by Chris Smith, who delivered an introduction to a producer named Todd Black. Black was impressed with Fisher's story. Black reviewed the script for a week and told Fisher that though he couldn't make a deal, he wanted to hire him full-time as a screenwriter. Fisher wrote 41 drafts until the script was sold by Black to 20th Century Fox, who ultimately released it under their Fox Searchlight Pictures banner. The film marks the directorial debut of Denzel Washington, the first screenwriting credit for Antwone Fisher, and the first feature film role for Derek Luke. Washington was brought the script originally just to play the part of Jerome Davenport. But Washington's agent called Black and told him he not only wanted to act in the film, he wanted it to be his directorial debut. Fisher had known Luke as a young actor working at the Sony Pictures gift shop while he was writing the screenplay. Fisher encouraged Luke to try out for the part. An audition with casting director Robi Reed-Humes went well enough that Luke was called in to meet with Washington. Washington was impressed with Luke's audition and asked that he personally deliver the good news. Though Luke had no prior film credits, Washington wanted to give a younger generation of Black actors the opportunity to break through. To prepare the cast, Washington required all the principal cast members to know his or her character's history and story inside out before coming to the set, telling cast and crew, "We’re doing it for Antwone." Inspired by Fisher's story, the filmmakers sought to give back to the communities that supported them during the shoot. In the Cleveland neighborhood where scenes of Fisher's youth and homecoming were shot, the filmmakers renovated and reinforced structures like the apartment building where Eva Mae's character lives. Members of the community were hired to work on the production, and Washington personally met with these people and offered his thanks for their help. The Slave Community The book The Slave Community, written by American historian John W. Blassingame and referenced in the film, was one of the first historical studies of slavery in the United States. The book contradicted others which suggested that African American slaves were largely submissive. Blassingame used psychology to determine the mentality developed by slaves during the era and possibly passed on to generations after. Davenport suggests that Antwone read the