GETTING PLAYED - Part 1 - the story of "21" (subtitled in English)

THE STORY OF '21" is the first of What The ... Productions' 12 part documentary "Getting Played" (Parts 8-12 are not posted here separately on YouTube; to view their content, please watch the feature length documentary in full at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuCvHUBECUI). Exploring current perceptions of Bizness as usual, "Getting Played" endeavors to illuminate the importance of and reasons why the entertainment industry employs more than 72% White and 62% male talent when most productions originate in Los Angeles where more than 50% of the population is female and of color (source: SAG; US Census Bureau). More importantly, "Getting Played" seeks to explore solutions to the disparities, discussed on camera by those most impacted by Industry hiring practices. Such persons include performers, casting directors, agents, writers, producers, critics, academics, psychologists, employment attorneys, and viewers.

Each part of the "Getting Played" series is published biweekly to the web such that the issues explored in the broadcast can be thoroughly considered by its audience on members' own time prior to the next part of the documentary. The convenience of broadcasting online also lends itself to researching additional information as needed. For example, while watching Part 1: the story of '21', one can visit imdb.com to look at trailers and cast photos. A simple Google search can also pull up articles about the controversy surrounding the hiring of a White British acter to portray a character who in real life was Chinese American. Certainly "21" (2008) is not the only film to have employed this practice: "World Trade Center" (2006), "Dangerous Minds" (1995), even arguably James Cameron's "Titanic" (1997), an epic depiction of the historical sinking that did not include one character of color - even in the background - despite such passengers actually embarking upon the voyage. However, by focusing on one film in the first segment, "Getting Played" lays the groundwork for an understanding of how entrenched is the Industry preference for White males.

Later parts explore issues of gender, age, sexuality, and solutions in much the same way, permitting the interviewees to speak their truth without a narrator's steady insistence about what the viewers are to take away. "This documentary [style] is never going to work," said a member of the What The ... production team. "People need to be told what to think." "Then the Industry is never going to work," said another. The conclusion: only when people think for themselves is any real progress ever to be made. What The ... Productions wishes everyone progress in 2010.

-- For inquiries regarding finishing fund donations, guest speakers, or media, please email whattheproductions@yahoo.com --

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Getting
• Played
• what
• the
• productions
• 21
• kathleen
• antonia
• guy
• aoki
• michael
• ching
• linda
• chuan
• velina
• brown
• russell
• robinson
• sumi
• sevilla
• haru
• documentary
• entertainment
• industry
• biz
• discrimination
• employment
• equal
• opportunity
• protection

[WhatTheProducer]

Just a note for those who have asked: yes, "acter" is intentionally spelled in the subtitles with an "e" - except when otherwise specifically referenced - in a small effort for gender equality (compare "worker", "baker", etc.), part of a campaign that is almost a decade old. Thanks for trying to keep What The.. Productions from looking ignorant! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[00ghostcobra]

So what the Ma fella is saying is that the movie can't play to a large audience with an Asian man playing the role.

[Davideogamer]

I haven't watched through this yet, but I can already say with confidence that this is less a problem of some degree of racism in movie studios, but more a case of those studios being a bunch of goddamn cowards who constantly stick to their marketing departments' predictions.

"White heroes sell"

Bullshit, the Avatar: The Last Airbender series directly contradicted this, so I don't get why they haven't figured this out yet for the movie adaption.

[rivengle]

@firstinpus asia's a big audience. in fact, it's the biggest. hollywood isn't just based in north america.

[redrezo11]

You're not even an american citizen to begin, what makes you think your opinion has more weight than those of us who are American? The color of your white skin?

[almlin]

Hollywood also did the same thing with new movies like Dragonball, Avatar, and Extraordinary Measures (the doctor). All were Asian characters that magically became White. Even "The Departed" is complete copy of "Infernal Affairs", just with White people instead of Asian faces.

[Yaofan15]

And that is why Jeff Ma is a sellout and partly to blame for why '21' was released and did well in the first place.

[mad8london247]

Never knew of that campaign.

Will spell the word as acter from now on.

[firstinpus]

Whine whine whine whine, cry cry cry cry. As Jeff Ma himself states, he had the power to wage a complaint if it was really important to him to have a different actor. And yet you mix him in among these insufferable cry babies like Guy Aoki as though he was a victim and the studios have some evil racist agenda. Hollywood will cast whoever they think will play to the larger audience. If you want to insist an Asian American plays your part, you make that a condition of telling your story.

[heart2imagine]

So True!

[ralphyboy1]

hate how movies and shows portray sterotypes because people see that on tv and assume im like that lol.