First and formost, I'm not racist. Now, I'm currently writing a thriller/horror where the atmosphere is very racist. Will this be accepted by readers here? i don't want to labled a jerk or anything. There are some scenes that were quite uncomfortable to write, so I know that they may offend some people. Please, I need some advice.

~Zack~

It's no different than writing anything else.  You've written numerous scripts where people have killed others.  Does that make you a killer?  Probably not.

I just don't want people to think i'm racist or anything.

~Zack~

I wouldn't worry about it.  I think it would be pretty foolish to assume that someone's personality is completely made up of what they write about.

Just write it, Zack.

Having your characters being racists is perfectly fine. I don't recall you ever having made any racist remarks so I don't think anyone will view you as a racist. And if they do - fuck 'em. After all - it's just a story.


Rob

Thanks guys. That's some weight off my shoulders.

~Zack~

Every film in the history of IMDb has a topic like "THIS MOVIE IS RACIST!" It doesn't mean anything. There's always gonna be a some guy out there who's gonna think something is "racist".

Like for Monster House there was a guy who thought the movie was racist because the main characters say they don't like "mexican food"...

So don't pay attention. Write your characters the way you want them. Look at a movie like Remember the Titans. Plenty of racist dialogue, as far as I remember. Is that movie racist? Is the screenwriter? No.

Context matters. Which is something a lot of those who start racial topics on IMdb forget.

Conversation with oft-produced b-movie screenwriter:

Him: "I'm worried about the second act.  It's the section with the racist guy and the teenagers."
Me: "In your last two scripts you've killed something like forty people."
His Wife: "And all of them were women."
Me: "Everyone knows you're a misogynist not a racist."
Him: "Oh, okay."

One of the characters in my script is extremly racist, but like you said. Context matters.

~Zack~

Quoted from Death Monkey ELook at a movie like Remember the Titans. Plenty of racist dialogue, as far as I remember. Is that movie racist? Is the screenwriter? No.

Let's be honest here, that movie was made by Disney and to my knowledge never had any "bad" racial dialogue.

Basically the use of the word nobody dares mention is where they get touchy but like a comedian has said if they don't want us to say it they shouldn't use it so freely in public and on television.

The word in my opinion has lost it's racial meaning.

Clerks has a racial slur or two in it and American History X and both of those films were hailed widely as good films. One even was nominated for an Oscar.

I think it's the execution of the material. I remember a script on here called "Skullfuck: Battlefrogs" or something like that in which Bert hated and a bunch of people were offended by it's blatant racial dialogue (In the descriptions)

Do it right and you're fine but do it wrong and you end up being the bad guy. Remember I wrote a script with gay characters that gave Kevan an enema... that's powerful subject matter but it fits the script.

Here's my opinion;

As long as you don't make him a hero or set him up as messiah figure or anything, it should be OK...If he's vile, nasty, hatefull and gets weed whacked in the kisser in the end, that should work...If he comes out smelling like roses, gets the girl and everyone praises his hatefull attitude and wish that everyone were like him...not so much.

Joe

Quoted from Old Time Wesley Remember I wrote a script with gay characters that gave Kevan an enema... that's powerful subject matter but it fits the script.

Funny you should mention that script, because that's exactly what I was thinking of when I was replying yesterday.

I remember the Battlefrogs script too, particularly for one line that made me crack up not only at how bad it was, but how vividly I could picture it in my own sick mind.

Quoted from Battlefrogs: The Ultimate Shit Show ...and some dude in kung fu pajamas who does Blizzard Kung Fu and kills some guy with a backbreaker.

Don't ask why I laughed.  Probably because he killed a guy with a backbreaker.

At least it wasn't a racist joke.

Quoted from Old Time Wesley I remember a script on here called "Skullfuck: Battlefrogs" or something like that in which Bert hated and a bunch of people were offended by it's blatant racial dialogue (In the descriptions)

That's a good point you brought up here, Wes. The dialogue (and thereby the characters) can be all racist, and no one would ever point a finger at the writer - but if the descriptions are written with a racial slur then that's a totally different ballgame and the writer would certainly be open to attacks.

Zack, if you have any questions about how NOT to do it, then go read The Turner Diaries. Actually I'd be surprised if anybody are able to finish that book - I wasn't.

I think if you avoid being racist in the actions and if in the story you give race an equal amount of respect as you do disrespect (or perhaps even more respect), then you should be ok.  Most likely someone will complain about it no matter what you do, so just be prepared for that.

Quoted from Shelton Funny you should mention that script, because that's exactly what I was thinking of when I was replying yesterday. I remember the Battlefrogs script too, particularly for one line that made me crack up not only at how bad it was, but how vividly I could picture it in my own sick mind. Don't ask why I laughed.  Probably because he killed a guy with a backbreaker. At least it wasn't a racist joke.

I think you come to a point where you have to be able to laugh about a subject. Racism has been used to no end. I work with a guy who is Polish and everyone calls him Polak (Which is a slur) but he doesn't mind being called that. We had that discussion before while we weren't working.

I just can't use that whole enema thing in any other aspect of life because it never comes up so I'll mention it whenever possible. Probably the best reply to a script ever came from the guy who steals scripts from unsuspecting naive writers.

Kung Fu Pajamas is funny but the writer never came around, right? If that is the case I think it's a fake script.