Latest Blogs

Lights, Camera, Action! Okay, technically, it would be called out as "Sound, Camera, Mark It, Set, Action." It's literally built into the DNA of every film and television production, and yet, as a genre, ACTION can be incredibly difficult to execute well. Recently, I had a chance to catch up with my friend and filmmaking mentor, Shane Stanley. He generously shared some insights during our special Produced Script Coverage Report (Mondays in the Writer's Room). We reviewed what it took to green...

You’ve heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”? I’m going to start with something controversial, I hate that quote. This quote has been preached to me on many occasions throughout my career and I can imagine it will continue for the rest of my years. Why this quote? Because my creativity is hard to grasp, I do many things and can do many things well. Does this sound like you? Your creativity doesn’t fit in the societal norms of occupation, the idea that we decide to be or do one...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. No matter what kind of script you're writing, you are creating a world from scratch. It doesn't matter how realistic things may appear. Everything on screen has to play by the rules of that world and its society. This applies to everything the characters say and do, as well as the environments where they...

There are so many different aspects to your screenplay that will guarantee its success. A compelling story is one such aspect, but without interesting characters, the story will just fall flat. Here are some tips to help you write the best characters possible, and bring that story to life. 1. Make The Lead A Likable Person You may want to avoid this, as trying to make a character likable can often make the story dull and uninteresting. After all, if there's no one creating conflict, then the...

As an independent producer, I'm always planning my next project. With a stack of screenplays (many of which are my own), and no Mr. Moneytree waiting to spread his love, it can be challenging. This is why I've taken the Robert Rodriguez approach when it comes to filmmaking. For those of you unfamiliar, Robert Rodriguez's first feature film, El Mariachi, had no crew. And almost no budget. At a meager 7k, he was the writer, director, cinematographer, location scout, sound, and editor. With inflati...

Hey, Stage 32ers! "How do I pitch to Netflix" is probably one of the most common questions we get here at Stage 32, which is why I feel it's important to re-share my thoughts on the subject. What you really need to be asking is WHY your project belongs at Netflix. As all these major companies consolidate, you might be wondering how it will likely impact pitching and your project's path to the screen. And I'm here to answer those questions in today's vlog... Wishing you a very happy, healthy,...

In 2020, I had the privilege of cutting a horror/thriller film titled The Boy Behind the Door. It was the directorial debut of David Charbonier & Justin Powell, and it was also my first feature-length project as an editor. The film was part of the Official Selection at Fantastic Fest in 2020 and received some genuine critical acclaim during its run. It then sold to Shudder and became available for streaming in 2021. The whole post-production process took over 2 years of diligent work and I lea...

Writing a stage play is a challenge because of the unique nature of the theatre – all of the dynamics of having a real live audience and a limited space in which to tell a story must be taken into account. Writing for the screen is no less of a challenge, but logically the approach must differ due to the medium by which the end product will be presented – the screen - varying greatly from its older cousin, the stage. Writers must appreciate and embrace the uniqueness of these mediums in order to...

I was a Stage 32 "virgin" when it happened. Truth be told, I think it was my third time, my third 8-minute Pitch Session with a Stage 32 Exec. Being an "ugly red-headed stepchild" of the entertainment world, meaning even though I have a successful career as an Entertainment Marketing Creative, I had to find a way for executives to see me in a new light. A multi-award winning Creative Director, writing, producing, and directing trailers, etcetera needed executives to now take me seriously as a...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from around the globe. Whether you are a long-time member or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up, we're looking at A24. What makes the look of an A24 film? Can you rep...