When I say that I got a movie deal, it's a bit different than when Brad Pitt signs on the dotted line.

His contract is worth 7 figures. Mine is four. Brad's film will be screened from coast to coast in theaters, then available online. I jump directly to the online part. And of course Brad's debut will be accompanied by launch parties and TV appearances. I'll bring a couple six packs for the production crew once we complete filming.

Even though my world is much different than Brad Pitt's, I love making movies. And I just got the green light for "Travel Photography in Cuba" with lynda.com

This is a project that I began totally on spec. My friend Neil Bauman offered me a photographer gig on a People to People tour that he was putting together. He helped defray costs, but I had to come up with airfare to Miami, my own gear, spending money on the road, and hotel rooms in Florida. I scraped the money together.

There are some things you know you should do, and this trip was one of them.

Before departing for Havana, I wrote my content director at lynda, Jim Heid, and asked him if he were interested in a travel movie set in Cuba. He wrote back the same day. We decided that I'd go shoot, then we'd iron out the details upon my return.

The shoot went better than I could have ever hoped. And when I returned to California, we crafted the storyline for presentation to the lynda brass. Just a week later, I signed the contract.

I'm lucky that I can make a living doing things that I love, such as sharing stories and adventures from an island in the Caribbean. It's a risky business. I take my best shot, and hope for the best. There are no guarantees.

I guess that's one thing that Brad and I have in common.

-Derrick