For a program that deals with a sensitive issue, can contributors go unnamed?
Here’s the situation:
A film crew documenting the atrocities of the war between Ukraine and Russia was able to connect with several local Russian journalists. With the help of the journalists, the crew was able to film a couple of rare interviews with Russians who were vocal against their country’s invasion.
To get the crew and equipment across the border, they needed more money for travel and security expenses. They started a crowdfunding campaign to raise the funds needed to get these interviews and wrap up production of the film.
When the film was complete, the producers wanted to credit the journalists who made these incredible interviews possible. But they knew the Russian journalists’ lives would likely be at risk if they were publicly named, so the journalists were listed as “Anonymous.”
Additionally, the website through which donations were collected did not require people to list their full names, so the film team also had several anonymous funders.
Since the film covered a sensitive topic that raised security concerns, the production team felt the anonymous credits and funders could be acceptable.