The Motion Picture Industry

When shadowys did get screen quantify in the first half of the twentieth century, they were ofttimes in subservient or negative roles like slave, servant, illiterate, or criminal. much(prenominal) roles were in part based on the racism and prepossess against disconsolates in society as a whole during the era, save even after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 positive Black roles in major(ip) motion pictures were r atomic number 18 until individuals like Sidney Poitier helped profane the color line. Nevertheless, African Americans in major motion pictures were a great deal represented as criminals or a menace to society. If they were non, they often were in "token" roles or got killed before the final reel. point when modern Black filmmakers started making films focusing on African American existence with primarily Black actors, many critics struggle stereotypes and prejudices continued. As one Black film critic contends, " triple seconds into the film and Bam! The brother-actor gets offed. So why does every trip to the movies got to drop off into a foray into the untamed wilds of the American Racial mental imagery? Assorted coonery and buffoonery, Black communities as new-jack nigga-terrordomes and a spectrum of melinated miscreants jigabooing into the 21st century," (Cobb 1).

Ironically, not all of the negative stereotypes projected about Blacks in films depiction them stems from white filmmakers or executives. In many cases negative portraya

There are many examples of films do by Black filmmakers that are just as blameworthy of making films with negative Black portrayals as is any major Hollywood film studio. Filmmakers like Spike Lee and rump Singleton portend to make Black oriented films that are contrasting than Hollywood's, ones that portray African Americans in a much to a greater extent realistic and positive sense. However, there are many activists at bottom the Black community, who complain that filmmakers like these seem just as to a lower place the American-created Black stereotyped hypnosis to the same degree as any non-African American filmmaker.

They complain that many of their films contain stereotypes that portray Blacks as outcasts and partiers:

There are a number of attempts under way to help promote Black filmmakers in their effort to produce and distribute films that portray a positive Black experience. One such group as this is the Black Filmmakers Foundation, organize in 1997. The group has sponsored the first Black Film feast that took place in summer in order to pillow slip works of African American filmmakers, actors and actresses that may have a difficult time garnering any recognition or witness in the mainstream community. As the President of the Black Filmmakers Foundation stated, "The ABFF is providing a platform of exposure for films that have either been directed , produced and/or written by African Americans. It is our intention to recognize and make merry some of the works that have traditionally overlooked by mainstream festivals and award ceremonies. It is our goal to build a coalition of artists who are all committed to supporting Black film making. We mustiness combine our talent, resources and access in an effort to provide financing for films that reflect our lifestyles, culture and heritage," (Acapulco 1).

Acapulco Black Film Festival. Washington Afro-American, Jun 28, 1997, 1-2.

During the seventies films showcasing Black performers like Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, and Billy Dee Williams creat
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