Americanised?

This is related to my writing post about all my screenplays being based in the USA.

I stated this point on a screenwriting forum once and was told that I should only write what I know. How can I set a screenplay in small town USA if I have never actually been there? He said I should only write UK screenplays.

I don't know if his statement is valid or not, but it does bring up an interesting point:

Have we become completely Americanised here in the UK (or at least have I)?

I'm not implying anything negative there at all, just asking the question.

For me to write a screenplay based in small town America, then I must know something about it. I can't imagine ever coming up with a screenplay based in Russia, Finland, Brazil etc… as I know nothing about them. But it seems that I assume to know something about America.

I can probably safely say that it is true to some extent:

- A lot of popular TV shows are American (at least the ones I like are. I'll take Dead Like Me over Eastenders or Teachers any day).

- Films I have already talked about in older posts.

- Loads of adverts advertising products (many of them British or European) are set in America

- Films and products are released in America first, making us over here wanting to 'catch-up'.

- Our not so fast food has been replaced with American versions (McDonalds, Subway, KFC etc...). I can't remember the last time I saw a Wimpy Bar (if they still exist).

- Go to any cinema complex or any out of town shopping complex and the eateries are all Americanised with Route 66 signs and similar plastered all over the walls.

The list goes on. Perhaps we should get it over and done with and become the 51st state (a mediocre British film).

If it is true I suppose it doesn't matter to me that much. I'm the last person to be a "God save the queen" person. I don't think there is that much left in our society to be "British and proud of it" any more.

Any on that downer of a point, I'll stop ranting on :)