GUN NEUTRAL IS A NEW INITIATIVE EXPLORING WAYS ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES, INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIONS AND STORYTELLERS CAN HELP SOLVE THE GUN VIOLENCE CRISIS IN OUR COUNTRY. 

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Regardless of format, stories on stage and screens influence minds and culture – as early as 1972, the U.S. Surgeon General found a direct connection between violence in media and the real world. Even more troubling, according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center, the portrayal of gun violence disproportionately impacts younger minds.  

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GUN NEUTRAL IS NON-PARTISAN AND NOT POLITICAL. TO SUCCEED, IT MUST NOT TAKE A SIDE IN THE DEBATE AROUND GUN CONTROL/GUN OWNERSHIP. RATHER, GUN NEUTRAL IS A COLLECTIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THOSE IN ENTERTAINMENT MUST COME TOGETHER TO DO MORE TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF GUN VIOLENCE AND SAVE LIVES, REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL POLITICS.

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Producers, directors, financiers, talent, and agents can all contribute to the effort by joining the conversation – with one another, and gun violence experts - a conversation to explore various means of greater social responsibility. This is the basis of the Gun Neutral Working Group and representatives of all entertainment-related entities are welcome.

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GUN NEUTRAL SUPPORTS THE STORYTELLER’S NEED TO BE TRUTHFUL AND AUTHENTIC IN THEIR ARTISTIC WORK, WHILE ESTABLISHING A GUN NEUTRAL DESIGNATION FOR INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIONS AND FOR COMPANIES WILLING TO MAKE A SYSTEMIC COMMITMENT.

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For a production to receive the Gun Neutral designation, it will agree to create a new budget line item that will fund two areas of focus: destroying illegal and illicit weapons and investing in youth programs for the arts in underserved areas where gun violence is most deadly.

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GUN NEUTRAL SUPPORTS THE STORYTELLER’S NEED TO BE TRUTHFUL AND AUTHENTIC IN THEIR ARTISTIC WORK, WHILE ESTABLISHING A GUN NEUTRAL DESIGNATION FOR INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIONS AND FOR COMPANIES WILLING TO MAKE A SYSTEMIC COMMITMENT.

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The suggested charge per prop gun is $100 (low budget), $500 (mid budget) and $1,000 (high budget). For example, if there are 50 prop guns included in the final cut of your mid-budget ($20,000,000) film, consider charging the production $500 per gun or $25,000, a .125% charge against the total budget.

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GUN NEUTRAL IS ALSO WORKING WITH RESEARCHERS WHO ARE LOOKING AT STUDIES AND DATA THAT CAN PROVIDE STORYTELLERS WITH MORE CONTEXT AND DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS TO USE WHEN MAKING CREATIVE CHOICES THAT DEAL WITH GUN VIOLENCE. THESE FINDINGS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE INDUSTRY-WIDE.

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For example, the Annenberg Public Policy Center is going to embark on a relevant study that looks at the role of media gun violence on youth at various levels.

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ADDING LINE ITEMS TO BUDGETS CAN TRIGGER HIGHER TIERS AND FEES WHICH CAN COMPLICATE PRODUCTION.

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Gun Neutral is working with the unions to disqualify the Gun Neutral line item from tier designation.

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AT ITS CORE, GUN NEUTRAL IS A BELIEF THAT THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY CAN COLLABORATE TO SOURCE NEW SOLUTIONS THAT WILL SLOW AND POTENTIALLY HALT THE GROWING NATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS OF GUN VIOLENCE, STARTING NOW, BY THINKING MORE RESPONSIBLY ABOUT THE POWER OF OUR INDUSTRY.