Ben Tinguely
November 7, 2016
Interest Group
Freedom of Filmmakers
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is “the voice of one of the country’s strongest and most vibrant industries.” The major motion picture studios organization was founded by William Hays in 1922 to protect and support the industry. The Hays Code, a self-censorship system to ensure “absence of ‘offensive material’” and prevent government interference in filmmaking. As right movements were progressing, the film industry wanted to remove this code for more artistic freedoms. In 1968, the Hays Code was replaced with a film rating system created by Jack Valenti that lives on as a symbol of “American freedom of expression.” Today, the core mission of the interest group is to “advance the business and art of filmmaking, protect the creative and artistic freedoms of filmmakers, and ensure the satisfaction of [our] audience worldwide.”
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Senator Chris Dodd. Dodd worked for 36 years in the United States Congress earning the trust of both Democrats and Republicans and was widely respected for his participation in several national policy debates. His connections in Congress help Dodd appeal to policy institutions, such as the three branches of government, to allow creative freedoms of filmmakers that “safeguard intellectual property rights, advance technology-driven innovation, and open global markets to the uniquely powerful medium of film.” This interest group is so effective because of not only its connections inside the government, but also its commitment to protecting the constitutionality of free speech, the First Amendment, and the rights of those to tell and share their