Sexist America, Racist Hollywood
by Jaden
Since the dawn of my website Screenwriting for Hollywood, I wanted to write about prejudice in Hollywood, but was advised against it.
Good table manners, right? Do not discuss politics, religion, money, or sex.
Uh oh, here we go…
With America’s most controversial election on the horizon, what better time to talk about racism and sexism in Hollywood?
Reality is not what you see on the screen. Even shows that call themselves “reality shows” are selective and manipulating.
Movies and TV do not accurately reflect America’s population when it comes to race, gender, career, and crime. Characters are often unrealistic stereotypes that aid to suppress certain groups of people.
Due to this year’s presidential candidates, I have heard many racist and sexist jokes. My first thought is: Clearly, you didn’t go to college. Yet, truth is, a lot of these people did go to college.
Many years ago, I co-wrote a script with two female lead characters. A reader at ICM (International Creative Management) who gave coverage on it said that scripts like ours would never exist if it were not for Sex and the City.
Hmmmm, I am a female living in Hollywood, is it really that strange that I would write a story about women in a big city?
Aside of having strong female leads and being in a city, nothing else in the script was like Sex and the City. Our characters are a generation younger and wander through the gritty underbelly of a city, not the upscale shi-shi side of Manhattan. The female and male characters are based on real people and many of the incidents are true, yet the reader said they are unbelievable.
There are millions of women who live in big cities, yet we can only have the one specific subculture that is represented in Sex and the City?
Talk about being put in a box!
A large untapped market of women would pay to see stories to which they can relate, stories written by women for women. I’m not talking about Lifetime television movies wherein all the women get stalked and killed. I’m talking about real inspiring women and fun stories that men can enjoy too.
The new box for any female screenwriter trying to break into Hollywood is the stripper blogger Diablo Cody Juno box. Now, female writers would not exist if it were not for her, right?
Half the population are women!
In 80 years of Academy Awards, from what I can gather, only three women without male writing partners have won an Oscar for writing and zero non-white male.
In 1930 and 1932, Frances Marion won for her scripts The Big House and The Champ. 71 years went by before the next solo female writer was to win. Sofia Coppola, daughter of the famous award-winning father Francis Coppola, won for Lost in Translation in 2003. And for Juno, Diablo Cody won in 2007.
In 219 years in America, all the presidents have been Caucasian men.
Racism, sexism, xenophobia, and many other prejudice are alive and sustaining. When you decide to take up a career in Hollywood, be prepared for this road block.
My modest estimate from working in Hollywood for a decade is that 85% of screenwriters and directors are white male. It is a boy’s club to be sure.
For the few race and gender exceptions who break through, seldom are they recognized for their talents, and often they are picked apart and scrutinized.
One of the most beautiful, creative, and intelligent films I have seen is Frida, for which director Julie Taymor did not get nominated.
Endless untapped talent is ignored and rejected out of fear and ignorance.
Who do you envision as a terrorist? Who plays the funny sidekick? Who is the drug dealer? Who plays a thief? How about the gangster? What people are needy and weak? Who knows martial arts? What is a sexy line of work? What color does the bad guy wear? What color does the good guy wear?
Each of those questions prompts a stereotypical image in your mind of a specific race and gender; how do you think those images got in your mind and who put them there?
If you don’t know drug dealers, don’t write about them, because in my hometown, the drug dealers were not Black, they were Caucasian.
If you are going to write about strippers, you ought to know some, because you will see that they are not all pretty and their lives are far from glamorous.
If you are going to write about terrorists, go beyond what is current propaganda, because all the Middle Easterners I know are spiritual loving prosperous Americans who deserve kindness from their neighbors, not suspicion and crappy movie roles.
One successful Iraqi man I know living in Hollywood (who looks just as white as any European and uses a fictitious name, like half the Hollywood Middle Easterners I know) recently lost nearly all of his family to the hands of Americans in his homeland. With sadness in his heart, he holds no grudge and comes to work everyday with a smile on his face, glad he is alive and in a position to make money to send back home to the remaining survivors.
You will not see current heartbreaking stories like these on the screen because America and Hollywood do not want you to know. Furthermore, the American public will not pay to see such movies when they are losing their own sons and need an enemy for justification.
As a screenwriter selling to Hollywood, don’t sell your soul by being part of the suppression machine that teaches hate to the subconscious. Know about what you are writing from first-hand experience. Turn stereotypes upside down. Dig deep in your research. Let the light shine.
A commendable war film project directed by Clint Eastwood are the two films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. With an honest and respectful approach, two entire films are dedicated to showing the perspective of each side, the Americans and the Japanese. This is a beautiful endeavor.
For screenwriters who are not white male and not in a position of power, I strongly suggest making your own films. With today’s technology and the Internet, cost of filmmaking is affordable, and the want of the public will speak for itself.
Choose to have a positive effect on the world.
[In the comments section, you may read additional discussion brought forth by Friar about the overplayed stereotypes placed upon white men.]
Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Move to Hollywood
by Dirtbag
Put a bunch of rats in a small cage and what do you think happens?
photo credit: jurvetson
1) Los Angeles is rated number one as America’s “Most Polluted City” by Forbes.
2) You will have plenty of time to apply makeup, eat breakfast, read the newspaper, email your mom, and build your website while sitting in traffic driving to your job as Assistant to the Receptionist.
3) With 10,000,000 friendly people in Los Angeles, if one stabs you in the back you still have 9,999,999 to go.
4) Cost of living, gas, and homes are inflated, just like every woman’s breasts.
5) You like the sunshine? It never rains. Your brain will be in a drought, permanently.
The Agent Trap
by Jaden
Agents and lawyers have a bad rap for being megalomaniacs.
Just like in any group, the few extremists give the rest a bad name.
I have heard stories about agents who curse, yell, and throw things at their assistants. As fun as that sounds, when it is unwelcome, it can break down a person’s good spirit.
Agencies are like fraternities; they do some heavy hazing before they let agent-hopefuls climb the ranks.
Although agents get away with a lot of bad behavior, there are lots of people like me who take note and would never give the brash ones my business.
One time, I was working in the entertainment legal department of a television network. Some young flunky lawyer who thought he was a hotshot agent was trying to play hardball with the old school attorney for whom I worked.
On behalf of the network, we were negotiating with the representatives of the actor for our television show pilot. Because the agreement is a seriously detailed seven-year binding contract between the actor and the network, often sensitive negotiations go right up until the audition time.
The actor is not allowed to audition if the agreement is not signed.
After weeks of negotiation, this nobody agent was still arguing over some silly detail for his nobody teenage actress, something like whether there would be one or two doors on her trailer. Whatever it was, it was a detail that the company didn’t allow to be changed even for big name actors. As the agent was busy making unrealistic demands over the phone, the strict audition time passed for the poor little girl who was sitting out in the lobby.
As this was a one-shot deal, another actress was chosen and the TV show went on to great success. Many years have passed since then. This sweet and talented actress, who was the number one choice for the show, never landed any other major roles because she had a cocky no-good agent.
After everyone had gone home, this guy calls me back and asks for the Vice President. I say, “She’s left for the day. The auditions are over. Your client missed it.”
The agent says to me, “You’re lying. Put your boss on the phone.”
Talk about dumb arrogance! What could I do? There was no boss to put on the phone. We weren’t playing games with him, like he was with us. Our group was a straight shootin’ bunch. We honestly did what we reasonably could for this actress.
When the rest of the legal team came back the next day, we all had a good laugh about this agent’s illusions of grandeur. Other lawyers had a few stories to share about him too. And I can tell you, I told all my friends in the industry to avoid dealing with this guy.
The day was done! The cast had already been selected for our TV show, and here’s this guy calling me a liar, and still trying to make demands. He had no idea how to do his job or what was the process.
A bad agent can ruin a person’s entire career. Sometimes, a golden opportunity comes once in a lifetime.
As a writer or actor, your name can be tarnished by those who represent you. You must choose wisely. Never be desperate about selecting your representation. Be confident that you are valuable and that you want to work with someone who is worthy of you. Keep in mind that any money you make from your hard work, your agent gets 10-20% of it. Don’t pick a jerk who doesn’t deserve it!
In this case, it was the perfect role for this girl and the director wanted her specifically. If your rep blows it for you — that’s it! Game over. We, at the network, all felt terrible for this young actress, but there was nothing we could do for her.
Being a dolt does not serve the agent or the client or anyone else involved. Rude behavior never wins.
You can play hardball with good manners. “No, I am sorry we cannot accept that offer. We want two doors and ten mirrors in the trailer. If you change your mind, call me. It has been a real pleasure negotiating with you.”
Before saying something like that, and before flushing a client’s career down the toilet for some extra doors and mirrors, agents and lawyers ought to do their homework. Find out whether your demands are realistic or not. Ask your co-workers at your agency.
In this agent’s case, plenty of his co-workers had done similar deals with our network. Asking a few people, he would have found out that even higher paid, more notable, actors had not received that for which he was demanding.
Not only did the young actress miss a huge opportunity, but also the agent/lawyer (he was some kind of crossbreed) lost out on his 15% of her money for the next seven years!
There are lots of other negative ways a client is seriously affected by their agent’s rude behavior, but legally, I can’t share that information. Just know that it is better for all parties to play it safe and be nice!
Choose representation that will reflect positively on you, someone who has your best interests in mind, not someone who is blowing air into his inflatable ego. When you are making money, the agent is making money. Sometimes, it seems like agents forget that.
ADVICE TO AGENTS AND LAWYERS:
Treat every person with respect.
Never make absurd accusations or demands.
Do your homework.
Say “please” and “thank you.”
Scariest Horror Films of All Time
by Jaden
What do you do when a stranger calls on Halloween, says her name is Carrie, she’s from Texas, she auditioned for your film last summer, and she’s been dreaming about you ever since?
Hang up!
1999, Ôdishon (aka Audition)
Audition was one movie I did not have to see. This Japanese film was unforgettably unsettling. A nice man loses his wife many years earlier and is encouraged by his son and sleazy friend to start dating again. The sleazy friend sets up a fake film audition where the nice man finds the talented pretty Yamazaki Asami. The young woman, who was abused as a child, tortures the man in ways that are unbearable to watch. Novel by Ryû Murakami, Daisuke Tengan wrote the screenplay.
1979, When a Stranger Calls
As a young child, I saw the original When a Stranger Calls. The majority of the film is not gory, but the suspense and real time of the movie sure make going to sleep difficult. Written by Steve Feke and Fred Walton, the story is: the kids are in bed sleeping while the babysitter receives scary menacing phone calls. This one hit a little too close to home. Forever in my head, I will hear that creepy voice asking, “Have you checked the children?”
1974, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
When I was a kid, this was rumored to be a true story. Apparently, it is loosely based on the real crimes of Ed Gein, a real life killer who also inspired the movie Psycho. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho
1976, Carrie
This is the kind of scary movie all kids should be forced to watch. A high school girl has magick powers and does terrible things to people when they are mean to her. Like a Disney movie, Carrie teaches a good lesson: be nice to your classmates. Novel written by Stephen King, screenplay was adapted for screen by Lawrence D. Cohen.
1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street
For horror film ideas, Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street is genius. Freddy Krueger is a phenomenon who comes to kill you in your nightmares. My childhood friends and I pondered endlessly: Would you die in real life if you died in your dream? It was the big question. We all have had dreams about dying, but no one ever hits the ground! When good ol’ Freddy started entering my dreams at night, that was it, the end of my horror film parade.
What horror films traumatized you?
Bad Attitudes Will Sink You in Hollywood:
The Ingénue
by Jaden
One time, I worked with this actress on a terrible B-movie for over a month. 
We had to work with each other from 12 to 20 hours per day. She hardly said a single word to me, not even “hello” or “thank you.” When male actors sat with me at lunch, she called them to come sit with her. If a high level crew member like the AD or DP was talking to me, she would call them to come help her with something pathetic, like walking — not kidding.
When lower level crew asked her questions, she ignored them.
The crew nicknamed the film The (actress’s name) Witch Project.
One time between shots, two excited little girls on the street asked if they could take her picture. “I only give autographs,” she said. Autographs? Who needs her name scribbled on a napkin? Keep it and blow your snubby nose with it, lady.
To the lead actor and director, this actress was gushingly nice.
Just before this movie, the ingénue had starred in a film as Brad Pitt’s leading lady. She was on her way to being the next Gwyneth Paltrow or Angelina Jolie. She was equally pretty and as good of an actor, but by being unpleasant and ungrateful, the actress smudged out her future.
The ingénue’s career has been like amber fossilizing insects. Every film in which this woman has starred is a shelved artifact.
Bad attitudes cause negativity on the production set which transcends the film.
Happy casts and crews make box office hits!
At panel discussions with actors, writers, and directors, before Oscars are ever given, I can always tell who will win. The winners have a contagious positive spirit and speak kindly of each other.
Talking about how much fun they had and how hard they worked, the cast of Chicago
Be genuinely kind and appreciative if you want to succeed.
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