Filmmaking / Directing : "At Some Point, Some People Have to Take Risks, or Everything Just Stays the Same" by Karen "Kay" Ross

Karen "Kay" Ross talk about an uphill battle, I've been following these insights via New York Times and social media for a decade or more,

the money pyramid of the entertainment industry has been a comfortable bastion of toxic masculinity, retrograde values and dominating patriarchy since forever,

as a male writer I am consciously and intentionally shifting to writing more central and powerful diverse female roles and ensemble casts in the stories that are authentic to my work, and with respect to the work of others in this field.

Arts and culture is the crucible of risk and confrontatation that can open new ways of thinking and doing to replace the dusty dregs of the past.

Thank you both for participating! Sometimes it's hard for people to voluntarily be introduced to something new. I'm grateful you are so receptive to the struggle of others!

Karen "Kay" Ross Have you seen Nina Menkes Docu "Brainwashed"? It ties in with "This Changes Everything". I can't recommend it enough.

The reason I want to write is so that I can be part of the force that will change the narrative. I spend too much time rolling my eyes or sighing at how women are portrayed on the screen and in literature. Case in point, I have been watching "Pieces of Her" which has 2 female leads, which is great. And the story is great too so I was really getting into it. But then, in one scene, one of the leads has to run for her life but is saved by the cop who is supposed to protect her. Now, leading up to this scene the two had been arguing and the lead really wasn't liking this cop. Yet, when she is saved she goes on to kiss him. And all I could do was ask, WHY? Why is this kiss, in that moment, important to the story? Is it really necessary? Does is really need to happen to drive the story forward? Two episodes further, I have concluded the answer is no. I suppose someone, somewhere decided a saved woman needs to kiss her saviour (prince on white horse springs to mind)...

Before I start my Monday with a full on rant on this subject, I will open my current work and write instead. There is power in words. A power I want to use. Thank you for touching on this important issue.

Absolutely, Annelies Morlion - there is power in words, and I hope you use that vigor to keep at it! I have not seen 'Brainwashed' but I shall. I will say, don't analyze others' scripts after these docs, though, 'cause it is possible to see something more that may not be there. Then again, it's a danger to us all - projecting what isn't there.

'If you are not the hero of your own story, then you're missing the whole point of your humanity.'

- Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You

@Daniel Thanks for input, still reeling over your words in thread “Crucible of risk.” Oscar Wilde quote “Through art and art alone can we shield ourselves from the sordid hurt of actuality.” Words are powerful.

For me, risk means change - and we all go through changes of one kind or another. Sometimes changes just happen, other times we invite change - we feel the need to try something out (because how else are we going to grow, either as creatives or as people?); if we don't try - or risk - we then 'risk' being blocked. Am now going to watch the trailer...