RED's militaristic branding and marketing.

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

For me, personally, as someone interested in history, the skull logo and the militaristic attitude conjures up far right fascist symbolism and, as evidenced by a lot of people in this thread, I don’t think I’m alone in that. As a cinematographer, I make an effort to ensure my crew is of diverse backgrounds, but how must it feel to them arriving on set and being greeted with symbolism that represents a toxic culture that is historically sexist, racist, and violent? What kind of environment are we creating and perpetuating? Not one of inclusivity.

You don’t even have to agree with my views on this to see how this could become problematic for us as professionals overall. The world is shifting away from glorifying violent fantasies (a positive, in my opinion) whether you like it or not. Hollywood is going to follow the money, as it always has. While there hasn’t been an industry backlash to RED’s branding yet, as things in the US get increasingly worse, it could only be a matter of time before it comes. When that happens, that hurts all of our investments in RED products.

As an owner of RED Cinema Camera, I want the militaristic death lifestyle and symbol branding gone and out of the workplace because I feel it has no place on a film set or in the cinematography community. But even if you disagree, from a pure PR perspective, you’d be better off without it so as to not risk our hard earned money spent on RED products we’re making a living with. This year has been super hard on all of us for work. The last thing we need is to be turned down for work due to a backlash to owning a RED camera and their lifestyle branding.

[Mark Phelan]

For me, personally, as someone interested in history, the skull logo and the militaristic attitude conjures up far right fascist symbolism and, as evidenced by a lot of people in this thread, I don’t think I’m alone in that. As a cinematographer, I make an effort to ensure my crew is of diverse backgrounds, but how must it feel to them arriving on set and being greeted with symbolism that represents a toxic culture that is historically sexist, racist, and violent? What kind of environment are we creating and perpetuating? Not one of inclusivity.

You don’t even have to agree with my views on this to see how this could become problematic for us as professionals overall. The world is shifting away from glorifying violent fantasies (a positive, in my opinion) whether you like it or not. Hollywood is going to follow the money, as it always has. While there hasn’t been an industry backlash to RED’s branding yet, as things in the US get increasingly worse, it could only be a matter of time before it comes. When that happens, that hurts all of our investments in RED products.

As an owner of RED Cinema Camera, I want the militaristic death lifestyle and symbol branding gone and out of the workplace because I feel it has no place on a film set or in the cinematography community. But even if you disagree, from a pure PR perspective, you’d be better off without it so as to not risk our hard earned money spent on RED products we’re making a living with. This year has been super hard on all of us for work. The last thing we need is to be turned down for work due to a backlash to owning a RED camera and their lifestyle branding.

How about Barney? Is that better?

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

How about Barney? Is that better?

This is exactly my point of the toxic environment that Hollywood might backlash to and hurt us as RED owners and the product reputation. Mark your only adding examples to my argument and could potentially be hurting all of us in the long run.

[Mark Phelan]

This is exactly my point of the toxic environment that Hollywood might backlash to and hurt us as RED owners and the product reputation. Mark your only adding examples to my argument and could potentially be hurting all of us in the long run.

Assuming you're (not your) an actual owner, you should have had this discussion with yourself BEFORE you purchased the "far right fascist" camera. You have only yourself to blame.

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

Assuming you're (not your) an actual owner, you should have had this discussion with yourself BEFORE you purchased the "far right fascist" camera. You have only yourself to blame.

You can check out my websites equipment list. http://www.alexandersutton-hough.com/equipment I am also registered as a LLC as well in California as Sutton-Hough Cinematography LLC.

I own the Red Gemini serial number #017485. I bought it through BH photo as a Dragon-x kit and upgraded 6 months later to the Gemini Sensor. Do you want me to send you invoices and emails from BH photo and Red?

This was my lively hood up until COVID hit Los Angles hard and my clients.

I chose RED because in Los Angeles a lot of my clients were demanding RED for projects so I invested where the market was demanding to make a living.

I had that discussion with myself and weighed all my camera options, but the clients I have been working with demand RED for the camera tech reputation and specs. Day one I covered up the skull with Velcro and then later replaced it with a small rig cheese plate and added custom made power cables splitter box attached to it.

So Mark would you like to share more about you? Are you a owner of a RED camera and making a living with it?

[Raymond Zananiri]

Not a good hypothetical. Childish Gambino shocked the senses with his aesthetic on "This is America" and people properly recognized it for the art that it was. If Mr Tarantino loses confidence in his ability to tell stories of grit, determination, betrayal, and general detachment, somebody will surely rise to the occasion. Perhaps even Mr. Tarantino himself!

I don't know what you mean by not good hypothetical. The point is: there are many iconic works of art from the past that would not have a chance to come to life today. Not to mention the emerging pressure to censor them altogether and pull them out of circulation.

That means we live in a very repressive period of our history.

This is not about people having differing opinions.

Museums are pulling out works of artists and canceling exhibitions.
Streaming services are rejecting productions that are "controversial".
Publishing houses are canceling book deals they made.
Universities are censoring free speech and firing faculty members.

The danger is very real and the response to it so far has been in one of two way:

1- Some decide to make an insincere apology and acknowledge that they harmed many people and ask for a chance to be rehabilitated.
2- Or, some hoodlums decide to resort to violence to rebel against this repression.

Intelligent artists need to stand up together to this, peacefully and with good composure and say that they will not accept the censorship of fellow artists no matter what their views are.

The intent of the original post is not simply to express a personal opinion. The intent is to employ those potent tactics, to galvanize public and institutional pressure to cast a company as "extremist" and pressure it to conform to their view of the world or else.

I see the same tactics used again and again and intelligent people are acquiescing, in fear.

[Michael Hastings]

Assuming you're (not your) an actual owner, you should have had this discussion with yourself BEFORE you purchased the "far right fascist" camera. You have only yourself to blame.

That's one of the dumber things I've heard on Reduser.

It's not that they think it's a fascist camera - it's just a suggestion to alter one (minor in the grand scheme of things) aspect of their business methods.

[Jacek Zakowicz]

That's one of the dumber things I've heard on Reduser.

It's not that they think it's a fascist camera - it's just a suggestion to alter one (minor in the grand scheme of things) aspect of their business methods.

I thought the branding meant "the left radical antifa camera" dang it ;-)

[Mark Phelan]

That's one of the dumber things I've heard on Reduser.

It's not that they think it's a fascist camera - it's just a suggestion to alter one (minor in the grand scheme of things) aspect of their business methods.

His words, not mine, thus the quotation marks.

[William Long]

Why take it and make it so personal?

The discussion is simply about the paint job on a very good camera.
Of course the points of view are going to differ, it's very subjective.