Welcome back and congrats on the award!
My thought is to shoot the shortest and SIMPLEST (least characters and locations) of your scripts and get it out into the world. Doesn't have to be great - just get it done and move on to the next one.
Yes this - I'd certainly work in a photo of a woman, and if you can incorporate a photo of someone (male or female) who is Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, whatever, I think that would be good.
I like it, especially the cookie reward :)
I've been waiting to the point where I'm sufficiently prepared to be depressed & discouraged before watching this, but thanks for the reminder that I really do want to do so.