{"id":236,"date":"2021-12-31T08:36:01","date_gmt":"2021-12-31T08:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/?p=236"},"modified":"2021-12-31T08:36:01","modified_gmt":"2021-12-31T08:36:01","slug":"htf-do-i-add-diversity-in-my-screenplay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/2021\/12\/31\/htf-do-i-add-diversity-in-my-screenplay\/","title":{"rendered":"HTF do I add diversity in my screenplay?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Welcome to your first D&IA (Diversity & Inclusion Anonymous) meeting. I am Shannan E. Johnson, your sponsor.\u00a0Hi, Shannan<\/em>\u2026 For the past decade, Hollywood has been focused on diversifying the stories told for the screen and the people who get to tell them. Diversity & Inclusion departments have been established at the major networks and studios and programs have been initiated to give access to those people in underrepresented communities who have been waiting for an opportunity to break into the industry. There are programs for writers, actors, directors, producers, and even executives to help bring new and unique voices to the table of storytelling. Some of us, if we\u2019re honest, see these new voices as a threat. And how do human beings react when threatened: Fight, Flight or Freeze. As screenwriters, none of the above options are constructive. Storytelling begins with us, which means so do diverse characters.<\/p>\n

Sigh\u2026\u00a0then how, how, Shannan, do I check the correct boxes in my screenplay to play this new Hollywood game called diversity and inclusion?<\/em>\u00a0Well, I\u2019m glad you asked:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
1. Acknowledge That There is a Problem<\/strong>:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This is a D&IA meeting, remember? If we don\u2019t acknowledge that there is a problem, we can excuse ourselves from taking action to solve it. Hollywood functions from a place of who you know and who knows you. It\u2019s nepotism at its finest. The problem is because America functions from a place of racism, our populations are raised separate and unequal. Therefore, who you know equals people who look like you. What you have access to comes from a place of privilege because of where you grew up, the resources given to you, and the connections made. Networking begins at birth. Because of this, I like to refer to Hollywood as the largest gated community in the world. If you don\u2019t have the password, the security guard will give you the side-eye and ask you to step to the side as those who do have access continue to walk through those pearly gates. They often snicker and gloat as they scan their passes and pass us by. The problem is, the longer you stand at the gate, the more you realize that most of the people gaining entrance to the coveted other side are cis-gendered, white males. Before you stop reading, let\u2019s get this part out of the way: There is nothing wrong with being a cis-gendered, white male. Cisgendered, white men have stories to tell and should be allowed to tell them. Take a breath. Inhale. Exhale. Now, just as cis-gendered, white men should be allowed to tell their stories, so should everyone else.<\/p>\n

In the history of Academy Award winners for Best Original Screenplay since 1940, there has been one Asian man, one African-American man, one Latino, and three women to win the award. Because we are writers and we develop the characters with whom our audiences will journey, there is then a lack of diversity amongst the Best Actor\/Actress (as in the protagonist) award winners.<\/p>\n

We learn a few things from these numbers, but the largest is that there aren\u2019t enough leading roles (as in the protagonist, a 3-dimensional character with universal themes being expressed in his\/her internal and external goals) being written for people from diverse backgrounds.<\/p>\n

Enough said. Hollywood, we have a problem.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t Get Caught Up in the Word “Diversity”<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Ooohhhh\u2026 (insert a Hyena shiver from\u00a0The Lion King<\/em>) That dreaded word. We hate that word in Hollywood. We feel its function is to press upon us something that we\u2019d never try to achieve on our own.\u00a0Bah, humbug to diversity<\/em>. That\u2019s ok. Let\u2019s change the word to inclusion. Because at the root of every human being is the need, not the want, to feel included. But somehow someway, inclusion has become a bad word, too. Because let\u2019s face it, no one wants to be forced to be friends with someone. It just doesn\u2019t work out. It\u2019s fake. And fake relationships end in disaster. But for the sake of this article, let\u2019s define diversity anyway: Diversity means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences like the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. (the University of Oregon, Office of Multicultural Affairs, 1999) But further, it means to bring different perspectives and experiences to the table, not just to be seen and not heard while eating their meal quietly at the end of a very long table, but for their voices to give life to the stories we are telling.<\/div>\n
\nWe have to admit that there is nothing wrong with the words diversity or inclusion. It is the people, us, the fear of working outside our comfort zones, the fear of thinking that if we increase the volume on the voices of others, it may make our voices less credible, the fear of losing our seat at the table. These fears are not founded in truth. Remember that adage we were taught as children? Two heads are better than one? It totally fits this scenario. Our stories benefit from allowing different voices in the room. Our world benefits from seeing the stories of those we think are so different from us because we learn that those people we see as \u201cother\u201d are just trying to survive and take care of their families like we are.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Create 3-Dimensional Characters Who Don\u2019t Share Your Experience<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The things that make us different are the very things that make us unique. As writers, we should want to explore every level of the human experience, including those that don\u2019t look like our own. It is our job to tell unique stories that represent our audience. Every child in the world is looking to relate to the characters on their screens. They\u2019re looking for someone who looks like them or is from where they\u2019re from to tell them how beautiful and important they are to the world. So, let\u2019s consider diversity begins on the page, not in casting. How do we create authentic, diverse characters?<\/p>\n

A.<\/strong> Do Your Research<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Create character bios and backstories to understand who your characters are and why they behave the way that they do. Screenwriters are therapists to our characters. We understand that their outer wants only exist because of their inner needs. The closer they get to reaching their want, the closer they get to fill the hole inside. If we don\u2019t do this work with our characters, they fall flat on the screen. They become less natural, which makes them harder to invest in. Utilize this same thought process when writing characters outside of your experience.<\/p>\n

B. Don\u2019t Rely on Stereotypes<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
People of color can smell from a mile away when a character was written as white but cast as a person of color. The disabled are immediately tipped off when an able-bodied person is portraying their experience. The character lacks authenticity. The richness of his\/her culture and experience in this country is not informing who he\/she is. This lack of authenticity drives a lack of investment in the character\u2019s journey. And then you\u2019ve lost the audience. Give context within the screenplay that includes the experiences of this character\u2019s community. And note, this does not equal struggle. Not every black person is a gangster from the hood. Not every disabled person is hopeless. Not every person in the LGBTQIA community is closeted. Not every overweight person is ashamed. Challenge your own implicit bias. There\u2019s no way we grew up in the United States of America and matured into adulthood without gathering bias and possibly racist information about those who are different from us. Challenge it so that you create full people who feel authentic on the screen. Though it is true that people from underrepresented communities may deal with struggle, it isn\u2019t their full story. It\u2019s our job as writers to dig in and find it.<\/p>\n

C. Open Your Circle to People Who are Different from You<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
This is the hard one. It goes back to that whole separate and unequal thing. Our friends are our friends. Our comfort zones are our comfort zones. But in order to be able to write about real people who are living a totally different experience from you, you must get to know them. Allow them to read your script for authenticity. Ask them if the characters speak in a way that feels natural. Instead, what happens is we base our knowledge of other people\u2019s experiences on what we\u2019ve already seen on screen, which leads us right back to stereotypes. Don\u2019t worry about having your characters speak in slang, dialect, or even their native language. It\u2019s terrible for the read and often confusing to the actor. If you make it appear on the page who this character is and where he\/she is from, the actor will then do (or should do) the due diligence of understanding how they speak. Dialogue does not automatically equal a diverse character. Make new friends outside of your community, travel the world, try new food, and allow yourself to be open to understanding the experiences of others.<\/p>\n

D. Understand That Underrepresented Communities are Not a Monolith<\/strong>:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The only way to do this is to do the first 3 suggested steps. We are not an existence of one mind sending signals to us all and making us behave the same way. Black people are not all the same. We are a diaspora of people across the globe with the common thread of skin color, but our experiences in this world are different. A Haitian is having a different experience from a Nigerian, who is having a different experience from an immigrant Brit, who is having a different experience from an American-born descendant of slaves. A Mexican is not a Puerto Rican or a Spaniard or a Dominican. If you can understand that a Southerner is living a different life from a Midwesterner or an orphan is having a different experience than a child being raised in a home with two loving parents, then expand your mind to realize the same is true for underrepresented communities. We are who we are because of where we come from and what we\u2019ve been through. We are individuals.<\/p>\n

When we think of diversity as simply checking a box, we are minimizing its impact. We are basically saying no point of view but ours matters. Only our experiences should be represented on the screen. Only our ideas are credible. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. People with varying skill sets come together to create a masterpiece. When we as storytellers open up the spectrum of ideas based on the distinct experience of others, we open ourselves up to a new audience segment. Hollywood is about the bucks, right? Then don\u2019t we want everyone\u2019s dollar? It\u2019s really a win-win situation that is currently blocked by our fear of the words diversity and inclusion. It\u2019s comfortable here. There are no risks here. The pressure of allowing new voices at the table feels unfair. But what\u2019s unfair is realizing the world is comprised of so many people living a life different from ours and never getting a chance to see themselves on screen. We have a responsibility to show them their authentic reflection. We all have work to do. But the good news is, it isn\u2019t hard. Forget about the words diversity and inclusion and consider that opening the pearly gates of Hollywood to those whose experiences differ from ours opens the door for more unique stories. Storytelling is why we\u2019re here, ladies and gents. Put story before ego and we all win.<\/p>\n

\u200bWanna learn screenplay structure from The Professional Pen? Click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to take the leap.<\/p>\n

Written in February 2020 by Shannan E. Johnson.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to your first D&IA (Diversity & Inclusion Anonymous) meeting. I am Shannan E. Johnson, your sponsor. Hi, Shannan\u2026 For the past decade, Hollywood has been focused on diversifying the stories told for the screen and the people who get to tell them. Diversity & Inclusion departments have been established at the major networks and studios and programs have been initiated to give access to those people in underrepresented communities who have been waiting for an opportunity to break into the industry. There are programs for writers, actors, directors, producers, and even executives to help bring new and unique voices to the table of storytelling. Some of us, if we\u2019re honest, see these new voices as a threat. And how do human beings react when threatened: Fight, Flight or Freeze. As screenwriters, none of the above options are constructive. Storytelling begins with us, which means so do diverse characters.<\/p>\n

Sigh\u2026 then how, how, Shannan, do I check the correct boxes in my screenplay to play this new Hollywood game called diversity and inclusion? Well, I\u2019m glad you asked:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"acf":{"featured_image":{"ID":172,"id":172,"title":"TPP logo - transparent","filename":"TPP-logo-transparent.png","filesize":68521,"url":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent.png","link":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/2021\/09\/26\/off-to-the-races-how-to-create-an-effective-inciting-incident\/tpp-logo-transparent\/","alt":"","author":"2","description":"","caption":"","name":"tpp-logo-transparent","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":24,"date":"2021-12-31 03:32:17","modified":"2021-12-31 03:48:46","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1080,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent-768x768.png","medium_large-width":750,"medium_large-height":750,"large":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent-1024x1024.png","large-width":750,"large-height":750,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent.png","1536x1536-width":1080,"1536x1536-height":1080,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent.png","2048x2048-width":1080,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post-thumbnail":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TPP-logo-transparent.png","post-thumbnail-width":1080,"post-thumbnail-height":1080}},"show_featured_content":true,"post_image":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":237,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions\/237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.orgosco.com\/theprofessionalpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}