How Black Actors Can Pivot as Hollywood Shrinks (Guest Column)

There is a lot of talk about Hollywood changing, but for Black actors the change is not abstract. It shows up in the audition count, the empty calendar, the production that left Los Angeles, the series that did not come back, and the feeling that the industry is shrinking while we are still being told to stay ready.

Black actors know what it means to wait on a door. We have been told to keep training, keep proving, keep being patient, keep being grateful for the opportunity, and keep hoping the next season, network, studio, or platform will see us clearly.

But when production in Los Angeles starts to disintegrate, waiting becomes a dangerous business model. Visibility matters, but visibility by itself is not infrastructure. A credit can help you. A pipeline can carry you.

I know that pressure because I have lived it. I am proud of every set I have worked on and every role that helped sharpen me, but being a working actor also taught me that survival cannot depend only on being selected. At some point, the question has to become bigger than, “Who is going to cast me?” The question becomes, “What am I building that can create work, train people, tell stories, and open a door for somebody else?”

That is the heart of Both Sides of the Camera Studios. BSC Studios is my creator-owned film, story, actor education, and community pipeline, built from the real life of a Black working actor who understands both sides of the camera.

It is where I develop independent films, build original titles, coach actors, create training spaces, and connect storytelling to community impact instead of waiting for permission from a system that may or may not call.

For Black actors, the next chapter cannot only be about access. It has to be about ownership, catalog, training, production, audience, and independence. We still need great roles, great directors, studios, networks, and crews. I still believe in the magic of a set. But belief cannot mean dependence, especially when the industry is unstable and the traditional path keeps narrowing.

The inspiration I want to pass on is simple: do not let a shrinking room convince you that your gift is smaller. Build the room. Build the work. Build the company, the class, the film, the audience. I come from the side of this business where you learn to keep moving even when nobody hands you the map. That is why “Uninvited… Undeniable” means something to me. It is not a slogan about ego. It is a reminder that when the invitation does not come, you can still become the evidence.

Markice Moore is a SAG-AFTRA actor, writer, producer, acting coach, and founder of Both Sides of the Camera Studios. His on-screen credits include Point Blank, The Walking Dead, Snowfall, BMF, The Paynes, ATL, Chicago P.D., Law & Order, and Army Wives. Through BSC Studios, he develops creator-owned films, actor education, community-centered storytelling, and independent production pathways for working artists. Moore can be contacted through his website markicemoore.club.