Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

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  • Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

    Hi Done Dealers,

    This week's vid on SCRIPTFELLA is not exactly an easy watch but I'd love to hear your thoughts - were the notes I got from my producer racist?

    https://youtu.be/2Z9DQgZc65M

    best

    Dominic

  • #2
    Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

    That was a great vid. One takeaway is that it emphasizes that no matter the lip-service the higher-ups and talking heads say about any social issues, it's the story-tellers whose courage will drive change: Poets, novelists, oral storytellers, journalists, and probably even screenwriters.

    Well, it's late for me, tonight, but tomorrow morning I think I'm going to double-down on marketing my "Little Sheep" story (95% African characters), and maybe even dredge up my old pre-colonial East African dinosaur epic, "Thunder Lizards of the Bakongo".

    Why the hell not, eh?! Let's change the world!
    Last edited by catcon; 06-29-2019, 04:17 AM. Reason: who's => whose (thanks for not picking on me!)

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    • #3
      Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

      Originally posted by SCRIPTFELLA View Post
      Hi Done Dealers,

      This week's vid on SCRIPTFELLA is not exactly an easy watch but I'd love to hear your thoughts - were the notes I got from my producer racist?

      https://youtu.be/2Z9DQgZc65M

      best

      Dominic
      Certainly some of those notes were racist, but this story, as you tell it, borders on incoherence. You never name or describe the original IP -- if it featured a primarily white cast in a South African setting, that would have been a pretty strong signal. Yet you pitched a different story and tried to move ahead?

      Also, I think anything politically controversial re SA has always been a tough sell. A friend (veteran screenwriter) tried to do story of the CIA station chief setting up Mandela for the original bust -- no one would touch -- U.S. definitely does not want to take the rap for this so will never be made -- at least by Hollywood. Instead we get something as lame as 'Invictus.' Also John Irvin, a fairly respected director, did a film about the same subject a couple years back, which never got out of the festival circuit. This seems to have also been the fate of the Mandela film you mention having worked on. I don't think this is all coincidental.

      Re 'The Wire,' I take your point, but worth remembering, the show also didn't do well in the U.S., as D. Simon has often pointed out. A critic's favorite, yes, but not a hit. Re 'Luther', yes a great show and a hit, but very few black characters aside from Elba's.

      Your description of being shocked is itself surprising. My own general experience and that of many friends and relatives, is that Europe is far less racist than the U.S.. This all may just have been a preoccupation of these producers.

      Your basic take on the current situation in SA, and the sell-out of the rank-and-file of the ANC by its leadership is absolutely correct and an important story, so I hope you decide to follow up. But still think it's an uphill battle.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

        The root question has to be do you believe the producer was genuine in his belief that African faces would not play well in Europe?

        He isn't making a movie, he's not making judgements, that's the director's job, he's making a consumer product, his sole job is getting the best return return on his investors money. If he truly believes than he can plant one more bum on a seat in front of the screen by making the whole cast mongolian yak herders, then that is what he should do, shouldn't he?

        I remember listening to DVD commentary where they'd made the decision to make the lead characters Latino... so they decided to make the lead a specific race as Latino's are seen as a high percentage movie going audience so would make more money.

        Is that racist? I'm sure there were mongolian yak herders lining up for that same role but were excluded on the basis of their nationality!
        I heard the starting gun


        sigpic

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        • #5
          Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

          This is 1,000,000% racist. End of story. Case closed.

          I'm a "diversity hire" (FWIW - the term itself is racist), I know racism when I see it. I used to be a model back in the day and modeled in South Africa. The most racist place I've been in the entire world. That is a movie in itself, seriously (The day I arrived I was met with, booker "One of the female models was abducted by men with machine guns and machetes. We don't know if she's alive or dead. The model house has been shut down. We don't know were you're gonna live." Welcome to South Africa! Then, days later, I see a dude shot to death in his face. Brutal trip)

          No, you (whomever) don't get to say "Well, it's just that I'm looking out for profit margin." Nah! Bruh, that's racism and it needs to stop. TODAY!

          (MORE)

          You may not get where I'm coming from, but just understand that us brown people have been through THOUSANDS of "questionable" scenarios over a lifetime. Us biracial people view the issue of race from a neutral POV that almost no singular races 'get'. No one (NO ONE!) gets it more than us. We're both and neither at the same time. And by the way, we are not confused about our racial identity. YOU ARE. So we explain it over and fukking over. Why do I owe you an explanation for why I exist? That's generally how we feel. 18 million of us in the U.S. alone.

          No offense meant. Just explaining.
          Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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          • #6
            Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

            yes, it's racist. and appalling.

            from personal experience, racism is visible more in some places than others. for example more in Brussels and Germany. Less in London and Barcelona. iow, less in more diverse places, perhaps. it seemed quite low, if at all, in scandanavia, (lovely places with lovely people) that i noticed.

            here in the United States it's more noticeable in the south than the north. and more in the central states than on either coasts.

            if you're not a POC or have friends that are, or in a relationship with someone who is, you might never notice, but if you are, you notice it; quite quickly, in fact.

            we need to keep fighting the good fight.
            "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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            • #7
              Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

              Every decision in Hollywood is racist, sexist and many other things driven by the desire to make money. At least these people told you directly. Usually it's smoke and mirrors. That's great, love your slave script, but can we get Tom Cruise to star in it instead of Denzel? Is that better or worse?

              I personally think the "is an actor allowed to play this part" debates just as upsetting as saying we can't have a black James Bond. Both are awful takes.

              This is the real world. I believe in the Star Trek future, but I also believe the real fires are so bright that we need to focus on them. This case has a very easy solution. WALK AWAY FROM THE PROJECT.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

                Even though we ask everyone to hold off on responding to posts in the ANNOUNCEMENTS forums for different reasons, I've tried to show some latitude here & there over the years.

                The topic/question was, do you think his producer's notes were racist? Not racism in art or in the clothing & shoe industry. So in all fairness to Dominic's post, if people truly feel they need to discuss this much further, please go into the ONE ON ONE section. I have moved some posts down there so folks can continue their discussion: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ad.php?t=84701

                If you are not a member of the ONE ON ONE forum yet, just request it and I'll try to get you approved as quickly as possible.

                Thanks.
                Will
                Done Deal Pro
                www.donedealpro.com

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                • #9
                  Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

                  Sincere apologies, Dominic, for derailing your thread. and thank you for posting it, it's enlightening to see how you and your partner handled a very uncomfortable situation.

                  Well done, as usual.

                  FA4
                  "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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                  • #10
                    Re: Do You Think My Producer Was Racist - SCRIPTFELLA

                    Hi everyone - thanks for your thoughts. I recognize we're dealing with a highly contentious subject, so perhaps shouldn't have pulled the pin on this particular grenade in the announcements section. Apologies mods...

                    Best
                    Dominic

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