The Casting Couch is For Writers Too Now?

Turns out the “casting couch” is not only for actors these days. It has infiltrated into the writing profession as well.

I’m going to digress here for a moment. ---Full blown, provable sexual harassment is the Irish twin of the casting couch and I was a victim of this too. One occasion, while I was working in the medical field, a doctor grabbed my breast while his lips kissed their way down my cheek. This happened in an exam room of a hospital. And, as unbelievable as this sounds, …there was a patient in the room at the time!

Was my sexual harassment provable? Yep. He admitted everything to my supervisor. His explanation to her in his swarthy, South American accent was, “he couldn’t help it, he just likes me too much.” (Ugh!) She was even surprised at his forthright admission but sounds to me more like he was bragging than remorseful. He did have at least three decades on me in age. But she full on warned him that I could sue his ass. (her words exactly) Did I? …No. Should I have? …Maybe. What I did do was casually inform and warn other potential victims to be careful around him. He did leave me alone after that.

But regardless, it’s a horrible thing for any woman (or demasculinized man) to experience. It’s degrading, humiliating and leaves you simply stunned. It’s hard enough to believe that someone could treat you this way and even harder to believe that unfortunately, most times, they get away with it. Your recourse is to either go sit in the corner and cry or grab a machete and hold it firmly to their crotch.

So, back to the casting couch dilemma. I have written in different capacities for quite awhile now, - articles, a column, newletters, rough novels etc. etc. About three years ago I took a serious interest in learning how to write screenplays. Took the classes, seminars, professional coverage sessions etc. I have been really working hard to try to get it right. My screenplays have placed in contests and some minor interest was expressed but nothing panned out and I needed to take my screenplays to the next level.

After this was done, I spoke with some people in the “industry” and most were nice and professional. But there was this one fella (one of the top guys) from a production company, where I submitted my script, that I believe saw a female name on a screenplay and thought instantly this was his shot to get a date (or more!). He called. We talked. Now I thought he had a sincere interest in my screenplay but his conversations digressed quite quickly to me sending him a picture and if I was single and just progressed to bold flirting. (On his part!) I wasn’t comfortable with this at all. But I talked with him again a couple more times hoping he’d focus on my screenplay but nope, … the guy was looking for a “date”. It didn’t matter that we lived in different states. He never even seen what I looked like. (And no! I never sent him my picture!) But he still wanted me in California! He called and emailed with his “Where are you? Let’s talk about your script.” Yeah, right.

It only makes me think, …what if I was desperate enough to go to California aka the casting couch? (And believe me, these are desperate times!) Would he have made the connections for me to get my screenplay in the right hands? (If I submissively sat in the right position on that “couch” – if you know what I mean.) Has he done this to other female names on scripts?

Now, unlike the doctor, this producer never physically touched me, and it may be old feelings resurfacing that are factoring in here, but the two instances left me feeling exactly the same. Both men worked on my vulnerabilities. Both men made me feel humiliated and degraded. Both men are egotistical enough to think that their career “power positions” were enough to make me bend over and take it. Bottom line, both men are pigs. What else can I say? I just want to warn other women trying to write screenplays, - you are not immune - the creepy letches are out there. ...They will prey on you, …but only if you let them.