Table of contentsStereotypes and their consequencesWhat are stereotypes?How stereotypes appear in cinemaConsequences of stereotypesStereotypes and indigenous and African-AmericansFighting stereotypesConfronting stereotypesChallenging stereotypesExposing stereotypesConclusionCinema is one of the important ways we experience culture. We learn how society is supposed to work and how it actually works through stories on the big screen. The ideas and concepts presented through the plot and dialogue are the “masterpieces” created by the filmmaker. Stereotypes and misrepresentations have pervaded cinema from the beginning and unfortunately continue to do so. In the history of cinema, these ideas and representations have not always been a faithful reflection of reality, particularly with regard to minorities. African and Native American filmmakers have worked to alleviate this problem and provide an accurate representation of our society and culture through the stories and images they present in their films. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayStereotypes and Their ConsequencesWhat are Stereotypes?Stereotypes are generalized statements or ideas about a group of people. They may relate to race, gender, religion, orientation or several other concepts. Stereotypes can refer to behaviors, appearances, or other factors. For example, there is a common stereotype that Asians are bad drivers. Because stereotypes are generalizations about an entire group, they are often not representative. This is because people are diverse, even within a general group as well as within a specific race. How Stereotypes Appear in Film The way a character speaks, dresses, and behaves is all influenced by the desire of the filmmaker. Stereotypes are built into the film, both deliberately and inadvertently, as the filmmaker's view of the character may be a generalized representation based loosely on certain aspects of the culture. For example, a film about basketball may feature several African-American characters, because athletics are considered an important part of black American culture. Consequences of Stereotyping Because cinema (along with all other media) presents ideas as common concepts about society, the effect is that the characters' depictions translate into reality. Unfortunately, these ideas are often distorted because they come from the mind of the filmmaker. When a filmmaker imagines a character, they can inject certain traits that fit their personal ideas about how that specific character should look or behave. When these representations are presented to the general public through film, they are accepted as common truths. This perpetuates stereotypes. Stereotypes and Native Americans and African Americans Portrayals of Native Americans and African Americans in film have always been inaccurate and riddled with stereotypes. These stereotypes have contributed to widespread negative ideas about both cultures. Some common stereotypes about Native Americans are that they are suspicious of strangers and that they are alcoholics. Common stereotypes about African Americans are that they are criminals, that they are unintelligent, and that they possess a litany of other negative qualities. Although these concepts are not representative of these breeds as a whole, they are often therepresentations presented in films with modern plots. Currently, in mainstream Hollywood films, it is not uncommon for African-American characters, designed to be heroes, to be nefarious and unethical. For example, one of the main characters in Fist Fight played by Ice Cube engages in extremely unethical behavior and excessive aggression towards everyone around him, echoing the stereotype of the "black Rambo" (Levy et al. & Keen , 2017). Even depictions of Native Americans in modern films such as the Twilight saga show Native Americans as being cut off from mainstream society and excessively wary of outsiders. These current representations show the public that “this is how this group behaves”. Historical depictions are often inherently inaccurate because they come from the perspective of a different race. These depictions show the natives as gullible or perhaps as bravely stoic, or even as hostile. African Americans were presented as cheerful and comical slaves, such as in depictions of “sambo” and “mama.” Other depictions of African American women that have transpired over time include the "Jezebel" stereotype, depicting an overly sexual and/or promiscuous woman. The "Jezebel" stereotype grew significantly during the 1970s, but can be seen in films as far back as Birth of a Nation (Pilgrim, 2012). While as modern viewers we know that some of these depictions are inherently inaccurate, some strongly influence our current views. Combating Stereotypes One of the main ways we see combating stereotypes in film is through the concepts presented by African and Native American filmmakers. By confronting, questioning and exposing stereotypes, they make progress in changing perceptions. Confronting stereotypes African and Native American filmmakers challenge stereotypes in cinema by confronting stereotypical behavior. An example of this can be seen in Spike Lee's 2000 film Bamboozled. The film's plot follows a black television writer and the production of a show he creates that is excessively racist in its portrayal of mostly black characters. plantation days on a minstrel show. The film highlights not only how ridiculous these portrayals are, but also how well-received they are, driving home the idea that blockbuster television is for the majority, not the minority. The ending of the film leaves the audience with the idea that selling and distorting culture for entertainment purposes leads to various negative consequences. Another way to confront stereotypes is to show that although a certain type of behavior may exist in one part of the group, it is not systemic. In the film Smoke Signals, the father of a main character (Victor) is portrayed as an abusive alcoholic (Eyre et al., 1998). Although this stereotype is common among Native American men in films, this film goes beyond this concept to show that this behavior is neither common nor tolerated. This type of confrontation aims to dissolve the stereotype by presenting a more accurate representation of the majority of the group. Combating stereotypes Challenging stereotypes is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to combat stereotypes. This is because it negates not only inaccurate stereotypes about a certain group, but also positive stereotypes about the majority. The majority of media portrays white men as protagonists or heroic figures, even in journalism (Owens, 2008). When filmmakers from.