WP4: One Trip Around the Sun
As I reflect on this semester, I am proud of the writer I see in the mirror. I tackled a topic concerning Black Hollywood that many are afraid to address because it touches on the racial divide and lack of representation that still exist in the entertainment industry.
I found I was not just researching the path to success for a black filmmaker, but I was deeply concerned whether there was space for me in an industry that under represents black talent. I was searching for the feasibility of a profession in the entertainment industry for an African-American woman like myself. I looked into statistics and testimony of filmmakers that came before me and what I found was a passion that conquered every obstacle that dared to stand in their way. My writing technique has grown from WP1 to WP3 because of this transformation in ideology. I am grateful for the process and the way it has changed the way I approach research in a field that lies close to my heart.
I started WP1 with lots of frustration toward the fact a professor felt as though certain hires in the industry were DEI hires taking opportunity away from him. My writing reflected that frustration and had a heavy emphasis on rhetorical questions with no real answers. Because my writing was filled with so much passion it lacked a bit of direction and read as though I was venting. I had an overload of information from my research and I felt invigorated after reading Freire. I simply was looking to tackle every issue under sun after my research in Black Hollywood and it showed in WP1. I have definitely learned how to channel my passion with more of a through line as I went into WP2.
My WP2 used my creativity as a screenwriter and showed my personal connection even further to my project. By formatting my skit in Final Draft and writing it as though it was a screenplay, I showed that I am already a member of the entertainment industry whether wide spread or not. I had the tools it took to start diversifying the screen with the power of my voice and knowing screenplay formatting. With WP2, I felt I had the “in” so to speak and used that confidence going into WP3.
Finally, WP3 served as the perfect closer because it revealed how my confidence as a writer grew. My statements and style became more clear and definitive because I not only had a better understanding of the material, but I had a better understanding of the black fimmakers that came before me. They were bold, unapologetic, and never wavered in their efforts to diversify the industry. It did not matter whether opportunity was readily available for the African-Americans entering the entertainment space because they had a strong sense of self-worth and higher purpose. They knew the power of diversifying storytelling and the screen and their fierceness rubbed off on me. Their stories overwhelmed me with a sense of gratitude. They left behind so much more than they took. And I think our generation is forever in debt. Writing from a place of gratitude rather than going in with frustration of where the entertainment industry lacks was a much more enjoyable experience. It also showed me that there are multiple ways to critique an industry. Even in research papers, positivity and gratitude is a perfectly acceptable medium.
