The big talent agencies violate the civil rights laws

[umo]

[quote=odocoileus;500959]

Some groups of people always do better than others in every competitive field, because of different levels of interest, education, cultural inclination, and talent.


Uh, this didn't come off too well.

You may want to re-phrase. I'm sure you don't mean to offend anyone.

[NYNEX]

Originally Posted by prescribe22

No offense, but you're comparing apples to oranges. You're COMPLETELY off base here.

As has been posted by several others, they're not recruiting employees in this case.

Actors, writers, etc are NOT employed by Agencies. They don't pay our salaries.
It's quite sad that you can't see this, but I guess you're passion has blinded you to the fact that you're view is exceptionally selfish in this case.

You're the one that's blinded by film industry propaganda. I believe in the laws of the United States of America, not industry nonsensical talk.

The industry, and it's proponents can always spin some "valid" sounding reason of why poor producers and studios can't give out residuals, benefits,why they have to put recruitment policies in place that they know effectively exclude huge categories of people, etc. It's the industry, and that includes the agencies with their procurement policies that are being selfish (and illegal), not me.

And industry people, like all other citizens, including myself, have to obey the laws of this great country.

[EnterUserNameHere]

Originally Posted by sc111

Absolutely not valid. The industry targets the white male demo. Who's writing these scripts - ummm, white males?

Oh - and your point about not all students in film school wanting to be writers, also not valid.

Are you indicating there's a boatload of women directors working? Ditto on editors.

What disciplines are you talking about?

There are fewer women working in all film disciplines.

You don't honestly believe that every film school student wants to be a writer, do you?

My point was that you can't use the film school numbers as a valid point in an argument about sexism towards screenwriters because such a small group of film school students actually want to be writers. If you're looking for a more accurate number, try the Nicholl website. I believe it states 30% of their scripts are submitted by women.

More men in all film disciplines? I'm not going to question how many sets you've worked on, I'll just assume you forgot about all the wonderful hair, make-up and wardrobe ladies. In casting, it is WAY easier to get a ton of women with extensive training than it is men. Why? More women take acting classes -- a lot of which are taken in film school.

You said that the industry targets the white male demo, if you write something that virtually guarantees the male demo will flock to theatres, do you think Hollywood will toss it in the trash because you're a female?

In the end, if you are so conviced that your lack of success is because you are a woman, then you are in the right line of work. When it comes to screenwriting, there are opportunities out there to ensure, without a doubt, you WILL NOT be based on your gender. Enter the Nicholl, adapt a pen name, or just trust that you are based on your concept and page and not what is, or isn't, between your legs. And for the love of God, please stop accusing the people you want to work for as being sexist, the likelyhood of that helping your career is slim.

[sc111]

odocoileus:

To your point about TV:

Originally Posted by sc111

Hunt also said that 40% of all TV shows aired during the 2005-06 season didn't employ a minority writer.

The report also found participation by women writers had remained virtually unchanged in both small-screen and features, staying at 27% in TV and creeping up to 19% from 18% in films.


http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=18&cs=1

[odocoileus]

Originally Posted by sc111

Telephone solicitors - jeeze. You guys, at least try to form a cogent argument.

Nynex is saying in the book world there are no gatekeepers in terms of cold queries to agents.

In the film industry you must have a referral.

If the majority of the contacts in the film industry are white males who are not working with minorities, how does a minority get that referral?

Capiche?

All an agency has to do to counter the accusation is pull out the coverage they've done on the scripts they've requested from diversity programs. If they request the scripts, and evaluate them according to their standard procedure, they're in the clear. No proof of disparate impact in read requests.

Does this mean that these read requests are merely a formality, while the scripts of favored sons get serious consideration? Probably.

Does it help to be a young white guy who went to school with/ is related to/ grew up with powerful people in the industry? Absolutely.

Can any of this be remedied through EEO law? Highly unlikely.

[NYNEX]

Originally Posted by odocoileus

All an agency has to do to counter the accusation is pull out the coverage they've done on the scripts they've requested from diversity programs. If they request the scripts, and evaluate them according to their standard procedure, they're in the clear. No proof of disparate impact in read requests.

Does this mean that these read requests are merely a formality, while the scripts of favored sons get serious consideration? Probably.

Does it help to be a young white guy who went to school with/ is related to/ grew up with powerful people in the industry? Absolutely.

Can any of this be remedied through EEO law? Highly unlikely.

Diversity programs? You mean those diversity programs which are barely promoted, which, if they take in scripts at all do so during a very narrow timeframe, etc?

Agents that deal with the bookworld take queries from all writers. There's no real reason why the Hollywood Talent Agencies can't do the same for screenwriters, and yes, the EEOC, since publishing agencies completely open themselves, could indeed make the talent agencies open themselves.

[sc111]

Originally Posted by EnterUserNameHere

I'll just assume you forgot about all the wonderful hair, make-up and wardrobe ladies.

LOL.

I'll tell you, if those of you here who are arguing so vehemently that there is no racial or gender discrimination in HW write as well as you debate, then maybe me, umo and Nynex chances are actually improving. By the minute.

[umo]

Yeah! we'll kick your butt! Or at least scratch your eyes out. We're good at that.

[sc111]

Originally Posted by prescribe22

No offense, but you're comparing apples to oranges. You're COMPLETELY off base here.

As has been posted by several others, they're not recruiting employees in this case.

Actors, writers, etc are NOT employed by Agencies. They don't pay our salaries.

It's the other way around. The agencies are the Employees in this case.

Unless you believe in slavery, they're NOT required to work for you or even interview for the job.

They have the right to refuse service. If they didn't, they'd be slaves.

What IS happening here is that you are soliciting their services. Period.

They have the right to say no. They don't have to listen to you sales pitch. They don't have to give any reason what-so-ever. And they most certainly don't have to work for you if they choose not to.

It's quite sad that you can't see this, but I guess you're passion has blinded you to the fact that you're view is exceptionally selfish in this case.

So what you're saying is that the big 3 get away with discriminating because they can exploit a loophole in the law.

[Rathmon]

Most of this argument is complete horsesh*t.

I'm white, male, and straight... so I guess all I have to do is submit a script and I'm repped?

Years ago I looked into writing and invention grants. Guess what I saw?

Grants for ONLY blacks, women, Hispanics, lesbians, gay men, etc.., but not one single grant for a white, hetero, American male ONLY.

You wanna talk about no fair shake?

Should I complain to EEOC about the lack of WHAM employed at Redbook or Good Housekeeping?

Tongue in cheek folks...

Han has it right, write some good sh*t, and pretend that your crap does stink even if you think it doesn't!