 There comes a time where you look at, you’re writing and say…what is the point of this? Who am I writing for? I do that daily. I think it is just a daily reminder for purpose. What is the purpose behind your writing, why do you care so much about writing? With every story comes a wild experience in my life. With every story comes the answer to every question. I write for my friends and for me. My best friends and I have experienced a lot, and it is from those stories that I get my feature film ideas. There is no way that I couldn’t write about them just because these stories are meant to be told, no matter how much they are watered down. Now look, maybe not every story is important, but it stems from one of the fears I had growing up and how I conquered them.  These stories are really about me conquering things I thought that I never could. No seriously, sometimes I think about what if I never got into writing, would this all be worth it? Probably not, but here’s the thing, I can’t spend too much time focusing on the “what if’s”. I have to focus on my future and on my writing. My love for writing is deep, and I’m glad I found something that has helped me talk about what I have been through. Plus, there is nothing more pleasant than a story that humbles you so much you can’t get it out of your head! So, what is your purpose? Why do you write what you write? Comment below! I'd love to hear your perspective! This is YOUR sign to start. Get those feelings onto the page and discover the magic within! 
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 Photo Courtesy of Brightest Young Things: https://brightestyoungthings.com/articles/10-black-lgbtq-movies-and-tv-shows-to-stream-for-pride My skin is so precious, but do people see me correctly? I always wonder why I have not seen too many people like me on my screen. It troubles me; it worries me. I cannot go on anymore racking my brain because I feel that I am not scared about or looked after. I feel that as a black woman I am continuously disrespected because I am not well represented. It is like my word does not count. As a lighter-skinned black woman, I am aware of my privilege. I feel the need for my representation and the representation of darker black women because I feel that even though Hollywood has come a long way, there are still many things that need to be worked on. Here are some stats from the diversity report released by UCLA. Learn more here!  Less than 2 to 1 among film leads (27.6 percent), Less than 3 to 1 among film directors (14.4 percent), Less than 3 to 1 among film writers (13.9 percent), Less than proportionate representation among total actors (32.7 percent), Greater than 4 to 1 among studio heads (9 percent). This is what I mean by Hollywood still has a long way to go.
Look I do not need validation from the film and television industry, but I do need accurate representation. Seeing yourself being portrayed inspires many. As much as we want to be known, we want to be known for positive things. I have seen too many black characters on TV be overwritten or not well understood because writers felt that they needed to be “ghetto” to get the point across about black women’s personalities. As I said, things have changed, we are seeing more black characters on our screens and the industry is putting out more movies with minority characters that are leads but the battle is far from over. I plan on emerging into the industry making sure that minorities are represented whether it’s behind the screen on in front. The best way to do that is to start on paper. I plan on making sure that my characters are the best representation of the people who are in my life. I plan on writing for all the black women and girls out there. The stories that I tell stem from my experiences as a black woman so doing that through characters play a big part in my work. |
AuthorBridget Johnson is the president and co-founder of Dare to Dream Productions. She writes and directs thought-provoking films that inspire others to follow their dreams. Archives
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