Screenwriting : Political correctness - abide by it or do what feels right? by Gav Elias

stay with the voice of the piece. If it's well written and witty, and if the story SCREAMS from the page, you've made your point within the confines of that time period. For example you would not say 'foxy' today about a hot woman you might say 'phat' or 'all that' or whatever that particular generation 'does.' As long as you know that the 'riff' has a payoff it should work. The chances of any writer's work going from page to screen is zero. Everyone 'touches' stuff. Don't sweat it. Respectfully: BB

Agree with Alle and Babz -- stick with it!

Mel Brooks said he could never of gotten Blazing Saddles made today. It a sad comment on the status of Hollywood today and how insidious the PC movement has gone. I say be true to yourself. You're the only one that really counts.

Well, I will explain a tad. It ix an opening scene where there are two policemen in a car. Their purpose is to be incompetent and slightly idiotic in a black comedy kind of way. One is Mexican and the other Jewish. They essentially call each other names using stereotypes to set the tone for them characters as bumbling, unprofessional and incompetent idiots. That is why I feel it is important in setting tone etc.

You watched "Rescue Me." They used racial slurs on each other all the time. It's a form of hazing and endearment with men. At work I'm called out as an asshole and "You're white, White people" "can't trust White people, White people lie" all the time. I throw it back with the PR angle and agree with them you can't trust anyone. I love these guys. There like sons to me. I'm starting to think my name is asshole.

Lyse - in a way it is turning stereotypes. One is actually American with Mexican genes and the other is American but with Jewish features, due to being a Jewish descendant. Neither are actually Mexican or Jewish, but call each other names, in a way you wont necessarily expect, even though neither are actually Mexican or Jewish. The whole point of it is to highlight their ignorance, stupidity and play of the global persona of American's. However, that is to set the audiences frame of mind so they don't expect what is to come later on, if that makes sense.

Go for it. Have the courage of your convictions.

Sounds like you have a high class problem. If you have an opening that grabs the audience by the wrist and leads them through what's to come, you embrace it like grim death.

First, "Political Correctness" is a mental disorder that first erodes, then eventually incapacitates any kind of serious critical thinking or objective reasoning. It is a form of socialized peer pressure that makes taboos and censorship the substitute for the real debate and argumentation needed to confront and fix problems. Having said that, the fact that your story takes place in 1978 is your escape valve to honestly and humorously use character dialogues that would be considered inappropriate today.

Do what serves the realism of your story, as it pertains to story and how the characters in your story behaved in their time period. Ie: Lee Daniels - The Butler, most recently, disturbing scenes and dialogue yet needed to really showcase what was going on in America in those time periods. Make your characters as real and as raw as possible especially the ones we all hate for what they say, but as writers we must not judge our characters just present them for who they really are and show why they are the way they are to make some sense of their not so kind words and actions. This my humble opinion and I hope it helps us all.

Do what sounds right for your character. It's them speaking, not you.

I don't want to just say 'Tarantino does it' but equally, I feel that his brand of no holds barred film making is relevant here. Django uses the n-word a ridiculous amount of times but it fulfills a purpose - it makes the slaves in the film into something else that isn't human, something they can justify doing monstrous things to because hey, they animals. Politically incorrect things are that way because they lower someone to being morally beneath you. I think it will all depend on context. A man can say an incorrect word in an entirely noble sentence and he can use it in an entirely hurtful and cruel way - and he can also use it senseless to the offence caused. It's up to you to tell the truth of your characters imho - not to protect the audience. As others have said it depends also on your character. Then again, we all say stupid things...

Gav, if the joke is told in a way that is true to the character, time and place, it shouldn't have any shock value but should instead feel natural. It's the same with any less than politically incorrect ethnic slur. If it fits the story and character, it shouldn't call attention to itself but rather fit

If it is for the time period or how that character is, use the Un-PC way. If you are PC with a character the is not PC it will be obvious.

I would stay true to the story.

Hmm, well in general you should write the movie YOU want to see, that YOU think is interesting, that YOU think is funny... and don't try to guess what the audience is going to want to see or how they will feel. BUT it's also prudent to take a step back after it's created and wonder how this will play in Hollywood - the spearhead of political correctness in the world today - and how people will receive it. I wrote a script called "The Rotten Apple" - it was basically a black comedy portrayal of New York City as the worst hellhole on earth lol but then I realized Americans won't fund this because they love NYC so I put the project on the shelf... Then again Tarantino just does what he wants, his use of the n word doesn't serve any purpose other than he thinks his characters sound cool when using it. That's the extent of his artistic justification for that. It's your call. Generally though the more autonomous you are, the more freedom you have to be as edgy as you want.

Ethical systems change over time (hopefully they improve). The term PC was coined by people who did not like the way the ethical system was changing, so they coined this term to act like they were being oppressed. A quick trip to the multiplex or a spin around the TV dial should dismiss any notion that there is some PC code out there inhibiting freedom of expression. So write whatever you want to write and if it's well done people will understand it for what it is and appreciate it (see South Park). And if it's scatological drivel, well, there's a market for that too. Just don't act like Hilary Clinton is standing over your shoulder giving a Marge Simpson-esque scowl every time you use a pejorative term for some group of people.

go ahead with it. the audience will remember what it was like back then, if they lived then, and realise how much the world has changed. authenticity is amazing to see on film.