Like, why? I don't think I must, actually. Thanks all the same.
Triggering events of Trauma are more important than spoilers, but ultimitely yes, being forced to accept dog deaths, sexual assault, murders - all in 'surprising' ways I might add - is wrong. Those needing warned should always have a way of finding out that they could be triggered by them. It shouldn't be judged on if it's worth it for the general public either.
I absolutely bloody love this channel
So I guess I'm the only one really enjoyed cowbows vs aliens... I don't think either of these two actually watched it.
"Paris"
👀
Watched American Psycho for the first time yday. Can someone explain to me why it's become such a cult film? Aside from the Paul Allen/Huey Lewis scene and the chainsaw through the apartment, it was pretty crap wasn't it?
I have to agree I saw the film contemporarily and recently and I’m of the opinion it’s overrated
Maybe you're too young to understand the satirical yuppie sendup or it's just not your thing.
I liked the cowboys v aliens film !
Re: game show couples, I remember once Sara Pascoe and John Robins appeared on Mock The Week together, and there was a lot of direct competitiveness going on between them that was a bit uncomfortable to watch, and they broke up soon after.
I haven't seen their stand-up about their relationship, so I'm only guessing at this.
Cowboys vs Aliens is just Predator in the past though
Does one of you regret, trying to destroy Julian Assange in the Guardian
Goggle box high concept? Really?
"Filming people watching TV". That's pretty much all it is - can't get much higher concept than that.
I can't understand why anyone watches it - why would you want to watch other people watching TV? It's also not like you get to see them react a whole episode of anything, it's all just clips.
I actually wonder if its main purpose is just to increase viewership to the featured programmes. I imagine production companies pay to be featured, so it's basically an additional advertising platform.
Marina's comment about Heaven's Gate reminded me of Lew Grade's comment about the flop Raise The Titanic which he'd invested a lot of money in, 'It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic'. As far as trigger warnings on stuff is concerned I've got news for you people. Young teenage boys didn't only like Hammer horror films because they had a morbid interest in the genre, it was also the chance of seeing a buxom wench, usually Caroline Munro, Valerie Leon or Jenny Hanley (sigh)😂 I'd like to hear what your favourite answer on a quiz is, so many to choose from. My personal favourite from Family Fortunes-
Q- Name a bird with a long neck.
A- Naomi Campbell.
I noticed in almost all british crime drama's, a lot of the characters drive estate cars more than any other type.
I find Googlebox very false and shallow. I get they can't afford to watch a whole show, but compared to YT reactors, it's Victorian.
Especially considering my favourite reactors are grossing 20k a month on Patreon alone. Not to mention merch, sponsors etc.
Compared to RUclips most TV is Victorian. But also, if you compounded 20 RUclips reactors into a 30-minute tv show you’d have Gogglebox.
@kirkschwarz The difference is Googlebox "reactors" are only shown 15 minutes of each show. They have little context to anything. Imagine showing them 15 minutes of Oppenheimer, a 3hr 5 min film
@@chrischarlescook the other difference is that so many of the reactors only add about 60 seconds of commentary per hour of watched footage. I agree there are some great value reactors out there, like Charlie. But in the grand scheme of things there are many that aren’t.
Also, there really isn’t much to react to for a majority of media. I watched Dune recently. It’s a 2+ hour film with about 25 minutes of content. I don’t want to see top line reactors reacting to exposition dumps or slow pacing, I want them to deliver the headline round-up, the explosive moments with social media-worthy reactions.
Marvel released superhero shows based on comic characters, then butchered the characters qnd made them unrecognisable to fans. Thor and hulk are perfect examples. All the while they also belittle mental health in she hulk and make massivley offensive comments about their fans. Fuck disney.
Westerns became cop films… simples❤
there is a modern day version of American Psycho, a man made an animated one for youtube called "If American Psycho Was Set In 2023", and it's absolutely brilliant. It's only 3 minutes and it is perfect
I found American Psycho basically unreadable. All he did was talk about brands for the first couple of chapters . SO BORING ! I have up on it .
24:45 🥸🤣
" More dangerous than starting wife swapping.....we're going to pull out now. We're not going to do it"
😁
Gogglebox, crap show with pretentious people. Absolute XXXX