A Screenwriter’s Guide to Race, Representation & Portrayal in Film & TV

As a screenwriter you always want to have characters with real depth and authenticity, but too often Black characters fall victim to superficial tropes and negative stereotyping.

This book begins by asking the reader if they can write a Black character. It then asks the reader questions about their knowledge and understanding of race and racism. Exploring the popular representation of law and order, healthcare and celebrity in the entertainment industry and comparing this with the reality of these institutions throughout history and today, Lubimbi opens up the discussion and offers solutions to problems surrounding race, representation and stereotyping

Part analysis and part workbook, Race and Entertainment: Reflections on Racism in Film, TV and the Media will help screenwriters and creative professionals to understand the social construct of racism and how it affects the Black experience, in order for them to be able to write an authentic Black character.

Thandi Lubimbi is a barrister who specializes in criminal law, and she has spent most of her working life in government. Lubimbi is also an award-winning screenwriter. At the 2022 New York Festival, her co-written legal drama, Barred, won Best Digital Drama and The Effect, an Audible sci-fi series on which she was a contributing writer, won Best Podcast.