French film industry racist for barring black actors from dubbing white stars

[Afro-European]

The French film industry has been found guilty of racism for preventing black actors from dubbing white stars in Gallic versions of English-language movies.
An inquiry ruled that casting directors regularly excluded black applicants in the belief that they had a distinctive tone of voice unsuitable for dubbing white parts. The findings come amid claims that the failure to promote black stars in films and other media is contributing to a wider segregation in French society.
The Higher Authority for the Fight Against Discrimination and for Equality (Halde), France's equivalent of the Commission for Racial Equality, said that double standards were widespread within the French film industry. White actors were deemed to have “universal” voices able to dub black actors such as Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, the investigation found. Black artists, meanwhile, were victims of “prejudice and stereotypes” which meant that they were hardly ever chosen to dub white stars.
The Halde ordered the French Federation of Cinema, Audiovisual and Multimedia Industries and the Union of Dubbing Companies to implement anti-racism training.
The inquiry came after Yasmine Modestine, a black actress and singer, complained that she had been the victim of discrimination when she was excluded from dubbing a white star in an American television series. “Directors in the dubbing world believe that black people have black voices. But if that's the case how come whites are allowed to dub blacks? The truth is it's racism,” she told The Times.
Although the Halde failed to find evidence to back Mrs Modestine's personal claim, it said that her general allegation of widespread racism in the dubbing industry was justified.
Almost a third of the applicants in French dubbing studios were black, it said, but they rarely got prime roles and were almost systematically excluded when the roles involved dubbing “white” voices. Pascal Légitimus, one of France's best-known black film stars, told Le Nouvel Observateur, the weekly magazine, that he had struggled to obtain dubbing contracts for white roles. “I once dubbed a white in Crocodile Dundee II, but that's all,” he said. In a recent survey, 56 per cent of black French people said they had experienced discrimination.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5435451.ece



“Directors in the dubbing world believe that black people have black voices. But if that's the case how come whites are allowed to dub blacks?

I hate people that pull the race card but on this one...

[NowPlaying]

“Directors in the dubbing world believe that black people have black voices. But if that's the case how come whites are allowed to dub blacks?

Answer is in your own article.


White actors were deemed to have “universal” voices able to dub black actors such as Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, the investigation found.

[Andreas]

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6610/119182276269nk1.jpg

[Afro-European]

Answer is in your own article.


White actors were deemed to have “universal”

White directors deem white actors to have an "universal voice".


Almost a third of the applicants in French dubbing studios were black, it said, but they rarely got prime roles and were almost systematically excluded when the roles involved dubbing “white” voices.

You ain't gonna tell me that none of them has an "universal voice",do you?

[filochard]

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5435451.ece


I hate people that pull the race card but on this one...

The Halde is a joke: they find racism and discrimination everywhere.
In a report they complained that on 359 exercices on a math book handicap or homo******ity are never mentionned :cantbeli:
Some fun there (in french) http://www.communautarisme.net/Manuels-scolaires-Halde-au-sketch-!_a1028.html?PHPSESSID=94501ce08c1c62e926bcb304cb03ae2f (http://www.communautarisme.net/Manuels-scolaires-Halde-au-sketch-%21_a1028.html?PHPSESSID=94501ce08c1c62e926bcb304cb03ae2f)

[bigvig]

I can tell apart black voices almost instantaneously. They're right. Move along, nothing rayciss here.

[pascalywood]

Thats not racism at all. I wouldnt watch a movie if the main character is white and dubbed by, say, Eddie Murphy. It just wouldnt make sense.

[bigvig]

Thats not racism at all. I wouldnt watch a movie if the main character is white and dubbed by, say, Eddie Murphy. It just wouldnt make sense.
You're conflating accent or dialect with voice. Even for someone who talks normal like Morgan Freeman, it wouldn't sound right if he dubbed a white character.

Asians on the other hand, would be perfect to dub white characters.

[LineDoggie]

Oh I dont know, how many kids watching Star Wars for the first time didnt know the voice of Darth Vader was a Black mans?

[NowPlaying]

You ain't gonna tell me that none of them has an "universal voice",do you?

Apparently no.

[Lusitania]

I think the problem is perhaps the double standard within this; a black man cannot do the voice of a white person, yet a white person can play the voice of a black person. I don't see a problem with a race playing its own race, if not for reasons of vocal accuracy, however, the double-standard is something even I can see as a problem. This is preferential treatment; something of which when used in employment, can bring problems.


Thats not racism at all. I wouldnt watch a movie if the main character is white and dubbed by, say, Eddie Murphy. It just wouldnt make sense.

Sure, but what about Eddie Murphy being dubbed by Sean Penn? That is the basic premise of the argument...

[Bia]

White directors deem white actors to have an "universal voice".

You ain't gonna tell me that none of them has an "universal voice",do you?Is it racist when one is correct 99% of the time when assuming a voice is a black persons and it turn out to be right?
When black comedians do a "white guy bit" they always have that same strained (funny yes, but no where near accurate) cliche voice.

Black people in general... have a very distinct sound. If that makes one racist...well...

:P

[Afro-European]

Is it racist when one is correct 99% of the time when assuming a voice is a black persons and it turn out to be right?
No but i find it very hard to believe that none of the Black French actors can dub a white guy.

When black comedians do a "white guy bit" they always have that same strained (funny yes, but no where near accurate) cliche voice.
Hummm i'm not sure about that.Chris Rock sounds=/= than Kat Williams who sounds=/=than Dave Chapelle who sounds=/= than Martin Lawrence,etc.


Black people in general... have a very distinct sound.
How do they sound...generally?

[Bia]

1.No but i find it very hard to believe that none of the Black French actors can dub a white guy.

2. Hummm i'm not sure about that.Chris Rock sounds=/= than Kat Williams who sounds=/=than dave chapelle who sounds=/= thanMartin Lawrence,etc.


3. How do they sound...generally?

1. Possibly... but probably not easy. In business "easy" means $
If your career choice has struggles... you work harder instead of filing lawsuits.

2. I'm sure about it... the "going into white guy mode" is a standard not very white sounding voice most share in common.

3. Like black people.

[Lusitania]

1. Possibly... but probably not easy. In business "easy" means $
If your career choice has struggles... you work harder instead of filing lawsuits.

2. I'm sure about it... the "going into white guy mode" is a standard not very white sounding voice most share in common.

3. Like black people.

If black people do, indeed, have a distinct voice (which I do agree with), and thus can rarely duplicate a voice of a white person, do you then concede that the inverse is true? The equally unique white voice is many a time incapable of duplicating the black voice?

[Bia]

If black people do, indeed, have a distinct voice (which I do agree with), and thus can rarely duplicate a voice of a white person, do you then concede that the inverse is true? The equally unique white voice is many a time incapable of duplicating the black voice?I'm sure talented and a rare few on both sides can yes...but in general no for both.
I would suggest black people dub black actors and white people dub white actors... but I dont run the company.

[Lusitania]

I'm sure talented and a rare few on both sides can yes...but in general no for both.
I would suggest black people dub black actors and white people dub white actors... but I dont run the company.

I think that is fair, I would agree that it is not discrimination if the voice is kept within the same race as the speaker. Once again, if not just for vocal continuity and accuracy.

[Parisien]

There was a study showing that black people do indeed have a distinct voice. What is interresting is that white people who sound black have inferior wages than white people who sound white (doesnt not mean there is a causality).

[Bia]

Well the black actors were upset because they do indeed let white people dub for blacks.
There's a double standard... but my point is it isnt a life altering double standard. I have little empathy for people whos chosen profession is something as trite as acting. I enjoy their work... but it is a superfluous thing we as humans enjoy.

Now if the same issue applied to policemen or doctors... I'd have to side with the plantiffs here.

Lawsuits? gimme a break toughen up.



"hey mom look at me... I grew up and decided my contribution to the planet will be to sit in a studio and read scripts in other languages...arent you proud?!?!?!1111"

LOL

[bigvig]

If they let whites dub for blacks, then those whites must sound like blacks. If they don't let blacks dub for whites, then obviously they haven't found even one black voice that sounds white. Sounds pretty simple to me.

I can't beleive I'm debating this inane bullcrap about voice dubbing. People see too much raycicizmz everywhere.

[mas-36]

bigvig.......

...............about your avatar........

.......they jiggle.....

where did you find it/those?



Oh, yeah...the French film industry...um, they make some great movies!


...damn, she's Hawt!!

[bigvig]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=5219293

NSFW




Oh, yeah...the French film industry...um, they make some great movies!



they make surprisingly good movies. my favorite french movies - Confidences Trop Intimes

[Gunbird]

Directors should be able to practice racism, when it comes to their own productions.

Nothing to see here.

[PsihoKeke]

Dubbing is dumbing down people, subtitles are the right way to fully appreciate the movie. How are people supposed to apreciate Arnolds accent in Conan if everybody in the movie is voiced by eight people from Paris?
And one italian joke: ''What have Arnold Schwazenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Sylvester Stallone and Jean Claude van Damme in common? They all got the exactly same voice.''

[Telmar]

Dubbing is dumbing down people, subtitles are the right way to fully appreciate the movie. How are people supposed to apreciate Arnolds accent in Conan if everybody in the movie is voiced by eight people from Paris?
And one italian joke: ''What have Arnold Schwazenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Sylvester Stallone and Jean Claude van Damme in common? They all got the exactly same voice.''

Unless it has changed, I strongly recommend you go see a dubbed movie in Poland.

One voice fits all: kids, grannies, soldiers, superheroes, and narrative. Original sound is kept but just toned down whn some speaking comes along.

As for this, I would say that you have to keep the original characters voice in consideration. We would not like Stallone to speak with a squeaky voice or a kid to talk like Schwarzie.

French Blacks often have kept an accent from Africa. And as for the later generations, the "banlieues" accent (suburb) that they have picked up (not alone) would make it strange for the spectator. If the voice and tone fits the original character, then I dont care.

[PsihoKeke]

I watches With fire and sword series, they butchered those parts when cossacks were speaking this way.