Glad to see you’re willing to take a chance on indie film. Hollywood is on the verge of changing the old boy network, but I don’t hold out hope that change will come quickly.

Until change manifests in diverse hiring and opportunities opened rather than the usual suspects talking a good game; the best bet for people of color, or women of all shades, body types and age ranges to be involved in films of consequence, is to make their own small independent movies.

DSLR film making has opened up a world of possibilities, allowing stories to be shot almost anywhere making use of smaller, more nimble crews. While SAG Indie shows can be done at a fraction of the cost of traditional film, the script and story must be better crafted than ever.

Small films rely not on spectacle, but on personal tales that can be told with an economy of production. The actor’s skill is more important, not less in an indie film, because so much rides on conveying pain, joy, love or loss through conversations & body language, not explosions.

My goal is to get my first small film into production this summer, and it is my intention in that film and ones that follow to craft vital roles for actors who have honed their craft over the course of decades. I need more than a pretty face or stunning abs. What I need are actors who can make believe so well, character and emotion radiates through the lens so well, that when the film is over the audience wants only one thing: more.

I’d count myself lucky to have someone of your stature even consider doing a project, much less sign on. If my words and production plans are engaging enough to garner consideration it means I’m on the right track and that sooner or later my work will be on the big silver screen.