The Ethics of Filmmaking: How the Genetic History of Works Affects their Value

This chapter begins with a reconstruction and critique of Gaut's ethicist position, so as to argue for an expanded ethicism that gives weight to concepts of harm and vulnerability as they relate to the way in which works are made. Focusing on the “genetic” histories of specific audio-visual works, it develops a spectrum of artistically relevant ethical merits and demerits and provides an indication of how the position of a given work on this spectrum should be determined. Film production ethics takes seriously the task of identifying, clarifying, and strengthening the force of ethical norms as they relate to film production. Films having ethical flaws due to the single-minded pursuit of artistic goals/value by ethically dubious means occupy yet another position on the spectrum. Utøya: July 22 is especially deserving of inclusion in the category of films on the most virtuous end of the artistically relevant ethical spectrum.