This has been a big month for me. I've had two major releases in ONE WEEK. the Ashes Of Eden theatrical trailer was released on September 1st and the music video I starred in was released three days before that. GLORIA - BERLIN.

It was also announced that I am set to star in a Film called STANDING POST. Directed by Anthony Hornus.

I've also had two auditions for major feature films. Either way it goes I have made some great contacts!

I also had the opportunity to star in a Cooley Law School commercial. that was a very fun experience getting to work with my good friend Jesse Low. I also met an extremely talented and well rounded actor who has a bright future ahead of himself.  Derrick Gilliam.  You are the truth my man!

I am also starting to get really excited for the release for SURRENDER. It should be set to release this fall!

I also had the pleasure of doing a radio interview with my director/Producer/Co-Star Shane Hagedorn and Producer/Co-Star DJ Perry.  I also having more interviews coming up including one on a New York radio talk show that I will be posting! STAY TUNED FANS!

I recently finished a feature film script. Yes I write too! My script is actually being looked over by some distributors. We will see how they like it! Just to be given the opportunity to get my material in front of people that can truly do something with it is amazing and I am extremely grateful to have been given that chance/opportunity.  

Some other films that I am set to star in are currently in the waiting game for financing. All of you in this industry that are reading this. Don't you just love that word!! 

I have been given so many amazing opportunities and I am so happy and grateful for them. I put all my faith in God and in myself because I am a product of his creation. I trust in myself that he has given me the ability to do great things with my life and that's exactly what I am doing.  As my boy Will Smith says - Lay each brick as perfectly as you can. Before you know it, you have an entire house!

Thanks for reading guys!!

Love God
Love yourself
Love the FIGHT!

Steven Sutherland

I wake up to a note on my ceiling that says "you got this!"

This is some serious advice I'm about to give all you success chasers!

The MOST important thing you need to know is this! Nobody is going to wake you up in the morning. Nobody is going to force you to study. Nobody is going to force you to hustle, work hard, fight, take chances or strive for something better. Mostly!!! Ready for this!?!?! READ BELOW!

NOBODY... wait. Let me whisper this so you PAY ATTENTION. Nobody is going  to force you to give up.

ITS ALL ON YOU!

We can't allow other people to do these things for us. chances are they're expecting you to do the same for them. You have to gain your independence stand your ground and create a foundation create your own opportunities. Once people see that you are starting to gain those things. Once they notice your success. Trust me they will come. People  want to work with people who have a good reputation a great attitude a professional outlook and an independent image.  Let your light shine!!!  You gain successful people in your life because your success is also theirs! See how that works? It's a WIN WIN!! When peoples see you're willing to push yourself they will be drawn to that! ACTORS -- as a producer/director  see you're going to DO WORK. GO HAM WORK HARDER THAN THE REST trust me your chances are better at getting that role! (but still work on your art/skill)

SUCCESS DOESN'T HAVE FEET!


WOW do you feel that? success is calling? It's telling you that you need to GET UP and get your butt to it. Success doesn't have feet ladies and gentlemen. Success is waiting for you to get off your butt and go get it.

REMEMBER GOD!


I heard someone say this I cannot remember who but It's very true. Don't pray for God to get you what you want out of life if you're not willing to put in the work to get it. He gives us the tools we need to get what we want! It's our job to trust in him that through him anything we fight for is possible!  Except for my hacky sack skills. I can't get more than 10 in a row.

GO OUT AND GET WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE! DON'T TELL ME YOU CAN'T. DON'T TELL ME YOU'LL DO IT TOMORROW. DON'T TELL ME YOU WILL TRY.  TELL ME YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT NOW. YOU CAN DO IT! TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT MY NOTE SAYS... "I GOT THIS" ITS NOT PROPER ENGLISH BUT THAT'S OKAY! .Alright you can write "I have this" if it bothers you. MOTIVATE YOURSELF PEOPLE! Don't rely on others. You're not going to get what you want unless YOU get it!

Love God,
Love Life,
Love the FIGHT!

Steven

Someone once asked me an important question. What inspires you?

What inspires you?

I began to ask myself this question... What inspires me?

This question really hit home for me.

What is it? WHAT inspires me?

I know exactly what inspires me. On a deep level.  Tragedy.  In every unfortunate aspect of the word. I hate it. I HATE IT! But pain and heartache is something to learn from. dealing with my fathers suicide is still not easy. It hurts me every single day.

I get little memories of events growing up.. Little flashes of moments with my father. Moments with smiles.. Moments with tears. tragedy has taught me that I can overcome anything that's thrown at me. Some may take longer than others. Every bit of pain I've experienced in my life has taught me extremely valuable lessons in life. One of the most important lessons I've learned in life is to not give up. No matter how hard things get. I cannot give up. Every terrible thing I've experienced in my life was because someone gave up. They gave up trying, they gave up self control.. They gave up on themselves..or  they gave up on me.  For the longest time I was so afraid to get close to anyone out of the fear that they would leave me just like the closest person in my life did. My own father.

Reflecting on this I realized that not only getting close to someone, but getting close to what I want in my life was a scary thing. it was scary because I could fail. It was scary because I may get so close and fall through the ice. Completely falling flat on my face. Due to the tragedy I've been through in my life... I've learned that I can swim even in the coldest of water. A struggle is not a failure.. let me repeat that..A STRUGGLE IS NOT A FAILURE!  ... A struggle only makes the win that much more rewarding. The main point to this blog is to open your eyes. No matter what you've been through in your life. No matter how bad things have been... remember this... THIS IS WHERE I AM AT... NOT WHERE I WILL BE. We must overcome tragedy before we can put our best foot forward and show the world what we're worth! It is those who have been through the worst in life that have the most to show for their fight... BUT you must FIGHT. if you don't... you'll drown.. raise your glass that's not half empty... that's not half full... YOUR GLASS IS FULL! RAISE IT!!!!!! Raise that glass and repeat these words... THIS FIGHT, THIS STRUGGLE THIS HARDSHIP... THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO TURN MY LIFE INTO EVERYTHING I WANT IT TO BE. I WILL OVERCOME THIS AND I WILL BREAK DOWN EVERY WALL THAT IS PLACED IN MY WAY!

Love God
Love yourself
Love the struggle....because you CAN overcome anything!!

Steven Sutherland

Showing some love for my Co-Star/friend Robert Leeshock. Who has started production on a feature film based off of a short he did called GODMACHINE. (watch the short here!) It's starring a few sci-fi legends! Including Jason Carter who was also in Surrender with me. Jason carter was the star in Babylon 5.

Some of you may know Robert from Earth: Final Conflict.   Robert and I got to hang out a few times while off set for surrender. he rocks!


Be sure to click on the link below to learn all about GODMACHINE! Where you can learn a WHOLE lot more about the project and the people starring in it!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/godmachine-feature-film-in-development

SURRENDER MY SECOND LEAD IN A FEATURE FILM
    For this film I really need to give props to Michael Joiner. I had just finished Ashes of Eden. Michael called me up and told me he has a role he thinks I would be perfect for. He told me it was a lead role and made sure to tell me not to get too excited because I still had to audition.

    Michael Joiner helped me with my audition. We communicated through Skype and I auditioned using my Ipod to film it. We did a few takes of each side they sent. Michael and I went through and figured out which were the best. We even had a prayer session before we started. God is good because I got the call from Sarah Kessinger (an amazing producer and friend) offering me the lead role. A couple weeks later I was on an airplane on my way to Missouri to begin my journey with a great lead role surrounded by another group of amazing people.

When I got to the airport Ross Buzzell was there to pick me up. Which is where I met Robert Leeshock.

ROBERT LEESHOCK:

    When you talk about cool dudes he should come to mind. Robert is a very down to earth actor form New York with a lot of experience. It was cool to talk to someone about the industry with someone who had already done so much in their career. Robert talked a lot about his experiences as an actor and I learned a lot from him. He played the hostage negotiator. Very interesting how we filmed out scenes together. All of our dialog was exchanged though a walkie talkie. Robert and i actually NEVER communicated dialog  with each other on set. he is an extraordinary actor and I'm extremely excited to have worked with someone who's already got everything together!

ROSS BUZZELL:

    Ross was my Starbucks buddy and my driver! he is an awesome guy. He's a very down to earth person that's relatable to talk to. He and I had a lot of good conversations on the way to and from set. Ross always made sure to ask if anyone needed anything on set going above and beyond what he needed to to make sure we were comfortable. Ross was interning on set to get some on set experience. He is actually an actor that has done a lot of theater work and is in pursuit to breaking into film. This is a guy that is humble and down to earth! 

MY FIRST DAY ON SET:

    Michael and I drove to set together the first day. He got us lost. HE GOT US LOST! I think it was because we were telling jokes and laughing the whole time. Okay okay.. we weren't completely lost. We just missed a road and had to turn around. When we got there there was an upside down car in the road (I would later be in this car crawling out of it) and people were again moving around equipment and running around like crazy to make sure everything was set.  

SARAH KESSINGER:

    Sarah impresses me. She is an extremely hard working person. One of the best producers I've met. scratch that. She's one of the best people I've ever met. She's also got a very impressive resume. She has worked on such projects such as Winters Bone, Trick My Truck, MTV's MADE... and more! She is the person I talked to on the phone before I even got the role. Sarah also took time out of her day to drive me to the airport on my last day. I cannot stress enough how much this girl means to me! She ROCKS! I cannot wait to work with her again in the future! (already have a few things planned, but not set in stone, so PRAY PEOPLE)

DANNY ROGERS:

    Our fearless director. Danny swears he's not an actors director. I beg to differ. he did an amazing job helping me to find my emotions. He was awesome at pushing me to get the shots he wanted! Danny and I did a great job feeding off of each other to lay out a scene and make sure he got the shots he wanted! He was very persistent and motivated. Danny is a very calm person and someone that is relatable. Plus the guy can shred on the guitar! If you would like to see some of his work make sure you check out BROKEN FAITH when it comes out! Also starring Michael Joiner! I cannot wait to work with Danny again! I know its just a matter of time!


RYAN PIOTROWSKI:

    I talked with Ryan a lot before I even flew to MO. He was my wardrobe dude. Also worked on Winters Bone. Ryan was an awesome guy! He made sure everything we wore on set was good. He have me a few battle holes in my jeans and sweater! He is a very relatable dude!  Ryan is a very helpful guy who also happens to be helping me out a lot with a few things in my career right now! THANKS RYAN!
MICHAEL JOINER:

    To say the least I'm super happy I got to work with Michael on another project. he is one of my inspirations in this industry. As I've said in my Ashes Of Eden blog he is one of the many that helps to keep me grounded. Michael is a fantastic comedian. Although i tell him all the time he's not funny at all, that's a lie. His comedy gets me laughing pretty hard! I cannot wait to see what he has in store for the future. Michael played the Sheriff in SURRENDER. The father of Tiffany. Played by amazing actress Rachael Edlow.

RACHAEL EDLOW:

    Rachael Edlow.. She's amazing! She's a great actress with a very promising future! She played the part of Tiffany captain Joiner pants' daughter aka the Sheriff. Also my love interest. Rachael and I eased in to a very good connection on screen. Although we didn't get to spend much time together outside of set the moments we did have were a lot of fun! She really rocked out her character on screen. She is very real and intriguing on and off screen. Rachael and I continue to talk everyday. We're actually becoming good friends! I hope to work with her again someday SOON!

DALTON BRIGGS:

    DALTON BRIGGS!!! He's awesome! We share the same comedic humor. He and I are collaborating on a few scripts together. Dalton played one of my enemies in SURRENDER. Not a serious enemy. His character just didn't like mine very much! Dalton and I hit it off right away! Not only is he a great actor he is also serving our country. I give a great amount of respect to this guy! He and I also talk a lot. We are becoming good friends!

RODNEY WISEMAN:

    I cannot tell you enough how awesome this guy is as an actor. He played opposite me as Cole one of the police officers. He awesome in BROKEN FAITH! Rodney is a very very very down to earth guy with a crazy amount of talent. He is very soft spoken and a good follower in Christ! Rodney has a very positive outlook on life! He has been through a lot of life experiences that have made him the great person he is today. Rodney and I have each others back watching for projects we think may fit each other! He and i are friends today and i really hope we get to work together again soon! 

GEORGE CRON:
    George!!!! He played The pasture... Jim. He was an amazing actor. A real tear jerker! I respect George with all of my respects! if that makes sense! George teaches acting in Missouri. he was also in BROKEN FAITH. George and I hit it off REALLY fast! Considering we had a crazy powerful scene our first day. I respect Georges dedication to his craft. I hope to work with his again soon! He is a pro!


ANDREW SCHLACK:

    I really didn't get to converse with Andrew and the other kids too much due to the character I was playing. he played Corbin. He was very cool when I did talk to him! They picked a good Corbin for SURRENDER! He played his role REALLY good! I'm happy they chose this guy! he was very easy to talk to and had a good sense of humor on set! He was serious when need be too!

LIZZY CLEMENTS:

    Lizzy played one of the kids in the church that I kidnapped. Sorry Lizzy haha! She is another person that I was able to connect with on set. She had her moments on set where she was just IN-THE-ZONE. She also likes my music which makes her legally insane! Lizzy rocks! We had a lot of good talks about music and life!

DAKOTA T. JONES:

    Dakota was awesome! Let me tell you the guy can tell a joke mess it up and It's still funny as hell! He is a very down to earth guy and I know he has a good future in this crazy industry! I'm happy he got to be apart of this project! Perhaps one day he and I will cross paths again with our careers.


TYLER BUENO:

    Tyler and I had no scenes together. He played the pizza delivery dude! Tyler and I talked during lunch a few times and talk more on facebook now! He is an aspiring actor who holds a true gift as a singer! His music is very good the guys voice is a mixture of Fergie and Jesus.  (I had to say that) No, but... He is really a great singer! Check out some of his stuff here!!

TYLER'S MUSIC


KALEB RYLEY WILSON:

    Our production manager! Kaleb is awesome!! He and I have a lot in common. He and I had a lot of opportunities to talk. before/after work. Kaleb He is a very persistent person. Kaleb is actually starting up a business in this industry and I know he is going to go far! he also just landed a very good gig out in LA. I'm super proud of this dude! I hope he and I can work together again soon! Kaleb and I are also friends now!

JOANNA KESSINGER:

    Another trooper on set! Joanna did the tutoring for the kids and also helped drive me back and forth to set when Ross was busy being a trooper helping on set! Joanna was awesome! She helped out a lot on set! Plus she's going to help me set all the animals at the zoo free! lol.. She is cool, we're friends now as well!


DAVID VERCRUYSSE:

    David is awesome! he's a bit intimating until you get to know him. He is the CEO is A102Studios. He is a very successful business man who has a very good understanding of the entertainment business. I really hope I can work with him again. The days he was on set we had a lot of good conversation! He's a very relatable dude!  I say that a lot about everyone on this set but It's so true! I can't wait to work with David again!

MISSY THOMAS:
   
    I have to give props to Missy for watching all of my youtube videos and thinking they're good. She's crazy! Missy is a very sweet girl who is pursuing a career in this industry any way she can. She did a little bit of everything on set. She even made my battle scars on set. Her and i are also friends too! She is awesome and a very easy person to talk to! 

DRAKE STEPHENS:

        I didn't really actually get to talk to Drake at all on set. He was the youngest. They wanted to keep the fear in him. BECAUSE I'm such a nice guy I had to stay away from him as much as possible! lol. I can however tell you he can deliver a performance without question! I got to witness a young kid on set with an amazing skill to deliver true emotion! He is awesome! I can't wait for you all do see what he can do!

MY OVERALL EXPERIENCE:

    Surrender was an amazing experience. A102Studios really knows how to take care of people. They did everything to make sure I was comfortable and happy. Extremely professional cast/crew. I am extremely happy to have been apart of this family. Again Its bittersweet to finish a project. It's actually quite depressing! We made a lot of memories! I know I'll be working them again in the future! THERE IS TALK OF IT! :-)

Ashes of Eden really chanced everything for me. It was this project that put me on a true path to my dream career. I saw ad on MichiganActing.com and I submitted to it. I sent them a monologue I have on my youtube channel. A few days later I received a call from writer/director Shane Hagedorn. We had a really good talk about the role and the project. he then asked me to send in a video audition. I remember being on edge for the next few days at work. I couldn't put my phone down. I was working and felt my phone ring. BOOM, It was Shane. I dropped everything and answered it. He asked me if I liked the script. YES. He asked if I like the role. YES. He offered me the role. YES!!!!! I began to cry at work I was so happy.

SHANE HAGEDORN:

    Shane is the writer/director of Ashes of Eden. He also plays a big part in the film. Shane and I hit it off right away.  he is a genuine very down to earth person. He is a very good actors director! he always worked with such a positive light. Very calm and collected. To say that i was lucky to work with a director like him for my first project is an understatement. He really knows how to pull you into your emotions. He not only showed me how powerful I can be as an actor, He showed me a lot about what being closer to God can do for my life. Shane is a great friend now!

MY FIRST DAY ON SET:

    I got to set feeling the nerves. I had done my hours of preparation yet I still didn't feel ready. Everyone knew who I was already that was really strange for me. I remember standing there while everyone was flying passed me moving lighting and setting up lighting and equipment. My first scene was with Melissa Anschutz and Drew Wise.

MELISSA ANSCHUTZ:

    Mel... AKA my movie mom. She will always be my movie mom! Her ability to BRING IT on a movie set is crazy amazing! She's inspiring in every way as an actor. You cannot help but to up your game when you're working beside her. Otherwise you'll look like a FOOL! Between takes she wasn't talking she was in her emotions for her character. She felt and lived every emotion that was necessary for her to perform with perfection. After filming the project her and I became great friends!

DREW WISE:

    The little bugger can act! It was honestly a great pleasure to work with such an awesome talent. the guy is awesome! I really felt a brother connection with him. He was very calm and professional on set! Very easy to work with. He is a natural in every way! I know for a fact he will go far in this industry! Actually turns out that he plays basketball on a team with my cousin in law. SMALL WORLD!

DJ PERRY:

    What can I really say? He took me under his wing. Nobody has had my back so much like this guy! A pro! An educated successful PRO! He keeps me grounded. He yells at me when necessary and I appreciate every second of it. He is teaching me that as an artist I need to develop myself as a professional and never settle for anything less than professional. PUSH forward! NEVER EVER go backwards! He is a reality slap in the face that I AM somebody and I need to start seeing it that way! He's an amazing actor and awesome amazing producer! CEO of http://cdiproductions.com/. He is the real image of what this industry should be! THANKS BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER!

MICHAEL JOINER:

    Another PRO.. We had a very powerful scene in Ashes of Eden that left us both a little bruised. Our chemistry on screen is awesome. I really hope to work with him a lot more in the future. To say that I worked side by side with the LEAD from The Grace Card is unbelievable. To say that Michael Joiner and I are great friends is even more unbelievable. Another true soul that keeps me grounded. He's got my back. Someone that has truly helped me thus far in my career and opened doors I never even knew were there! He's an awesome comedian and a very good friend. Michael and I have a lot in common. He is someone I know I can trust in this industry, I'm thankful to know him.   He's a very inspirational christian.

ANTHONY HORNUS:

    Anthony was awesome! he put up with a lot of crap from me on set!  lol! Our Scene was crazy powerful. It's a very important scene for my character! Anthony is beyond a pro. He works with DJ perry at CDI! I'm very lucky to have someone at his professional stature in my life.  He and i hit it off fairly quick on set. Anthony and I have some work in the future coming up and I have a strong feeling we will be seeing a lot of each other throughout our careers in the crazy industry!

CARLUCCI WEYANT:

    A great guy! Someone you can really learn a lot from in this industry. He was my arch enemy in Ashes of Eden. playing Angela's brother, the drug dealer. He and i had a very physical fight scene that left us both hurting and one of us bleeding.. Before our scene he told me "If you have to hit me, just do it" that's dedication! He is a producer/actor based out of New York. I can't wait to work with him again! http://www.splitvisionent.com/

MAYRA LEAL:

    My first one screen girlfriend.  It's very cool to work with such a professional. She gave me a lot of life advice about the industry. things to look out for and things to be excited about. Mayra is a very sweet down to earth person who is a lot of fun to work with. A few times she had me laughing while shooting. She's a breath of fresh air! I hope to work with her again in the future!

ABBY MASON:

    WOW! No words. She's awesome! I feel very lucky to be in the same movie with her. She was amazing in Saving Sarah Cain. Abby is an experienced pro. I really enjoyed the ONE scene her and i had together. She played Donnie's girlfriend in Ashes of Eden. I remember her being super excited that she got to play a character that was out of her element. She rocked it out!  We hit it off really well behind the scenes instantly becoming good friends. her and I have stayed in touch every since! I really hope to work with her again in the future! She's awesome!

JOSH CARRIZALES:

    Josh was also a breath of fresh air to work with. Even though he played another enemy in Ashes of Eden we are not enemies in the real world. Josh is another pro. PROPS TO SHANE FOR HIRING ALL PRO'S.  Josh came on set prepared and ready and willing to do what he had to do to rock out his character with perfection. We have some very powerful scenes together! I can't wait for everyone to see them!

REYNALDO RIVERA:

    Our set designer. based out of New York. Turns out he is much more than that! An amazing actor! Starring in a crazy good silent short called HEAVY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgV7QMNg4gE Check it out! It's amazing! Rey and I have a project coming up that is going to be a very good experience! He is someone I can relate to and an easy going guy to talk to! Rey and I hit it off right away. I know as a writer/actor he is a very promising future.

OJAN MISSAGHI:

    To quote Ojan "I'm so sorry buddy." as he rips the mic off taped to my chest. he was the sound guy. "HOLD FOR SOUND." Another PRO! Ojan is from CA. He and I hit it off right away on set. We are very much alike. I absolutely loved working with him! ANOTHER breath of fresh air! Even as a sound guy he was always willing to make sure the actors were comfortable with anything they may need. He's humble and down to earth! Love this guy! Ojan and I have stayed in touch and are friends!

JESSE LOW:

    Our AD. an amazing director with a vision to boot. he was awesome to work with. I am very lucky to know this guy! Jesse and I have a lot in common. He is NOT Jesse to me. He is blue. my character was RED. We thought of that and it's clever! haha. I really really would love to work with Jesse in the future. Some people you don't wanna exclude from you life. He is one of them.

DOMINIC COCHRAN:

    Partner of http://ahptic.com/. He was our camera guy. He really has a vision to capture and his collaboration with Shane was nothing short of awesome. Dom is a very unique guy with a strong professional eye to capture some true genius. I am very lucky to have worked with him!

BEN BARKER:

    Ben was the first to introduce himself to me on set. He is so very good at what he does.Ben was our script supervisor and was amazing at it. "Steven lift your hand up higher, it was up more in the last take" REALLY BEN? He's a PRO! I know I keep saying these guys are pro's but they really are! Ben is another guy I try to talk to every once in a while. The guy is awesome!

BELLO PIZZIMENTI:

    Last but not least at all. Bello played my best friend in Ashes of Eden. he is awesome. He and I have a lot in common. Bello is famous for coming to set with a giant bottle of water. Him and I hit it off right away on set. When he showed up it really was like working with a good friend. him and I sat around and listened to movie scores and talked about acting. This guy rocks. he and I stay in touch every now and again. Good dude!

MY LAST DAY ON SET:

    Nothing short of emotional. Full of hugs and goodbyes. I really don't want to talk too much about it. It's a bittersweet thing to end an amazing journey compact full of emotions. Good memories and sad memories and HAPPY ones! Either way it was an amazing experience and I appreciate every second I had with these people.

ASHES OF EDEN:

    really, everyone on set was amazing. the amount of professionalism on set was crazy. The Cast/Crew went well above and beyond what they had to. The experience was amazing. To say that I'm luck to have been apart of such an awesome project is an understatement. I know I will see a lot of the same faces in the future on other projects! GUYS, CAN'T WE ALL JUST KEEP MAKING MOVIES TOGETHER! I LOVE YOU ALL YOU'RE MY MOVIE FAMILY!