Legacy

A young father living out of his car takes a job from an aging handyman renovating an empty house, and finds a mentor whose own family is falling apart over what the house is worth.

Henry Chen has been building the same house for years. His wife picked the lot and drew the layout on a napkin and died before the framing went up, and he has been living in his van in the driveway ever since, working on it alone. When he finds a young man sleeping in a car parked down the street, he does not offer him money or a place to stay. He offers him work.

The two of them fall into a rhythm. Henry teaches, the kid learns, and neither of them talks much about why they are both sleeping in vehicles. Henry's son knows about the house and knows about the van and has not come by in a long time.

Henry's heart gives out with the house unfinished. What he leaves behind is a structure, a set of tools, and two men who barely know each other and who now have to decide whether to walk away from it or pick up where he stopped.

I produced Legacy and play Henry. John Valley wrote and directed it.

The Team

John Valley wrote and directed. David Axe and I produced. The film was shot over three days in Columbia, South Carolina, from August 30 to September 1, 2026, and is now in post-production, due to be finished by the end of the year.

Why This Matters

Unlike many indie projects, all cast and crew on Legacy will be paid. Fair compensation isn't optional — it's a reflection of the respect this story demands. The $10,000 budget covers production costs, locations, equipment, food, and wages for everyone involved — and thanks to everyone who chipped in, it is fully raised.

Follow the Journey

Follow updates on Instagram at @simon.actorish and read production updates on the blog.