Of Hollywood and ‘the American People’: How Status Quo is Maintained

by Guest Contributor CVT, originally published at Choptensils

My brother is a screenwriter in LA.  Has a couple movies to his credit, and he just got what could be his “big break” as he sits down to write – what should be – a “major summer blockbuster” type movie.  This is the kind of movie that will likely get a whole lot of hype, splash his name all over the place, and – hopefully – turn into a bunch of work (and cash).  And – being on the “inside” as I am – I just got a copy of his first draft.

So I’m reading his script, trying to just let myself jump in, imagine it as a film; looking for highlights and lowlights to give him some feedback for his next re-write prior to turning it in to the producers and all that kind of thing . . . and, well . . . something struck me – right off the bat – that felt a little odd . . .

As far as details go – I’m not really going to give you more than that – because this is my brother, it’s his original work, and I’m not trying to throw him under the bus or get him in trouble with his producers or future employers – so no other identifying information will go out there.  But let’s just say the “odd” ness involved race.  Specifically, Asian people.  Which just so happens to be our race.

It was nothing major – certainly not offensive, really – but it was a form of following the same Hollywood-esque patterns of who gets to “count” – and who doesn’t.  You can probably guess whether or not the Asian people “counted” or not.

Now, did this happen because my brother is “one of them?”  Does he hate Asian people or want to break them down?  Hell no.  Of course not.  In fact, he has very intentionally re-incorporated some Asian culture into this particular script – something which I doubt a white writer (or other non-Asian writer, for that matter) would have done.   One of his favorite original story ideas that he really pushed back in the day involved prominent Asian characters (main characters, heroes, even).

Except, well . . .  that story about Asian people?  Rejected.  The people of color that he’s introduced into his stories?  Usually white-washed in later drafts due to the producers’ demands.  Or maybe that three-dimensional character he wrote up?  Knocked flat before shooting – again, by the producers.

Because Hollywood works like this:

There are a bunch of producers.  They’re the ones with the money and the pull and clout to get full movies made and put into the national theaters.  As a result, they think they know something about how movies are made.  Which, they do.

Unfortunately, these producers also tend to think they know something about “the American people” and “what they want to see” or “what they can understand.”  Which they absolutely do not.  They think that – because they have made one blockbuster, popular movie – that it indicates what “people want to see.”  Of course, when the only options are all pretty much the same, you don’t need my science background and/or a knowledge of variables to realize that doesn’t really mean anything.

But – as a result of this false notion of “what Americans want,” these producers continue to pump out the racist, sexist, classist, bigoted Hollywood “blockbusters” that we all know and love today.  Because that’s “what Americans want.”

And, of course, the screenwriters and low-level directors, actors, etc. can’t do much about it.  Because money’s involved, and it’s the producers who have the money.  I wish I could get more specific, but I can’t believe all the stories I’ve heard about the ridiculous cuts and edits producers have made to my brother’s – and other writers’ – scripts due to this faulty belief about “what Americans understand.” (*1)

Page 1 of 3 | Next page