I believe that success is not what one achieves; rather, success is the distance one travels to achieve.  This has been a guiding premise in my work with young people as well as in depicting the stories of the characters in this film.

I contend that a deprived childhood has the potential to be of tremendous benefit for a young person later in life, for it can create a sense of resiliency, resourcefulness and strength of character not to be learned anywhere else.  Moreover, I maintain that if nurtured, the resultant internal assets of an unfavorable upbringing have the power to offset the negative effects associated with such formative experiences.

Often disadvantaged youth are perceived and portrayed either as the victims or victimizers of society.  However, it is the artist’s belief that if these young people are said to have certain strengths exclusive to their difficult backgrounds that it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy, as their negative self-perception would be altered and members of society may approach them differently.  To consider the underprivileged kids of America as actually possessing greater advantages and internal assets than those brought up under privilege, capable of rivaling their accomplishments, could be the paradigm shift needed to catapult these kids from their inherited childhood circumstances to a future of hope and fulfilled dreams.

-Mike Cosby
Director/Producer/Writer

CONTACT BEATING THE CHALK PLAYER  EMAIL US HERE