Hollywood?

First I am willing to admit that sometimes I am anti-hollywood not because its hollywood but having opportunities to work in the industry I know from experience it is not what its hyped up 2 be and because alot of things I see just seem so distant from reality, cliche and ingenuine. However, there are some really good works that are created from the heart and not only to make a dollar but to make statements and represent the voices of the unheard and unspoken. It bothers me how some people prejudge without ever allowing there assumptions to be challenged or proven otherwise. To me, this is ignorance at its best.

I am not going to lie, since the movie Sex and the city came out, I refused to watch it because to me it has no connection to my lifestyle preference and just seem so unrealistic from the lives of the majority. After much thought, I decided to watch the film because whether i agreed with it or not, it is someones creation. So I did and I actually ended up really enjoying the film. I mean in tears more than once enjoying the film and will be going to watch part 2 =). Of course i have my critiques but hey some people do spend 500 on shoes and think nothing of it. The movie made statements on life from different perspetives and of course it just the southern girl who helps Carrie get her life back in order which can be viewed from many perspectives, I am going to take the positive one in this case. While it has a stereotypes that are constantly reinforced in almost every successful mainstream film which is one of my anti hollywood protest, this reality exist to some.
I have learned that the social constructs we build off of are only significant because of the approach of the conversation and also ones own life experience. When critiquing a film like Sex and the City my first argument would be that the first time you see a black person with any significance she is assistant to this well known white author who buys her her first real Louis Vuitton so she no longers has to rent them and the line that follows is "the best dollar I ever spent". As a filmmaker working towards social change and creating a voice for minorities in the industry i would not have made that choice. I mean, why couldn't one of the girls be black or one of the husbands. However, I am well aware that this is how the some people lives function.
The question I am trying to raise though is as an artist how do we stay true to ourselves and our own reality without feeding into these stereotypes. The media plays such an important role in creating our world views. Looking back at films like Friday or Baby Boy which can be criticized for being poor representations of the black community but also just wanting the world to understand that this too is not far from the realities of some but still being flexible and open to a film like Sex in the City having a all black cast because this too can be our reality and is for some.

The Artist thoughts...