The Parable of the Unexpected Stunt Sequence

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, how close can a work of fiction be to its source before it becomes exploitative?”

Josh spoke thus:

A movie director was angry at an interruption while filming an action sequence.  The movie director called the assistant director over.

“What is going on over there?” the movie director asked.

“Somebody just hit somebody with a car,” the assistant director said.

“Where in the script does it say that somebody hits somebody with a car?” the movie director asked.

“It doesn’t say in the script that somebody hits somebody with a car,” the assistant director said.

“And yet somebody just hit somebody with a car,” the movie director said, “Did I ask for somebody to hit somebody with a car and just forgot that I asked for somebody to hit somebody with a car?”

“You didn’t ask for somebody to hit somebody with a car,” the assistant director said.

“No, I didn’t ask for somebody to hit somebody with a car,” the movie director said, “Because it isn’t in the script for somebody to hit somebody with a car.  And yet still SOMEBODY JUST HIT SOMEBODY WITH A CAR!  Can you see why I’m upset?”

“I can see why you’re upset,” the assistant director said.

“Now what’s going on?” the movie director asked.  The assistant director looked at the scene.

“Somebody has gotten out of the car,” the assistant director said.

“I can see that somebody has gotten out of the car,” the movie director said, “What’s that somebody doing?”

“That somebody seems to be attacking the somebody they just hit with the car,” the assistant director said, “They seem to be hacking at the somebody they hit with the car with what appears to be a butcher’s cleaver.”

“Again I feel compelled to ask,” the movie director said, “Is it in the script that somebody gets out of the car and starts hacking at the somebody they just hit with the car?”

“It’s not in the script that somebody gets out of the car and starts hacking at the somebody they just hit with the car,” the assistant director said.

“And yet, somebody just got out of the car and started hacking with a cleaver at the somebody they just hit with the car,” the movie director said.

“Hang on!” the assistant director said, “That isn’t one of our cars.  That’s not one of our drivers.  The person being hacked isn’t one of us.”

“This is really happening?” the movie director asked.

“Apparently this is really happening,” the assistant director said.

“And it’s all on film?” the movie director asked.

“And it’s all on film,” the assistant director said.

“The person with the cleaver is shouting something,” the movie director said.

“It seems to be something political,” the assistant director said.

The movie director beckoned the screenwriter.

“Can you hear what that person is saying?” the movie director asked.

“It’s something political,” the screenwriter said.

“That’s amazing!” the movie director said, “It’s horrific!  Can you work it into the script?”

“I can try,” the screenwriter said.

“Try,” the movie director said.  The movie director turned to the assistant director and said, “Set up a close-up shot.”