Latest Blogs

Hello, Creative Army!   I appreciate all who attended my last AMA (Ask Me Anything) and those who have written in wondering when the next session will take place. Wonder no more. Let's kick off the final quarter of 2018 with an inspirational hour plus of craft and industry talk on Tuesday, September 4th from 1 - 2 p.m. PST   It's been a busy few months around the Stage 32 offices and for yours truly as it relates to my personal projects. I'm excited to share with you what I'm heari...

Hey you! Yeah YOU. Sitting in front of your computer. I have some advice I would like to share with you. Wait for it. WAIT for it. Lean in closely… Are you ready? There are no set standard rules in show business on how to break into show business. Did I really just say that? Yes, I did. My name is Steven D. Snyder and I am an actor, writer, comedian, director, and producer based in Los Angeles and Phoenix. In my quest in 2011 to sign with a literary agent to take me on as a writer, I journ...

Film festivals can be expensive. But if you do your homework, you’ll find ways to get in with discounts and waivers. To begin with, you should know that I scraped together enough money to make my high quality short film, A Meditation, relying on many favors and friends. The film is done and I can't wait for the world to see it. I happened to finish it near the Sundance deadline, so I applied there first. $60 dollars. I thought I might as well hit Slamdance at the same time, right? $55 d...

Greetings and salutations, Creative Army.  And a happy Sunday to you all. Got a little French press workin'.  How about we compliment it with some content? First up, a look at two of my favorite films, Boogie Nights and the legendary Goodfellas.  How did P.T. and Marty go about setting their mood (visually) for these films?  Our friends at Entertain the Elk break it all down in one cool, comprehensive video essay. Next, another great video from the crew at Lessons from the Screenplay.  Thi...

I was sitting in my brand new Papasan chair a little while ago, whining to my cat (who could care less whether I live or die) that I didn't feel like writing something that had a deadline. After he sauntered away completely disinterested, I got up quite reluctantly and started writing. This little blurb is what came out of me. And for the record, I'm not going to go back to copy edit it, because I'm doing a warm-up exercise as proposed by James Rush, an award-winning playwright who struggl...

Lead Producer Sam Borowski and Lead Actor Daniel Roebuck pose on the bench on set during In This Moment's recent shoot in Bethlahem, Pa. "I’ve said this so many times, but there’s a magic when you have a really good actor in a really good makeup.” – 7-time Oscar-Winning Make-Up Artist Rick Baker. When I was asked by Amanda Toney to pen a post about my recent experiences producing In This Moment, a short film designed for film festivals, distribution, and Oscar-Consideration in 2020, I thou...

A screenwriter walks into an Escape Room… But seriously… this is not a joke. It’s an opportunity to hone your skills as a writer and get in on one of the fastest growing entertainment industries around. A few years ago I was hired to write narratives for two new Escape Rooms. The organization had been successful at tourist-based entertainment programs for nearly two decades, and was looking to capitalize on the growing phenomenon that is the 60-minute Escape Room. As a writer on the loo...

  The very best way to learn the art of directing is from those who have learned from the very best. David Rountree, an award-winning feature film director (108 Stitches, CUT!) stopped by the Stage 32 offices to share some sound advice.   David Rountree is the President of Psyco Rock Productions and is a director, producer, screenwriter, and actor based in Los Angeles. He is listed in Hollywood Reporter and IMDb as a Top 10 Up-and-Coming Hollywood Director Under 40.   The advice he stoppe...

I’m overwhelmed by the response of my first blog I wrote and all the filmmakers out there who reached out to me. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, please visit the following link: Follow Your Heart. I want to start where my last blog ended and share with you my personal experiences working on my first professional attempt at making a short film back in 2012. I struggled (like most filmmakers) through my earlier film projects. For me it was a lack of self-confidence, which saw me...

If you’re an actor waiting for roles and feeling like the well has run dry, stepping out of the actor’s classroom and into the depths of a film festival can make all the difference. If you’ve never attended a festival or thought that perhaps you didn’t belong, reconsider. And then dive into the following guide for all the reasons why you should. 1) Submitting Your Own Content Improves Your Acting CareerYou’ve likely heard it a thousand times already, but it’s worth repeating: It’s important to...