Advice

Happy Spring! As we welcome a new season, life often calls for a shift—not in speed, rather in perspective. In this case, I am talking about how we choose to see abundance in our creative lives. Abundance is not always about having more. It is about knowing when to move and when to pause. For many, the times in our industry are still uncertain. With shifting trends, new business models, and redefining technology (think AI), you might feel like life is pulling you faster than you can keep up....

My fellow filmmakers, my name is Tim Ogletree and I’ve been chasing this thing since January 2009, just on the heels of the 2007-2008 WGA strike. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a Radio-TV-Film degree, I made the official move out to LA with a pretty killer short film and a truck full of clothes, books, and DVDs. The short caught some eyes, landed my writing partner and me a manager, and catapulted us into meetings and pitches that led to our first feature script. Tw...

In a past life, as they say, I worked in the Olympic Movement. I will wait while you drift off and think of only the glamorous side of that because yes, I was a Chief Press Officer at two Summer Games. But let me take you behind the scenes. There’s a popular expression, “It takes a village.” And people are also quick to whip out phrases like, “It takes teamwork to make the dream work.” But the fact of the matter is, there honestly was really only one person who was responsible for women’s fast...

We spend a lot of time in this industry looking at products. That is after all why we do this; to get things made, to be seen by an audience. But... It seems to me that we neglect our inner selves and suffer the consequences because we don’t quite know how to deal with anxieties and concerns, that seem to let rip on our fragile selves when we experience problems like rejection or people letting us down. As part of this series, I want to take a little time to look at the inner work we need...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. I want to kick things off with a fantastic video from Vox that digs into how A24 went from a little-known indie film distributor to one of the most influential names in modern entertainment. From Moonlight to Everyth...

I’m always eager to find helpful insights for navigating life. Stoicism has been experiencing a resurgence of late, thanks in part to books like A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and to Ryan Holiday, whose books and Daily Stoic emails have made the ancient precepts relevant for contemporary thinkers. Stoicism is a philosophy about finding happiness in the “now” moment. It’s about controlling your emotions and the thoughts you think to maximize your life experience. It’s a...

Happy Friday, Creative Army! If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your film to the Croisette, shaking hands with global buyers, or simply navigating the incredible whirlwind that is the Cannes Film Festival and its Marché du Film, this is for you. I’m thrilled to announce that this upcoming Wednesday, March 26th, we’re hosting a completely FREE webinar with the Executive Director of the Marché du Film, Guillaume Esmiol, to help you prepare for Cannes—whether this is your first time attending or...

Hi, Stage 32! Today, we’re excited to bring you Part 3 in our Behind the Scenes blog series on the making of the international feature film ALIX, brought to life by an extraordinary group of Stage 32 creatives in collaboration with Catalyst Studios. Over the past few weeks, we’ve spotlighted the producers and actors who helped shape this powerful story, and today, we’re honored to hear directly from the visionary at the center of it all: writer and director Ana Maria Hermida. ALIX made its d...

Most people understand the concept of “Production.” They know cameras need to shoot footage to make a TV show but, for many, what happens between shooting and when the show airs is a mystery. That crucial, all-encompassing phase of the process is called “Post Production.” Even the term “Post” can be deceiving, because Post Production also involves participation during “Prep,” all the careful planning before shooting begins to make sure all the pieces are there for the final product. In short, Po...

Happy Tuesday, Stage 32 Community! You’ve spent months (maybe years) perfecting your screenplay. You’ve revised, proofread, and maybe even gotten feedback from a few friends. But when it comes time to get someone in the industry to actually read your script? Crickets. The truth is, getting your screenplay into the hands of the right people is one of the hardest parts of this business. But there are often some common mistakes that hold great scripts back. Let’s break down three of them, and h...