Seems North Carolina?s incentives to the movie industry produced one that is causing a ?little? controversy. The movie ?Hound Dog? shown at the Sundance Film Festival this week pushes the limit on child acting.
According to Paul Peterson, President of A Minor Consideration, ?12 year old actress Dakota Fanning acted out a rape scene, on camera, and in the script, was called upon to perform mutual masturbation with another actor, a scene which may or may not be in the final cut of the movie. Reports persist that the footage of the masturbation scene was conveniently destroyed.?
This movie almost did not make it since investors ?were turned off by the shocking material and didn?t want to be involved with the independent movie.? However, All Headline News reports producer Jen Gatien located emergency investors and resumed filming.
Of course there are those who ?spin? this situation as New York entertainment entrepreneur Lawrence Robins. He said, “The subject matter is very tough, but I was attracted to it because in the end it’s a story about human understanding, about a little girl who’s dealt a very bad deck of cards, but finds solace in the music of Elvis and survives.” Give me a break, Elvis’ music will never heal a rape victim.
The first review is out and Roger Friedman is not kind to Dakota?s parents for allowing their daughter to play the part.
When John Hood wrote about the incentive program back in 2003, he did not mention a movies’ content  taxpayers would be supporting.  Not only do these incentives draw producers to North Carolina, our Child Labor Laws do not pertain to children employed as actors or performers in motion pictures, theatrical, radio or television productions. These incentives and child labor laws are making our state a seed bed for those who need financial assistance in producing trash.
If there are not enough votes in the General Assembly to stop this insane and possible illegal activity of subsidizing the movie industry, the state should at least enforce guidelines on content before handing over our money.