From a panelist table at New York's IFP Script to Screen Conference last month to my humble VIP Lounge, screenwriter Michael C. Martin, pays a visit to share his ride from Brooklyn subway to Hollywood's elite!

His entry in a screenwriting competition brought his gritty, Brooklyn's Finest to life and landed a heavy-hitting cast including Wesley Snipes, Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and more - directed by none other than Antoine Fuqua!

It didn't happen overnight, but it did happen. Tune in and find out about the power of persistence and following your dreams.