LET TYLER PERRY BE TYLER PERRY: ON STEREOTYPES IN FILMMAKING

In English Literature and Theatre Arts, one would learn about the application of stereotypes. Now, stereotypes can be demonstrated in two basic ways. The first would relate to a character in an artistic or creative work. The second would relate to the kind or nature of stories always presented by a writer.

A familiar example of the first is the characterization of Kweku Ananse in Ghanaian folktales. The guy is stereotyped as the deceitful one. Anywhere you see Ananse in a story, the reader or viewer expects a demonstration of deceit, fraud or mischief. In West African filmmaking, we would see popular character stereotypes like Patience Ozokwor, Yvonne Nelson, Funke Akindele, Van Vicker, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Majid Michel.

There is a certain pattern to predict when you see these actors and actresses in any story. Ozokwor and Kanayo’s character familiarity with voodoo. Funke with the hustle and humor. Yvonne Nelson with the ‘bad girl’ energy. Majid and Van Vicker with the ‘bad boy’ energies.

Same applies to the second type, where writers develop stereotypes for their personal style of narratives in storytelling. There are famous writers whose stories, even in the next life, you can bet, would always be about crime in romantic relationships. There are others who purely dedicate their pens to mystic or superstitious conflicts in families or societies. For some, it’s always something about girl-child liberation. That’s it.

That is the case of Tyler Perry. It is a deliberate creation he’s established over a long period of time. Tyler Perry is always about dysfunctional Black homes. No matter the kind of story, there is a demonstration of dysfunctional family settings in there. Divorcees, struggling single parents, rebellious kids, infidelity, family trauma, domestic abuse, corporate abuse, drug abuse et cetera.

While some viewers may express bored sentiments about some kind of monotony in his kind of writing, it is important to understand that it forms his style and brand. That’s his production stereotype! And deducing from his past interviews, it is certain these stereotypes are largely from his personal experiences. After all, there is no better story than your experiences. At the end of the day, his years of pain sell for him!

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