Hollywood has become known for its lack of diversity both in front of and behind the camera and web series 'Swapped' is mocking it. The web series is aimed at mocking the overwhelming amount of modern films with straight, white, male leads.
Created by Dana Faith Leonard, Zoe Samuel and Mark Philip Lichtenstein, Swapped re-stages classic film scenes but with reversed gender roles. The first episode of the web series recreates the business card scene from 'American Psycho'. The original scene features a conference-like room full of white men, but in the Swapped version of the scene Patrick Bateman and his all white, male colleagues become Patricia Bateman and her diverse, female colleagues. The scene is more passive-aggressive than in the original. Upcoming parodies include 'Die Hard,' 'True Lies' and 'Jerry Maguire.' The parodies showcase the extreme lack of gender diversity in Hollywood.
Gender Reversal Parodies
'Swapped' Re-Stages Classic Film Scenes with Reversed Gender Roles
Trend Themes
1. Gender Role Swapping - Creating parody films scenes switching the gender roles to address the lack of gender diversity in Hollywood.
2. Mocking Traditional Film Roles - Satirizing the classic Hollywood model of straight, white, male leads with a diverse cast in gender swapped scenes.
3. Addressing Diversity in Entertainment - Highlighting the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry with humor and parody for social discussion and change.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - Developing diverse roles and casting choices in Hollywood to refocus film plots on new and non-traditional actors in classic storylines.
2. Advertising - Developing promotional content for films that highlights the mocking nature of gender-swapped parodies for viral commercial appeal.
3. Brand Management - Creating an inclusive marketing strategy for products/services by utilizing diverse casting in advertisements that counteracts traditional gender roles.