What would the movie industry be like today if the Hays Code were still in force? Apply the code to a movie that was released after the code was abandoned in 1968.
Start by reading the code here.
Pick a film that came out after 1868 (preferably a Hollywood studio production released in the last few years) and apply the code to the movie. How many of the code's rules does it violate? Which provisions does it break? Are they brief, easy to edit out, or would cutting the "bad parts" significantly change the movie?
So here’s your challenge: imagine that you’re a Native American actor and that you’ve been hired to work as an extra on a Western comedy starring Adam Sandler. Once filming begins, you notice that the script includes jokes about “stinkin’ Injuns,” savages and getting scalped. Some of your fellow extras are bothered by the dialogue as well as the general portrayal of Native Americans. They’re talking about walking off the set. Do you go with them? Use thoughts and examples from the readings to justify your answer.
Using thoughts and examples from the readings, tell everyone what seems like the best course of action for you. Even if you don’t see yourself in a movie-making career, you can still use this question to start thinking about the factors that go into any media career.
For this question, imagine that you’re a movie studio executive. One of your most successful producers just brought you what looks like the next big money-making movie. There’s just one problem: the director – a famous creator of successful comedies – was accused 25 years ago of molesting an underage girl. He was never charged with a crime, and naturally he claims he didn’t do it. But given the current climate, should you green light the production, investing a lot of studio money in a project with him at the helm? Use thoughts and examples from the readings to justify your answer.