Roots what?

Dear Hollywood Execs:

I totally understand that for each movie flop somebody looses their job. I understand that it is a risk to make new movies with original story lines because there is no guarantee that the audience will respond. I get all that. I get that Hollywood is a big business and money talks. I know that Hollywood has not been an art form since the 1940’s.

I get it… but as a filmmaker, I don’t care! You are remaking classics and turning them into garbage. Everything that was gold does not need to be remade. We don’t need to see seven million slave movies just because they do well in theaters.

Up to this point, I was trying to be tolerant of this repetitiveness because I understand the need for job security. It must be hell wondering if your next movie will fill your Lexus SUV or if your kid will be able to attend private school wearing their Gucci back packs. I hate to think of the tragedies that will ensue if you have to cut your gardeners days from 5 days a week to 3 days! What about the weeds? The weeds dammit!

But then yesterday you lost me! I am minding my business and I read a story about Hollywood remaking the classic miniseries “Roots”. Seriously? Roots? It’s like someone said “A slave movie and a remake” and then their friend said “Brilliant! Let’s do it!” *insert frat boy fist bump*

WHAT?

Slave movies? That’s just depressing! There are some movies that are needed for healing and history. Why white Hollywood exec men do you want to replay the most depressing part of U.S history over and over? Side note, nobody wants to see another Trail of Tears movie either. Don’t mistake our desire to be taught this in history class as a request to be entertained by them.

My request…take a risk. Find a really really good script that you like. One that gives you butterflies on the inside and obsess about it. When you come across that script, that’s the one you should make. This is the script that will give your life meaning and break you from the chains of mediocrity. Yeah, those movies you are making now are at best okay. So you want to do better than okay, you want to be great. Pick up a script, I suggest you start with mine, get it made and feel good about yourself. You may feel so good that you will get in the practice of doing at least one of these films a year.

But seriously, contact me, I have a great script…