Hey everyone, my name is Rob Minardi. I am a New York City-based actor, writer, and producer. I’m reaching out to ask for your support in helping to create a community where storytellers can show up, bust their ass and get their ideas out into the world. Growing up, I was always drawn to the person who could hold court and tell a good story. So much so that I decided to make it my life’s purpose. I moved to New York City to study acting at The William Esper studio where I completed the two-year intensive theatre training program. Since then I’ve continued to refine my craft by working with renowned acting teachers David Newer, Milton Justice, and Matt Newton. Over the last year I wrote, produced, and played the lead role in a short film about loss and the importance of friends and family called Sunday Boys. It premiered at the Big Apple Film Festival in November, 2025 and was also selected to the Beverly Hills Film Festival. While working on that film, I also produced and played the lead role of David in an Off-Broadway production of Stephen Metcalfe’s Strange Snow, a play that explores the lives of two Vietnam Veterans coping with PTSD, guilt, and the difficult transition to civilian life. It ran for two weeks and raised over $10,000 for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

I moved to New York City exclusively to become an actor but realized that I have more to offer as a storyteller and I want to bring to life the moments that make us laugh, think, or just feel different than we did before experiencing them. Most of all, I want to tell stories that remind us of ourselves. I’ll never forget the first time I got dumped. I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon listening to a 13-track CD of Nickelback’s Photograph on repeat before something moved me to get up and turn on the TV. Now, you’re probably thinking “yeah, it was that God-awful song,” which is fair and most likely true. So, once my mind was good and numb, I turned on the TV and came upon the second half of A Bronx Tale. By the time it’d ended, I’d gone from total devastation to a place of encouragement. This girl who dumped me wasn’t “one of the great ones.” It was as simple as that. Sure, it took a few days but ultimately, it was that story that got me away from feeling sorry for myself and from that terribly bad and awful CD. We’ve all had those moments, they are what make us human, and I want to continue to bring them into the world.  

My ultimate goal is to build a collection of artists that tell those stories that move us. In order to do that, I’ve written a short film, a comedy exploring friendship in adulthood, that is currently in the pre-production phase of development and is set to shoot in June, 2026. While it will serve as a proof of concept for future projects, I also intend to submit it the annual film festival circuit, the global, annual network of film festivals where filmmakers showcase their work to audiences, critics, and industry professionals to gain recognition, distribution deals, and awards. It acts as a crucial distribution bridge for non-Hollywood and independent cinema, ranging from major festivals like Cannes and Sundance to smaller, specialized local events. We hope to bring attention to our talent as well as use it as a spring board for longer and more ambitious films/plays down the road. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to cover production costs such as the daily rates of both cast and crew, equipment rentals, location fees, food/beverage, as well as festival entry fees. Any and all support would be greatly appreciated!

All the Best,

Rob