Being typecast as a writer
This may seem like a strange question, but I was hoping you could answer it for me. I am an African-American aspiring screenwriter and I was curious about how the industry views us. Are Black screenwriters seen as being able to only write material with themes pertaining to our race?
I don’t know of very many African-American screenwriters working regularly in films today and the ones I do know of tend to write “Black films.” Should I send out a spec script specifically related to the African-American experience, or will my writing (or, more pointedly, will I) be viewed with colorblind eyes? Most of what I write is genre material (horror, suspense, mystery) and race is rarely an issue. Will this be a problem?
I hate to dump a huge issue like this at your feet, but I visit your website regularly and I’ve greatly appreciated your insights into the industry and screenwriting. Also, let me say, I am only interested in your opinion based on what you’ve observed. I am not expecting a definitive answer. I won’t hold you liable for what you say. I understand that this isn’t your field of expertise. I don’t expect you to explain how race works in Hollywood, but I would value your input.
– Ben
Los Angeles
Ben offered me so many outs in that last paragraph that I pretty much had to lob up some kind of opinion. Obviously, I have zero experience as an African-American screenwriter. The closest I come to minority status is being gay, and other than some awkward moments and a few jobs I wouldn’t want anyway, it hasn’t been a giant hindrance. All I can offer is a decade of watching how Hollywood works, and some predictions on what you might encounter.
First off, I’m going to assume you’re a genuinely talented screenwriter. This whole exercise is based on that postulate. A poor-to-mediocre screenwriter would find a different path in the industry, and I honestly get depressed thinking about the travails of untalented writers.
So for the sake of this thought experiment, you’re great. By that I mean, anyone reading your script would say you’ve got chops and an original voice. How will your being African-American affect your career?
Let’s start with meetings, since these face-to-face encounters with agents, managers, producers and development executives are a crucial part of a screenwriter’s job. Your great script will get you meetings, no problem. But how will you be received in the room?
My hunch: enthusiastically. Remember, the assumption in this exercise is that you’re very talented, so they’re inclined to like you regardless. But here’s what you might not know until I tell you: every studio and every network has public goals to increase their diversity across the board, starting with writers. Some places have special programs. Some have incentives for hiring minority writers. They’re all trying — sometimes not hard enough, sometimes in the wrong ways, sometimes ineptly. One could debate the merits of these programs. We won’t. We’ll just say that a talented young minority screenwriter is incredibly appealing. I know writers who’ve been able to get a first job because of minority hiring goals. If it helps open a door, by all means walk through.
But will you get pegged as “a black screenwriter?” Will you only get offered rewrites of Martin Lawrence comedies?
In my experience, you get typecast more by your work than who you are. My first two paid screenwriting jobs were adapting kids’ books. I got typecast as a soft kids’ comedy guy, which isn’t particularly me at all. It wasn’t until Go that I was even considered for an R-rated movie.
As far as race being a factor, my best anecdote comes from David Dean Botrell, who wrote Kingdom Come, which starred Whoopi Goldberg and a predominately Black cast. David told me that afterwards, he got called in for meetings on many other African-American centered projects, which was odd, because he’s whiter than I am. People mistakenly assumed he was Black. The reverse feels true as well: if you wrote Legally Blonde, they’d want you write that Kate Hudson comedy no matter what your ethnicity.
Should you, Ben, write a spec with African-American themes? Maybe. Less because of how frames it you than because there are specific production companies — and specific actors — who are always looking for material.
Again, I can only offer examples from limited experience. Shonda Rhimes was a classmate of mine at USC, whose spec historical drama centering on a young Black woman came close to production with Jada Pinkett (pre-Will Smith, as I recall). It never got made, but it provided Shonda some exposure. Her first major credit was Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, starring Halle Berry. Shonda’s next two credits were not Black-centered at all, and now she runs Grey’s Anatomy, which while diverse, is not particular to the African-American experience.
I haven’t seen Shonda in years, so I don’t know to what degree she feels that her Black historical spec helped open doors for her — it certainly wasn’t the only thing she wrote. Anyone interested in hiring her had a range of writing samples to look at, and that’s what I’d urge you to consider.
You say your tastes run more towards horror, suspense and mystery. Write those. Remember, for the sake of argument, we’ve agreed that you’re immensely talented. Your suspenseful thriller spec will find a receptive readership no matter what your ethnicity. You don’t generally see M. Night Shyamalan referred to as an “Indian-American filmmaker.” He’s known by his work. I think you can be, too.
The Writers Guild has a Black Writers committee, whose members would obviously have more informed opinions on the situation, along with many other organizations. There are numbers to look at, particularly in terms of TV staffing, but I don’t think they’re particularly helpful in describing what your experience would be like. Are there a Catch-22 situations, where Black writers write Black-themed movies, and then only get offered other Black-themed movies? Almost certainly. But I think talent can defy expectations.
And don’t worry about being typecast until you’ve gotten a movie made.
Articles
May 4th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Thanks John! As an African-American myself, I was just thinking about this issue a few days ago! Now I just need to work on becoming that incredibly great writer you talk about. . . .
Looking forward to Captain Marvel!
May 4th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I love Menace II Society.
May 4th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
As another african american screenwriter(from Alabama) who checks out this site for info and inspiration, it’s good to get your take on this matter.
I actually saw J.August speaking at the L.A. Film School gradulation a few years ago, and you left a strong impression on me to pursure this career.
Thanks for the advice…an much continued success.
May 4th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
That answer is refreshing. I love to think that “Hollywood” is as pleasantly single-minded as it implies.
Jeff’s comment reminds me of David Brent talking to his one black employee about the Denzel Washington movie he had watched the previous night and how great Denzel was. Paraphrased: “But he’s not my favorite actor. That’s Sidney Poitier.”
Not that Jeff meant it that way.
May 4th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Jeff, you are a menace II society.
May 5th, 2007 at 3:29 am
The final word on typecasting for me was delivered by Jeremy Piven’s character on Entourage while at a Lakers Game: “Lookit. There’s the Joker, there’s Batman, there’s Spiderman. They’re all typecast — as rich guys.”
Better to worry about getting work than getting too much of one kind of work.
May 5th, 2007 at 7:53 am
I think sometimes it actually works to your advantage. People are usually shocked to discover that even though I am a woman I don’t do romantic comedies. I don’t even own any on DVD. I write action and quirky violent dramedies. When the surprise wears off, most people just think it’s cool and refreshing. Like an Altoid.
May 5th, 2007 at 8:01 am
I am a paraplegic Sudanese lesbian and I play that card wherever and whenever I can. Talent will only get you so far, because as anyone who knows anything knows, HW producers are aching to discover minority writers of whatever persuasion rather than those who are going to make them money.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I like what Emily Blake had to say. I’m a scrawny 95 pound girl and I hate romantic comedies. Violence, centered within power-hungry characters, is my passion.
Any violent scenes in my scripts gets written first, its easy and gives me a focal point for the rest of script’s tone.
That said, I’m also a children’s book author — no violence there.
May 5th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
No violence in children’s books? That violates everything I know and love about children’s lit.
I grew up on old Jack tales (my late cousin, Ray Hicks, is the source for most of them), and they were as full of violence as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and with considerably more sex.
May 5th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I think the greater statement is who gives a shit what the guy looks like if he can’t write.
I haven’t seen Hollywood to be a particulary racial place.
May 5th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Hollywood is not a racial place… until it comes to casting… or “Urban” movies as exhibiting black culture… does the majority of Black America “stomp the yard”? Or march in a “drumline”? Or menace their societies? Don’t even get me started on Tyler Perry… Hollywood likes to compartmentalize (notice how Rogue, Warner Independent, Dimension all are looking for “Urban” scripts. It’s not the big studios). If it doesn’t pay it doesn’t play. And black driven films (save for Denzel) don’t pay so they don’t play.
Of course Hollywood would never give a black actor a real shot at becoming a Denzel, or dare I say it, Brad, George, and Johnny. Why? Because Hollywood, for the most part, is full of pussies. Yeah, they’re not “I’m gonna lynch your ass” racists. They’re worse - they’re “black people are worthless when it comes to the bottom line” racists.
However, if you can line Hollywood’s pocket, they could care less if you were fat, bald, black or blue. Green, baby. It’s all about the green.
May 6th, 2007 at 5:17 am
Thanks for your insights on this issue, John. I’d like to pose the same issue about how age is perceived in youth-oriented LA (for a writer). I’m a journalist who is studying screenwriting and have been told I have some talent. But I’m over 40. I think my years in the trenches outside of the movie business is a plus in terms of having something to say, but I wonder if my age would be such an issue that I shouldn’t even bother?
May 6th, 2007 at 5:23 am
To Erik Harrison–
Okay, I meant no violence in MY children’s books!
May 6th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Hey, do they have a minority program to help Jews get in the business?
May 6th, 2007 at 9:14 am
I’m Dominican, which means I’m Hispanic but look black, and I grew up in the most Jewish town west of Jerusalem, so I should be a shoe in, right? No…at the end of the day it’s all about the words on the paper. I guess mine haven’t been good enough yet.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:38 am
As a biracial mother to an adopted African American son, I’m always on the look-out for these kinds of conversations. Thanks John for posting this. If you don’t mind, I may also suggest it be posted in the monthly Erase Racism Carnival. (http://allywork.solidaritydesign.net/erase-racism-carnival/)
Anyway, I did find a couple of other helpful links online:
CBS has a diversity workshop:
http://www.egothemag.com/gupshup/archives/2006/12/cbsdiversityi.html
The Organization of Black Screenwriters:
http://www.obswriter.com/
Maybe you already know about these two, but if not, I thought I’d pass along.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Ben,
Jemalledin put it best–if you get typecast, you should be so lucky. Because to be typecast means you’re working as a writer. That’s everything. That’s the whole game–just to get in and stay in.
Beyond that, talent will always outweigh all other factors. Agents, managers, producers, executives, we’re all taught to smell blood, so if you can demonstrate talent in different genres, there are no forces at work that can hold you back. So just write what you’re compelled to write.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:24 am
I too am an African-American screenwriter living in L.A. I would say don’t write “African-American” themed material unless that’s something you think you can do well. That said, Shonda Rhimes experience with her historical drama mirrors my own early experience with an interracial story set in the South. I got my first two writing assignments off of that spec (I was hired to write an animated feature at 20th Century Fox and a TV movie about an adopted girl who discovers she’s half-black). I’ve also gotten some wonderful opportunities (and met the kinds of producers that I most want to work with) on the strength of my non-African-American themed specs. I’ve found that race is not an issue. Not many African-Americans, women, etc. are writing against “type”, but when you do, my experience is that you will be judged by the quality and commercial viability of your work.
John’s experience pre and post-Go is instructive. It’s similar to what you can expect in your career. Yes, people will typecast you, but they’ll do this based on what you’ve written, not your skin color. If you don’t like the way you’re being perceived, right a new spec. People will follow your lead.
Btw, typecasting may seem like a terrible think. It’s actually pretty neutral. People have to be able to identify which writer does which kind of work.
One caveat. I did recently receive an e-mail from an executive friend whose company was looking for an African-American female writer to come in and punch something up. The request reflects an assumption that is sometimes made that because a person is an African-American female she thinks and writes from a particular perspective. If you happen to write from the perspective in question, this can lead to opportunities. If you don’t write from that perspective, they won’t hire you anyway. As John mentioned, Shonda Rhimes was hired to write Dorothy Dandridge (an African-American, historically themed project like the spec that got her the job). I was hired to write an animated feature set in Africa and a story about a girl who discovers she’s half-black (projects that my spec suggested I could write). Neither of us was hired to write, say, “Booty Call” or even “Save The Last Dance” (the woman hired to write “Save the Last Dance” was hired on the strength of a script called “Swap Meet,” which, from what I understand, had a more urban sensibility) I was actually called in for a meeting for “Save The Last Dance,” and the first thing the exec said is, “You’re absolutely wrong for this project, but I loved your writing and wanted to meet you.” So there you have it. Whatever you write, it will open some doors to you and close others.
Sorry that was so long, but hope it was helpful.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:50 am
“Andrew Rosenstein says:
May 6th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Hey, do they have a minority program to help Jews get in the business? “
Touche Andrew.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
“And black driven films (save for Denzel) don’t pay so they don’t play.”
Tell me about it. If only that Will Smith could catch a break…