Comment: Apparently it Does Matter if You’re Black or White

(Edited version of my competition entry. Click image to view layout on ISSUU.)

Racism is something we’re all aware; we hear about it constantly in society, in football and in our everyday lives, but what about in film?

It’s likely that you would have heard stories about directors, writers and producers typecasting characters and it’s not uncommon to see particular actors play the same racial stereotype all of the time. What is a rarity, however, is an audience’s reaction when they don’t agree with the race of a character cast in a certain role.

Competition Entry: Prejudice In Film

(Written for a competition to write for MTV Sticky, which I won.)

You may have heard that The Hunger Games has done extremely well since its release last month, making over $350M worldwide and clinging on to the top of the box office for four whole weeks, but did you hear about those who only had negative things to say about the film?

Film Review: The Hunger Games

(Published in Issue 8 of my publication In Retrospect)

The first in a trilogy of novels written by Suzanne Collins‘ best-selling series, The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future where, in order to maintain peace in the 12 districts of Panem, 24 young representatives are forced to compete in a televised game each year, where they must fight to the death until only one remains. With the film adaptation directed by Gary Ross, the story centres on the character of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a young woman living in the poorest of districts who, when her sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is chosen to compete in the games, volunteers herself as tribute alongside fellow district competitor Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

Pitted against the richest of tributes, who have been training all their lives, Katniss is thrown into the colourful world of the rich in interviews with TV host Caeser Flickerman (Stanley Tucci), stylist Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), and Game escort Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks). But with only the mentoring skills of the drunk and bitter Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) to prepare her, does Katniss even stand a chance of returning home to her family? And how will seducing her district competitor in order to attract sponsors affect the harbouring romance she has with Gale (Liam Hemsworth) back at home?

Book v Film: The Hunger Games

“Deep in the meadow, hidden far away / A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray. / Forget your woes and let your troubles lay, / And when it’s morning again, they’ll wash away. / Here it’s safe, here it’s warm. / Here the daisies guard you from every harm. / Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, / Here is the place where I love you.”

The first in a trilogy of novels written by Suzanne Collins‘ best-selling series, The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future where, in order to maintain peace in the 12 districts of Panem, 24 young representatives are forced to compete in a televised game each year, where they must fight to the death until only one remains. With the film adaptation directed by Gary Ross, the story centres on the character of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a young woman living in the poorest of districts who, when her sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is chosen to compete in the games, volunteers herself as tribute alongside fellow district competitor Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

Pitted against the richest of tributes, who have been training all their lives, Katniss is thrown into the colourful world of the rich in interviews with TV host Caeser Flickerman (Stanley Tucci), stylist Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), and Game escort Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks). But with only the mentoring skills of the drunk and bitter Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) to prepare her, does Katniss even stand a chance of returning home to her family? And how will seducing her district competitor in order to attract sponsors affect the harbouring romance she has with Gale (Liam Hemsworth) back at home?

‘The Hunger Games’ Pre-Game Special: New IMAX Banner & Character Images

(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)

Lionsgate has released a new IMAX banner for the first film in an adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ best-selling and eagerly awaited trilogy of novels, The Hunger Games, with a set of new character images that have also made their way online this week.

Directed by Gary Ross, the big screen adaptation is set in a post-apocalyptic North America, now named Panem, where teenagers are chosen to battle to the death in annual televised games where only one can survive, an attempt to maintain control by those living in the Capitol in this very dystopian society.