I have a tip for aspiring filmmaker Christopher Ciccone: leave your sister out of your movie. The young director is brother to famed singer Madonna, who has had her own level of successes and failures in film, but tends to bring down those around her. Look at her collaboration with now-ex-husband Guy Ritche: Swept Away. Or, for that matter, how about long-ago-ex-husband Sean Penn: Shanghai Surprise (which I’m sure the Milk actor would love if people would forget).

Christopher Ciccone hasn’t avoided working with Madonna in the past, having directed several of her music videos. Now he’s moving into the world of feature films, however, and will direct a teen thriller titled Twist. So we suggest again, leave Madonna uninvolved with your picture.

Right now, other than the notice that he’s Madonna’s brother in HR’s report, there doesn’t seem to be any collaboration between the two on Twist. The picture will be produced through Usonian Entertainment, which was written by Jay and Karen Milner, who will co-produce the movie. Hopefully Ciccone will heed our warning, if only to give his movie every possible opportunity at succeeding.