Philly Plain Dealer

There is no shortage of talent in the modern world of television production. But, within the landscape of production the gap of opportunities for black actors and people of color is still apparent.  

It’s no secret that over the last decade there’s been a slow rise in television of black representation. The stories of discrimination in Hollywood have helped bring awareness to the sensitive issues around race in acting, but will this solve anything long term? 

“The fact that there’s not many black actors and if there are, you notice the few and they stand out. There’s plenty of black talent, why do you believe it’s so hard to stand out? There is no shortage of Black talent within the industry. Although, with the recent Supreme Court decision on Affirmative Action, major corporations have gutted their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion departments. These entities were responsible for ensuring that studios pick up and produce more Black and diverse stories, and then, in turn, broadcast them to our screens,” said Thomas Booker, Actor and Film Producer.

Booker, a New York City based actor and film producer, is seeking to change the media landscape and create opportunities for black and brown actors. Thomas studied acting, both at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, and at SUNY Purchase in New York. He has also been the lead actor in numerous professional and NYU/Columbia MFA student film sets. After eight years of rigorous training, he acquired an agent, and began auditioning for Stage, TV, and Film projects. After two years of auditioning, and a regional Theatre debut, he booked his first network television role as a “Top of Show” Guest Star on Blue Bloods (CBS). 

Booker realized that if he was gonna create an entity to pioneer the change he wanted to see, he was going to have to use his greatest asset, his network within acting and production. With help from crowdfunding and a few private donors, Booker was able to bring his production company Purp Door Productionz to life. Purp Door is currently focused on short form projects, short films, music videos. This is common for newer production companies to develop a portfolio. The small-time production company is composed of Booker’s prior working relationships, and a handful of entirely new people, via production crew hiring websites, who are now a part of their network.

“The goal is to produce several projects in a year, to have the financial capital to make those projects, whether I’ve written them or not, to make beautiful authentic art for my fellow people of the African diaspora,” said Booker.

The company is currently in the post production stage for the debut film “absent” a autobiographical short film based on growing up in Washington D.C. and Booker’s relationship with his father. The film is slated for an expected 2025-2026 film festival run.

The production crew for absent involves 35 people, most of whom Thomas met in high school and along the way in his career. For the foreseeable future Purp Door Productions will be continuing their efforts in producing high quality films, giving aspiring actors and production workers the opportunity to gain experience.