Impacts of Ignoring Culture in Content

Most people have the regretful experience of causing a misstep that could have been avoided. Something as simple as publicly mispronouncing your boss's name, telling your partner their favorite outfit makes them look fat, or promising a client a discount only to find out the deal doesn’t extend to them can have embarrassing consequences. The sad truth is that committing a faux pas is more likely when you don’t know as much about the situation or audience as you should. The challenge is how to avoid them.

In the decade since Spherex began analyzing content from a culturalization and rating perspective, we have developed both an eye and an ear for the forms of content that can cause audience and regulatory problems for content creators, producers, distributors, and platforms.

Here are three of the most common sensitivities creators need to be aware of when preparing content for global release.

1.     Know Thy Regulator

It cannot be stated strongly enough: understanding who regulators are, how they think, and how they have rated similar titles will be beneficial as you prepare your title for submission. Spherex is the world’s only commercial provider of local age ratings and has worked with those regulators to develop that understanding.

Regulators are serious about their responsibilities and mission and tend to be very consistent. In cases where titles attempt to push back or sneak something in, regulators often respond similarly: make cuts or get banned. Paying attention to previous decisions can go a long way in avoiding problems.

There are plenty of examples: the last seven MCU titles and 2022's top box office film "Top Gun: Maverick" were banned due to the depiction or inclusion of politically charged topics. Mainland China (PRC), Russia, and many Muslim countries continue to object to LGBTQIA+ and any content that depicts the country's leaders or heroes in a negative light.

2.     Crime, Drugs, and Violence

It's hard to imagine suspense, mystery, or thriller titles without some form of illegal activity or violence; it goes with the genre. But the extent to which those activities are portrayed can make a big difference to regulators or censors. Gratuitous sex, violence, drug use, or criminality are a quick way to earn a higher age rating and reduced revenue potential in many of the most lucrative media markets.

The world's top 20 film markets have different thresholds for what is appropriate for their audiences. Western countries may be more forgiving, but many Eastern, fundamentally religious, and authoritarian countries are much less so. The only way you'll know where a given scene is or is not acceptable is to either study their regulations, look at the experience of previous titles, or find a source of expertise that can educate and prepare you.

3.     Cultural Symbolism

Deities, politicians, clothing, hand gestures, and historical locations hold special places in people's hearts and minds. Disrespecting them in any way can cause many headaches, so if you incorporate these elements into your story, it's best to find out whether your use of them will be problematic.

A few examples include simple hand gestures, such as the two-finger "peace sign," which is an insult if you turn your hand around. The color of a wedding dress makes a difference to Western and Chinese audiences. Failing to warn viewers (e.g.., trigger warnings) a title contains disturbing scenes has created media and audience backlash for some titles. Misrepresenting religious sentiments in Hindu communities can cause significant pushback from legislators, regulators, special interest groups, and the press. Singapore passed a law on November 9^th requiring social media companies to block access to "egregious content" within hours." This content includes scenes depicting terrorism, suicide, physical violence, and sexual exploitation.

Avoid self-inflicted wounds by being informed.

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." 
Doctor: "Then don't do that!"

 -Henny Youngman

A filmmaker's objective is to have their story seen by as broad an audience as possible. Advanced knowledge of specific issues of any market you want to enter can help guide the preparation of substitute scenes that maintain story integrity while addressing cultural concerns effectively. Being market smart is the right start.