Scott Smiley - LDS Filmmaker and Church Employee

Scott Smiley, an employee at the LDS church in the film department, was also a director and first assistant director on the film 127 Hours.  He took time off from his full time work at the LDS church to direct this film.  In our opinion, this is unacceptable. 

The following are unsensored (aplogies) outtakes and music from the film.  Truth in Mormon Media was in touch with David Nielson, the director of the LDS Motion Picture Studios.  David Neilson's only response was that the church doesn't monitor the outside work of church employees, and that we should not judge.  A similar communication with Elder Bednar, the eclesiastical leader of the Motion Picture Studio, has to date not been returned.

A Double Standard

http://www.ldsliving.com/story/63521-is-trouble-brewing-lds-actors-get-super-bowl-exposure

The above links to an LDS Living article regarding LDS actors involved in suspect film and commercial projects that may prove problematic when seeking future acting work with the Church.  (Kirby Heyborne has not acted in a church film since appearing in a beer commercial)  The comments that follow the article actually peaked my interest regarding a double standard within the church film community with actors vs. crew.  

Scott Smiley

- Scott Smiley is an employee of the church in the film department, and works at the Motion Picture Studio in Provo.  

- He is most currently working on the New Testament film on the church's massive new backlot studio in Southern Utah.

- Scott took time off from his employment with the church  in 2010 to work on the movie, 127 Hours, an explicit rated R movie. (see below)

- He is credited as an Assistant Director, and a 2nd Unit Director with IMDB.

Action taken:

I contacted David Neilson, the director of the Audiovisual Department, and was told that MPAA ratings are not given until the end of films, and that we need to use caution when judging in these matters.  I told him that I was surprised that an employee of the church could be involved in an explicit movie, and return to full time employment without any problems.  I also sent a queery to Elder Bednar who oversees church Audiovisual and was referred to Bro. Neilson.  

Summary:

I am baffled that a church employee is allowed to take time off work and be involved in an explicit rated R movie in a key position, and then return to work without reprisal.  I understand the nature of casting actors that will not distract from the messaging of the church, but see a large double standard as outlined.  How can we hold an actor to high standards, but not hold a director (and an employee of the church) to an equally high standard when it comes to the films they choose to work on.  The movie 127 Hours states the 'F' word more than 17 times, and has nudity.  I can't imagine that we would give an actress, and also an employee of the church, such a pass if the clothing was removed and the words spoken.  

The film 127 Hours contains the following from screenit.com:

SEX/NUDITY

The opening song, "Never Hear Surf Music Again" by Free Blood has lyrics such as "Take it if it makes you numb, take it if it makes you come," "Never gonna get enough" and "Never gonna take too much."

Aron asks Christie and Megan about which way they want to get to a particular destination, saying one will be a guaranteed best time they can have with their clothes on, although he jokingly adds that it's better with them off. He's talking about them wedging their bodies between two vertical rock surfaces and then going limp to allow themselves to fall a long way into a body of water below them. They do this repeatedly, with Christie taking off her shirt down to her sports bra (or the equivalent).

We see a flashback to Aron in the shower (head and shoulders) and then in his place in just a towel.

Aron imagines a woman in a bikini top.

We see a flashback to Aron and many other young people (women and men) stripping in a vehicle parked out in the snow. Beyond bare backs, we don't see any explicit nudity, but it's implied they're all fully nude to experience the thrill of the cold air on the bare skin.

We see a flashback to Aron in bed with his girlfriend. Both are presumably nude (we see her bare shoulders as she's on her side while he's on his back, shirtless) and she talks about trying to crack his "combination" (presumably to his heart). She then runs her hand down his chest and under the sheets saying she thinks she already has the combination (presumably meaning stimulating will do the job).

Aron watches video playback on his camera of Christie and Megan in the watering hole, and he pauses the video on a shot of one's cleavage. He then puts his hand down inside his pants (nothing seen) and is then upset when nothing apparently happens.

We see Aron shirtless while swimming.

PROFANITY

At least 17 "f" words, 5 "s" words, 1 crap, 2 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "God," "Jesus" and "Swear to God."

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Move this f*cking rock," "How the f*ck did that get here?" "A big f*cking hard hero," "He's bat-sh*t," "You're bat-sh*t," "Piece of sh*t," "This is insane," "I'm in pretty deep doo-doo here," "This is freaking me out," "I almost pissed my pants," "Need to be chilled like sauvignon blanc," "It's no Slurpee," "A bag of piss," "You look like the hole in the wall gang" and "Dorks."

A miscellaneous person is seen with an arm tattoo.

Aron has Christie and Megan follow him on a certain route through the desert that results in the three of them wedging their bodies between two vertical rock surfaces. He then slips and disappears in his fall that then results in him landing in a body of water. They then realize he did that on purpose and for fun, so they reluctantly do the same, one after the other, and then repeatedly do that for fun.

Aron wraps a tourniquet around his trapped arm and tries cutting his forearm with his pocketknife blade, but it's too dull to cut through the skin. He later breaks and then amputates that arm.

Aron drinks his own urine, has to keep himself from retching, and jokes that it's no Slurpee (and mentions a "bag of piss").