Over the course of the past year you may have seen some posts on the OiNK Blog about a new short film. These contained screen captures of interviewees including myself and my credit at the end of the film for research and fact-checking. When some factual errors cropped up in the film, and some choices surrounding it as a whole were made that weren’t in keeping with OiNK, I raised my concerns as the aforementioned fact-checker in good faith. Attempts were made to reach a mutually agreeable resolution thanks to another individual with the same concerns, and things seemed to be back on track when there was a sudden and complete breakdown in communication.
It’s with a heavy heart that I’ve decided to walk away from the film. This shouldn’t take anything away from the OiNK creative team (and their relatives) who appear, or those genuine pig pals such as Jamie Smart and Laura Howell who have interacted with the OiNK community in the past and spoken about growing up with the comic. However, due to some editorial decisions I’ll no longer be taking part. At the end of the day I feel I’m in a unique position here, that if I (and the OiNK Blog) appeared in the film with my credited role I’d be endorsing everything said about the comic and its three editors and I can’t do that. I’ve requested that I, the blog and any images from it be edited out and all credits removed.
What should’ve been a highlight of my blog work became extraordinarily stressful. Thankfully, my friends rallied around me including some who worked on OiNK, so thank you all. There are still quite a few OiNK creatives in the mix and those genuine fans too (who talk eloquently – and factually – about their time with the comic) and what they have to say is fascinating. But things haven’t turned out as I’d hoped.
However, “every cloud” and all that. Watch this space for some very exciting news about a project planned long before this film was announced, one that will hopefully be proceeding with pace now. Keep it tuned to the OiNK Blog, pig pals!
