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How I Financed, Produced, Finished, and Delivered a Feature Film to the Global Marketplace in Just 210 Days Seven months ago, Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate existed only as a screenplay. Two hundred and ten days later, it screened in Cannes. Whenever I say that, I think it's important to explain exactly what I mean. The film was not an Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival. Those films are selected by the festival itself and compete within the festival's official program...

It’s never been more fun to be a part of the Stage 32 Writers’ Room! Our first round of CHALLENGERS took their concepts (started from Part 1) and broke story on them as part of the Coverage Report (exclusive for Writers’ Room Members). While the Coverage Report was started as a guided script exchange, for the Vertical Challenge, we made it more into a development session, just like a real Writers’ Room! If you’d like to join the next round of Writers’ Room Challengers AND enter to win a 1-on-1...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Let’s kick things off with a huge shoutout to everyone who has already jumped into this month’s Introduce Yourself Weekend. Thousands of creatives from around the world are connecting, sharing their stories, and building relationships that can lead to collaborations, opportunities, and lifelong friendships. If you haven’t made your introduction yet, you still have time. Head over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge before the weekend wraps. Be bold. Introduce yourse...

Documentaries have been produced since 1922. They were always considered the educational part of moviemaking; not entertainment. That has all changed. We are in the Golden Age of Documentaries. Prominent directors are using the documentary format to tell their stories. My documentary "Homecoming: Veterans, Wives, Mothers" joined the ranks for consideration for the “Outstanding Short Form Non-Fiction” Daytime Emmy Award in 2021. I need to say this format is one I use when I think a topic merits...

This year, I watched Cannes from my desk in Australia. While my colleagues were on the Croisette, I was refreshing updates, squinting at photos on someone’s Instagram story, and listening to voice notes from people who were three rosés deep on a terrace and absolutely thriving. If you have ever experienced the very specific ache of watching your entire community have the time of their lives in the South of France while you sit at home in a different time zone, you know exactly the flavour o...

If you were on the Croisette with us this year, I am guessing your suitcase still is not fully unpacked, your voice took a few days to come back, and your camera roll is packed with business cards you photographed in dim restaurants somewhere around midnight. A few weeks out from Cannes, I have been thinking a lot about what actually happens after a festival ends. Here is the truth I have learned over years of conventions, markets, and festivals: the event is where you meet people, but the yea...

Happy Wednesday, Creative Army! If you weren't able to make it to Cannes this year, don't worry, we're bringing Cannes to you. This year marked another incredible milestone for Stage 32, as we proudly continued our role as the official Education Partner of the Marché du Film, a partnership that has now spanned more than a decade. Ten-plus years on the Croisette, and it still energizes me every single time. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing exclusive recordings of our 2026 Cannes ex...

Have you heard this one before? “When an eternal optimist lawyer loses everything, she moves into a luxury penthouse only to find she's rooming with her best friend's arrogant older brother and her former high school tormentor. As their fiery rivalry unearths his ten-year secret obsession with her, the feuding roommates must team up to destroy her toxic ex-boss before he ruins her legal career.” What about this one? “When a wealthy popular girl makes a deal with a high school bad boy to be her...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! I hope your weekend has been a creative one so far. Whether you have been writing, filming, editing, or sketching out the next spark of an idea, I have something today that will give you a boost. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. This week's featured video comes from StudioBinder, and it is all about the contained story. That is the kind of film that strips everything back. No sprawling landscapes, no globe-trotting, no giant set pieces. Just a tight space,...

Freelancing in the film industry, whatever your role, and as exciting as it can be, sometimes means navigating turbulent waters. So how do we stay put and not lose sight of our true North? I moved from Italy to Los Angeles in 2016, after a 21-year-long plan to follow my childhood dream of making music for the silver screen. Once in L.A., coming from a 9-to-5 day job, I soon realized how much I had to learn not only about Hollywood but also about how to stay healthy while freelancing. In the...