A Shade Of Grey
An original screenplay based on a true story written by Jack Skinner.
A universal story of how prejudice is taught to our children. As in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, the story is told through the eyes of two best friends–one Caucasian and one African American in 1943 in a small town in Oklahoma.
“Innocence is never really lost, only misplaced—hiding in the soul of every grown-up who ever had a good pal.”
~Jackie-Virgil
OKLAHOMA. Summer, 1943: When black and white were fighting a common enemy, we enter into JACKIE-VIRGIL’s world (7) where we meet his best friend, TRAVIS (7) as they embark on a summer of dare-devil adventure only to discover that the difference in their skin color will not only mean separate schools in the Fall, but possibly the end of their friendship as they know it.
Jackie-Virgil and Travis overhear part of an adult conversation where the word “nigger” is used. Curious, the boys ask their families and townsfolk about the word and get contradictory reactions. Fueling their plight of discovery, Jackie-Virgil and Travis set out on a mission to understand how a single word could harness such power.
Script, budget and unpublished novel are available.