THE FINGER OF SUSPICION

Last week it was widely reported that women don't blog, which is news to me. Plenty of us in the blogosphere are hard at it, thanks to sites like Blogger. But there can't be many bloggers out there who've had every single item flagged up to the blog police as potential 'objectionable content'. Apart from Filmflam that is, according to Google, who owns Blogger.

All I can conclude from this is somebody's got their knickers in a twist. That's good. It means I'm doing my job. Like the header says - 'She cares so you don't have to' - the 'you' being the thousands of people from all over the planet, fellow filmmakers linked to my blog from other sites, blogs and message boards, who seem to agree that I'm saying the stuff that ought to be said. Anyone petty enough to wear out their finger repeatedly clicking a flag button to complain about my blog deserves RSI. And chipped nail varnish.

It doesn't take a genius to work out who the phantom flaggers are, judging by my stats - which lists every visitor to the site. You know who you are - and so do I. But until Blogger decides the content of Filmflam is too objectionable for public consumption I plan to keep on reporting on the highs and lows of Scottish film and the shenanigans of those who make life hard for filmmakers while pretending to support them or by offering 'opportunities' - shorthand for working for less than the going rate.

This may disappoint all you frustrated flaggers out there but you've got a choice. One - if you don't like my opinions, don't read them. Two - if you really don't like my opinions, you're free to disagree - either anonymously or privately via my email, if you're that shy.

As Blogger states - one person's vulgarity is another's poetry. Besides, what's so objectionable about presenting facts, opinions and gossip? Unless folk have something to hide, of course. When I started this blog last year it wasn't my mission to take a swipe at anyone, but as time passed and more and more fellow filmmakers told me about the shabby way they've been treated - by funding bodies, producers, TV companies and dodgy outfits (I wonder how Propeller TV's doing these days?) somebody had to claim the right of reply. All the facts are out there anyway, the rest is opinion.

As Voltaire said, 'We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation". Those ideas have to start somewhere - but not if we gag free-thinkers. Still, a girl can't be too careful. That's why my blogs are safely archived away from this site and in the unlikely event of censorship, ready to be posted elsewhere at the click of a button. That's what you call forward planning...