TRAILERS
Must Watch: First Trailer for 'Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press'
by Alex Billington
June 15, 2017
Source: YouTube
"He's doing this because he wants to bring Gawker down." Netflix has premiered the official trailer for the documentary Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, the latest from acclaimed filmmaker Brian Knappenberger, of the docs We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists and The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz. Knappenberger is one of my favorite doc filmmakers, as he understands the internet better than most people, and always sheds a light on the truth no matter how hard it is to find. Nobody Speak dives deep into the case of Hulk Hogan (aka Terry Bollea) vs Gawker. Unfortunately, Gawker lost the trial and they had to shut down because of this defeat. The film looks at how the idea of a free press is fading away, and the most powerful people with the most money are taking control over everything. This premiered at Sundance and it's a riveting, frightening, remarkable doc that you should take time to watch.
Trailer (+ poster) for Brian Knappenberger's doc Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, on YouTube:
The trial between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media pitted privacy rights against freedom of the press, and raised important questions about how big money can silence media. This film is an examination of the perils and duties of the free press. In an age of extreme inequality, how vulnerable is a free press that has lost most of its traditional sources of income? Perhaps most frightening, what could a billionaire with the executive branch at his command do to those who have angered him? Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press is directed by talented documentary filmmaker Brian Knappenberger (@knappB), of the docs We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists and The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz. This doc first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, and also played at SXSW and Hot Docs. Netflix releases Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press streaming starting June 23rd this month. Must watch doc.
36 Comments
1
This looks like a terrifying horror movie
TheOct8pus on Jun 15, 2017
3
I'm torn. Absolutely a 1st Amendement defender to the death. But the world is no worse off without Gawker. I know that the 1st amendment is there to protect the free speech of those we disagree with...It just makes me squirm to know that TMZ and the National Enquirer enjoys that right as much as the Washington Post or NYT.
kitano0 on Jun 15, 2017
4
They don't enjoy the right, they abuse and perverse it.
CyraNOSE on Jun 15, 2017
5
Watch the documentary, it discusses and questions this balance and the difficulty of defending freedoms. But, in the end, what matters most is that they deserve that right and you can't pick and choose who gets it. Which is what those in power are doing, which is way way way way worse than anything TMZ or National Enquirer is doing.
Alex Billington on Jun 15, 2017
6
I'm sure you've heard the phrase "your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins". This was a a victory for that. Gawkers right to a sensationalized story ended where Terry Bollea's right to privacy began. What Gawker did was invasive and unnecessary. It was an attempt to elevate they're barely there publication into the heights of tabloids. This is not some doc about the death of free press, it's about Gawker supporters sour grapes.Sorry Alex but someone's personal privacy trumps Gawkers desire to know.
Eric Wilson on Jun 16, 2017
7
Hmmm, you film yourself having sexual relations with somebody, and want the damn thing to be private, nonetheless. Makes perfect sense.
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
9
Unfortunately, America is making it a worldwide problem ...
shiboleth on Jun 16, 2017
10
Don't worry, I'm American and even I don't understand America. I blame centuries of isolation from the rest of the world for that, I'm afraid.
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
11
Free press??? This is stalking and harassment, not to mention how they maliciously slander people. Printing the news is one thing, the facts, but this crap is creepy and wrong.
CyraNOSE on Jun 15, 2017
12
Maybe you should watch the documentary... This is exactly what is discusses - the balance of both sides. And no, FUCK NO, "good for Thiel and Trump". Are you out of your mind?! This is a gross abuse of power. Watch the documentary before you say anything more.
Alex Billington on Jun 15, 2017
13
Bull-SHIT. That's exactly what the hell happens when you're "reasonably" famous, and make a God-damn sex tape. The moral of this whole thing should be don't film yourself fucking, period.
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
15
Truth gets twisted up and published out of context by media journalism to bait an audience. Journalism now wants to shed light on twisted manipulated truth? Strange.
Cyberdine on Jun 15, 2017
16
No ones a winner. Just people acting for their own self interest.
DAVIDPD on Jun 15, 2017
17
Oh come on Alex, you, and the documentary itself, are both projecting the matter like it's some blockbuster movie. THAT's ridiculous. You both need to tone it down. This is not Star Wars or other big movie. If it was presented as a PBS documentary, without the inappropriate background music and presentation hype, you wouldn't be so excited about it, would you?
twistys on Jun 15, 2017
18
...then don't film yourself having sex with someone, period. You guys are idiots.
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
19
Uh... I've SEEN the film, it IS worthy of being support and talked about. And no, I am not making this seem like a blockbuster movie. I am supporting a film that I think deserves the support and attention. I am also a big fan of the director, Brian Knappenberger, he's one of my favorite doc filmmakers because his work is so top notch.
Alex Billington on Jun 17, 2017
20
There's much more to it than free press. Of course, I do support freedom of expression, what else should I do? But, coming together with the capital, with the big business as well, media can't undo so many wrong things that happened to that freedom since money started to dictate what can be or can't be expressed ...
shiboleth on Jun 16, 2017
21
This is what the documentary addresses... Newspapers are being bought up by billionaires in order to maintain control. The doc tells the story of one Las Vegas newspaper. That's what this doc is about - the fading of the free press. Watch the film and you may actually like it.
Alex Billington on Jun 16, 2017
22
Whatever you've been reading and whoever you've been listening to hasn't been good for you, believe me. Any non-partisan person that's been paying attention knows that the press isn't particularly in love with the Clintons, and you maintain the Clintons run the press. You were not alive in the 90's, or slept through them.
kitano0 on Jun 17, 2017
23
Honestly looks like a conspiracy theory more than a documentary. Gawker had a history of invading the private lives of people and putting them out for the world to see. They had no right to do so. Turnabout is fair play, they messed with someones private life, they got their asses kicked in court. Did that other guy fund it because of a grudge? Possibly, but so what? They had apparently been doing the same thing to his private life years ago over something as personal as orientation. They earned their fate. And then it looks like it turns from a very poor example to a case against the president's agenda with the media. I don't care which side of that political argument you are on, the hulk hogan case isn't a good example. They did wrong and got smacked for it, it was well deserved IMO.
Benjamin Berger on Jun 16, 2017
24
No, it's not well deserved. Watch the documentary and maybe you'll change your mind. The problem is that this is just one example of the billionaires taking control of the media and not letting anyone say anything bad about them. The doc is not as much about Gawker as it is about the "free press", and the fact that this freedom is fading. It's scary. You should be worried of a world where you, or anyone, just says "so what?" when the media loses its right to cover news all because some billionaires don't like them. That's more frightening than anything Gawker has ever published.
Alex Billington on Jun 16, 2017
25
Strongly disagree on it being deserved; and you offered no reason why it wasn't. As for losing the right that would be frightening. However I don't see a limiting of rights on journalists. I see an expansion of rights of citizens to sue them when they step out of line. When I a get a chance I'll give it a watch, but if they are trying to frame the conversation around innocent journalists vs vicious billionaires then it is propaganda with a particular political leaning an not a real representation of what is happening IMO.
Benjamin Berger on Jun 19, 2017
26
I don't need to offer a reason because this documentary explains it. And you have to be an idiot to miss the point that the fear here is not just normal citizens, but wealthy people, powerful people, who use their money and power to cover up their wrongdoings and shady sides. That is the entire point of this doc, and the bigger issue here, not just about Gawker. Pull your head out of the sand.
Alex Billington on Jun 19, 2017
27
Got it, you can't defend your opinions so you resort to ad hominem. Now I'm TOTALLY going listen to your POV. Suffice it to say, I know the details of the case with hogan and other reports they have done, without the aid of a propaganda film to tell me what to think. I know they did wrong and got a comeuppance. Even if there were other factors the film is trying to point out, and who knows they might even have some valid points, it is still a bad example case IMO. I hold no sympathy for them based the multiple times they have invaded the privacy of citizens, even if they think they had a good excuse to muckrake.
Benjamin Berger on Jun 21, 2017
28
Again, this is what the film discusses (that Gawker is a bad example to defend but it is one that everyone is aware of at least). Also, this is NOT propaganda. You haven't even seen the film and you're attacking it, and mislabeling it? Where is your defense? And yes, I am allowed to say the FILM which you haven't even seen, backs up everything I've been saying. I don't need to waste my time explaining anything to you, especially because it won't make you open your eyes/mind anyway. Your loss.
Alex Billington on Jun 21, 2017
29
So now are walking back your previous statements think Gawker IS a bad example, just a known one. It is only mislabeling if you can show that it isn't propaganda, but as you are aware until it comes out all I can see is a trailer that very quickly jumps from a bad test case to criticizing political agendas. And since you have effectively dodged all opportunities to share even a basic reason, my labeling goes unchallenged. If you think a film has some redeeming quality then at some point during a conversation you have to express reasons why, not just say that it "backs everything up" sight unseen. It isn't even out yet, so if you want to discuss it you have to share what you saw with those of us who can't until its release. I find it sad that as a mod you didn't try to approach this exchange with a bit more decorum, you opted to attack me instead of offering any counter to my points. I have been entirely open to reasonable thoughts and comments, but you failed to offer any, repeating over and over that a film that is as yet unavailable to watch, would explain it all, As if that satisfied any burden on your part to express an opposing thought to an argument. The only reason your time was wasted is that you didn't bother to show up with a reasonable thought or argument, explaining almost nothing at all. I can watch the film once it is released and see if it sways my take on things in the long run, but you can't go back and unlose this argument. Cheers
Benjamin Berger on Jun 22, 2017
30
So, let me get this straight: you film yourself having sex with somebody, and yet, you want the damn thing to be private? Private to who, or whom, exactly? The rest of Hulk's, or whatever's family? God, you guys here are a load of shit.
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
31
To call Gawker "press" and "journalism" is an insult to a real journalist. Gawker was a cesspool of shit that ruined peoples lives. They outed a gay man just for shit and giggles and for him working for another press corp. They posted links to "the fappening" just to post a gazillion stories about how men are all bad. During Hulk trials one of the editors in chief actually said that he drew the line of sex tapes if the one participating is younger than 4. Its just too bad that Thiel stopped at Gawker. Their sister sites such as Root, Jezebel etc continue to be the absolute trash of internet to this day. Sad to see Gizmodo turning to shit after being invaded by former Gawker bloggers.
Caleb Ericsson on Jun 17, 2017
32
...you mean former Gawker bloggers that add articles about animals on Gizmodo, even though the very word "Gizmodo" sounds about as far away from zoology and biology as one can possibly get? Is that why you hate Gizmodo, now?
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
33
What animals what zoology?
Caleb Ericsson on Jun 19, 2017
34
Wow, all of these people getting their collective panties in a twist over Gawker. I guess that's what happens when you get political in a site about movies, eh, Alex?
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
35
Hmm, sounds like Trump to me...
Mark Brackney on Jun 17, 2017
36
Looks a bit one sided from the trailer
Mike Fareri on Jun 19, 2017
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