WANTED: Social Impact Storytelling
Hollywood Insiders Demand More Values-Based Storytelling
Angela | May 8, 2024 |
Every time I think the culture wars or the never ending political messaging has slowed down, I get pulled back in and smacked in the face with another dose of “people who can’t read the room.” I watch a variation of streamers in an attempt to avoid echo chambers, and every single one of them is just as sick, if not more, of the never-ending political messaging. We’ve all become way too familiar with DEI – like, uncomfortably familiar. That’s not enough, though; now, we’re learning about BRIDGE, which is supposed to be a million times worse than DEI, and fantastically, social impact storytelling.
Give me a break.
An ensemble cast of famous actors like George Clooney, producers, executives, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson, Equal Justice Initiative executive director Bryan Stevenson, and so on – have all come together for the sake of social impact storytelling. They’ve all signed a letter, a pledge, calling for “Films With Purpose” to be greenlit. How about NO? I can already tell that the word “intersectionality” will be heavily used at their meetings. Social impact storytelling already exists today in major Hollywood productions. Look at everything Disney has done from 2018-2023. We really don’t need any more of it.
This comes after the shutdown of Participant Media, a company with a “mission of instigating social change through storytelling.” They’re known for projects like the movies Green Book, Roma, and RBG (a documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsberg). The closure of Participant has forced all these fine folks to push on and inspired them to demand that Hollywood affirm their divine aspirations.
Please, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for “thought provoking subject matter that could power new narratives and offer fresh perspectives.” Just not so much about all the “trust in advocates and social movements to utilize those narratives in dynamic campaigns.” Advocates and social movements of today have already done enough damage to their own reputations. We don’t need more of that sort of thing in movies, television, or video games.
Honestly, the letter reads as if they all just want Participant Media back. That seems to be the main point of interest. It reads more like a eulogy than an expanded proposal for “values-based storytelling.” I can’t take this seriously. Whoever wrote this is treating Participant like a girlfriend that just broke up with them, and they’re so obsessed that they can’t accept it, hoping this letter will change their mind – or, in this case, reality. Quotes like “The future and health of our culture and democracy requires more of us to participate, spread hope, and humanity” ensured plenty of signatures, I’m sure. Maybe they’re Helldivers 2 fans.
The eye-rolling I endured when seeing this was a little painful. At first, I thought this was another DEI-type initiative. Thank God that pain went away once I read the letter they all signed. Are we supposed to take all of this seriously?
You can read the full letter here, but I’m warning you that it starts with “Friends of Filmmaking and Impact.”
How do you feel about social impact storytelling? Do you think we’ve had enough? Do you think people are ready for something different? Something more entertaining, maybe?
Comments (2)
They all live in a bubble of privilege and I don’t think under current conditions, they will even be able to hit the ball. The Demographic changes of the western countries has been so radical, and the conditions of the actual citizenry ignored for so long, that, of course they are going to swing and miss.
Would just say either look at Reiner or A24’s Civil War. It’s always been monotonous and cliche’ with all these Ivory Tower types. It has never changed. It’s like, which other side will they take next?
Good to use Clooney’s picture, because he is not who he said he was, from the very beginning. He was always connected. With all the quotas, DEI, ESG, CRT and the deluge of invaders from across the world, there are reports that all new jobs go to anyone else but Western citizens at this point. Whatever they come up with will be out of touch and out of date. The psyops that Hollywood and media and entertainment have already done has led us to a polyglot mess and a road to nowhere.