Live Pitch Experience

A one-night immersive storytelling event inspired by the feature screenplay, The Weight of Silence by Shannan E. Johnson.

NOW CASTING

CONTRACT: PAID SAG MICRO BUDGET
1 Virtual Table Read, 1 Rehearsal Day, 1 Show Day
LOS ANGELES HIRES ONLY

  • SHEP: White male, 30’s. A Houston cop with a stupid grin forever etched on his face. Cocky, antagonistic, and carrying the kind of unchecked biases that make every interaction more combustible than it needs to be. He escalates when he should de-escalate and seems to enjoy the authority the badge gives him.

  • TEENAGEKENNEDY: Black female, 18. Smart, perceptive, a daddy's girl, and a natural with animals. Recently accepted into the veterinary program at Texas A&M University, Kennedy seemingly has her future figured out. But, she's hiding something, and when she discovers a family secret, it gives her one more burden to carry.

  • DAYPLAYER 3: Versatile performer who will bring several small supporting characters to life throughout the reading, with no individual role exceeding four lines. Actor should be comfortable shifting between characters and bringing personality to even the smallest roles.

    • Roles include : Landowner, Aaron Steele, Committee Chair, Delivery Guy, Judge, Coworker

SUBMIT

THE STORY

The Weight of Silence is a contemporary Southern crime drama feature set against the rarely seen world of Black cowboys in Houston, Texas.

After her estranged father, a revered Black cowboy, is murdered in a string of serial decapitations, a sharp, guarded butcher returns home to bury him and get the hell out of Houston, only to be pulled into an investigation that re-entangles her in a toxic love triangle and exposes a buried family secret she's spent her life running from.

THE EXPERIENCE

The Weight of Silence Live Pitch Experience is an immersive storytelling event that invites audiences into the world of the feature script of the same name that explores Black rodeo culture, mystery, and family secrets. More than a staged reading, this experience is a bold reimagining of how stories are introduced to Hollywood, blending performance, atmosphere, and innovation.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 | LOS ANGELES, CA

CASTING SUBMISSIONS

CONTRACT: PAID SAG MICRO BUDGET
1 Virtual Table Read, 1 Rehearsal Day, 1 Show Day
LOS ANGELES HIRES ONLY

QUESTIONS

The Creative Team

  • Shannan E. Johnson, Writer/EP, The Weight of Silence Live Pitch Experience

    Shannan E. Johnson

    WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
    Former TV exec turned screenwriter and CEO + Head Consultant of The Professional Pen, a script consultancy developing screenwriters from idea to pitch.
    Credits: Syfy, FOX, Hallmark, allblk

  • Jason Dirden

    Director
    An actor, writer and director; Jason's work has stretched from Broadway to the screen. Working opposite the likes of Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, his audience favorites include Greenleaf, American Soul and Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

  • Artis J. Olds, Creative Director, The Weight of Silence Live Pitch Experience

    Artis J. Olds

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR
    Through The Art Is Brand, Artis partners with artists, institutions, and organizations to shape experiences rooted in culture.
    Credits: STOMP, October London, Kanye West, Expo 2025 Osaka