The American Film Market, in Los Angeles, seemed like the last place I wanted to use my “y’all.”

I was convinced the sophisticated, seasoned producers, lawyers and investors I would meet in Hollywood, were of the mind that anyone from the Bible Belt is illiterate and barefooted, lives in a double-wide and drinks sweet tea from a Mason jar.   Not that I’m against any of those things, but I didn’t want my introduction of “Dawn from Alabama” to classify me.  And I had no intention of lugging around my college degrees.  So I put on my “fancy clothes and shoes,” put together by my stylist friend Meredith Tracy, and set out to impress ‘em.

That worked for about five minutes, until I let out my first ‘down home’ slip on the phone:  “Yessir, I’m fixin’ to take an Uber to the Lowes Grand.  See y’all soon.”  It was out!  I was  labeled.

On the way to the first appointment,  I remembered a quote from the Dr. Seuss book I had read to my sons:  “Today you are you!  That is truer than true!  There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”   Though I was in Hollywood on my way to a fancy hotel conference, my roots were in the South.  And that’s where I drew my strength.

 I met lots of different people during those four days and I presented to them  our television series, Our BackPack, in the simplest, least pretentious way I could.  From my heart, I shared our story, our film, our vision, and our restoration.  I didn’t monitor or modify who I was or what I had produced.   I am so proud of our series pilot which is a   perfect fit for everyone who is a bit sick of blood, guts and zombies.

Results?  A couple of the ‘greats’ we met were not interested.  But the majority of them embraced the idea and it’s creator!   I had as many hugs as I did fist bumps.

As I continue my search for the right network, lawyer and distributer I will remember another Dr. Seuss Quote:

“You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” 

Y’all have a great weekend!

Dawn