The Hidden Empire Sports Collective, part of Los Angeles’ Hidden Empire Film Group, put together a Sundance partner event panel on Monday featuring former athletes, actors and a top talent agent.  Hidden Empire co-founder and filmmaker Deon Taylor hosted the panel along with his wife and co-f ounder, Roxanne Taylor. Joining them on stage was NFL veteran and writer Ephraim Salaam, actor Boris Kodjoe, NBA veteran and actor Trevor Ariza and CAA agent Bobby Kenner.  The group discussed how they made it in Hollywood and shared their rags-to-riches stories for a little over an hour at The Box venue at The Ray Theatre. The panel was well attended and included aspiring filmmakers, some of whom pitched their next big ideas to the panelists during the Q and A portion of the event.  Salaam discussed how he used falling into the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft to propel his 12-year NFL career. He wrote for Peacock’s Bel-Air show, which just released its fourth and final season.  “It was very traumatic that draft weekend,” Salaam said. “The lesson in that is all you need is an opportunity. When you get the opportunity, which may only come one time, what are you going to do with it?” Ariza described similar motivations for his NBA career, having fallen into the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft. He felt he was much better than some of his higher-drafted peers and got to work right away on the New York Knicks to prove himself right. Ariza played for 18 years in the NBA, winning the 2009 Finals alongside Kobe Bryant, and is an actor now.  “So, finally I get drafted,” Ariza said. “I go to New York and get the opportunity to show my skills and kick everybody’s ass in the gym. … I felt like the feeling of being undervalued and under appreciated allowed me to show that I’m more than whatever you think I am.” Roxanne Taylor detailed her move out to California, previously working in computer science for the U.S. House of Representatives. She said she became a receptionist at a temp agency and then soon found work on the Walker Texas Ranger show when she was about 20 years old. Roxanne has now produced several films like “Fear,” “Fatale” and “Black and Blue.” “You have to be able to just be crazy enough to bet on yourself,” Roxanne said. “I had a very tough road, but I fought through it. … I persevered.” Kenner also started at a temp agency following college. He said he got a six-week sublet in California and had to make it happen. Kenner started at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) binding scripts, and has been there now for 20 years representing Oscar-winners.  “The best place to start is the bottom,” Kenner said. “That’s where you build your peer group, and that will give you strength and longevity for your career. … I was blessed actually to be able to start in that script binding room.” Kodjoe discussed moving to the U.S. from Germany at 19 years old without knowing how to speak any English. He played college tennis at VCU and had to learn English better on his first set of the show “Soul Food.” Kodjoe has now appeared in several movies and TV shows like “Station 19,” “Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Addicted,” also directing, producing and being a philanthropist.  “I believe that this is a great time,” Kodjoe said about Hollywood and content creation. “We really get to collaborate, partner, learn from each other and be creative. What’s better than that?” Deon Taylor said he came to Sundance 20 years ago pitching studios, unsuccessfully, on a horror movie idea he had. He feels like the established studios turning him down led him to where he is today — making movies and better equipped to manage more of the process and with less of a budget. Deon has written and made several films like “Meet The Blacks,” “The House Next Door” and “Traffik.” “We are the product of ‘no,’” Deon said. “We were told no so many times we ended up just saying yes to ourselves. … The gift is people like us who have learned how to do it from top-to-bottom are now in demand.” Deon maintained a fun and thoughtful atmosphere while hosting the panel. He and many of the panelists have working relationships — CAA represents Hidden Empire.  The panelists reminded the crowd to continue chasing their dreams and maintaining faith in themselves, as they wouldn’t have gotten to where they are in Hollywood without that determination and faith.  “I wanted to say that to all the filmmakers — write your thing, do your thing, say your thing, create your thing,” Dean said. “Stop worrying about what everybody else is doing and what they’re going to say about you. It’s going to be about what you say about yourself.” The post Hidden Empire Sports brings athletes, actors and an agent together for Sundance panel appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less