Advice

The first great movie I ever saw was Dead Poets Society at around the age of eight, two years before I decided I wanted to make movies. There was just something about it that raised the bar compared to other movies. Its excellence involved vocabulary and concepts that I wasn’t familiar with at the time—cinematography, casting, score. But when I found out what an Oscar was, I knew that Dead Poets Society deserved one. When I started to write screenplays two years later, I knew that people would...

The famous and dreadful writer's block! One of the many writers’ pet peeves. If it makes you feel any better, many writers, musicians, composers and artists in general have suffered from it, such as authors F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles M. Schultz (the very productive creator of Charlie Brown and Peanuts), to name a few. Moreover, the notion is rather recent. The idea is thought to have originated in the nineteenth century, and the term "writer's block" was coined in 1947 by Dr. Edmund Bergl...

In the many forms of media we have in the acting world: Film, Television, commercial, voiceover- one of the many forms that is often overlooked is corporate videos. Sometimes they are called “industrials”, sometimes they’re not. But the purpose of these videos will always be to explain something to the consumer or the new hire. A “how-to” series, in demonstrating the right and the wrong do this, in explaining the company culture, and in explaining the company values that has driven this company...

As we get ready to take in the Academy Awards this Sunday, I am tempted to think about some of my own memorable Oscar Moments and the lessons that those moments have taught me over the years. And, not only are they some of my fondest memories to date, but they read like a list of what to do and what not to do. As you can see below, I got to hoist Ernie Borgnine’s Best Actor Oscar from 1956 that he won for portraying the title character in Marty. That was nearly a decade ago. I am so grateful...

What’s up, Creative Army! Over the last few months, I’ve seen an uptick in questions sent to me here, on Instagram, and on Twitter revolving around the subject of overcoming imposter syndrome. As creatives – which, as I always say, makes us entrepreneurs – we are constantly dealing with executives and gatekeepers questioning our decisions and our creative choices. For those hanging out on broad based social media platforms, you deal with a constant barrage of “experts” and those more then will...

It is an honor and a privilege to bring you the worldwide virtual premiere of the 6th Annual Stage 32 Short Film Program! Below you will find nine amazing short films to watch that were carefully curated by Stage 32's panel of leading industry executives. Our esteemed panel of judges is made up of top producers, managers, development executives, and Oscar-winning filmmakers. Our winning filmmakers hail from all over the world, and we could not be more excited to share their undeniable talen...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, 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 every corner of 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. Now, grab some fresh coffee and let's dive into this week's conte...

Happy Women’s History Month! Or, for anyone outside the United States, happy March! Are you sensing a theme? Perhaps one of unity through celebrating our differences? That is the goal of celebrating, after all. During the celebration, we put aside our grievances, our woes, and even our agendas to appreciate the good work that has already been done. Perhaps even a return to work? You can start your Women’s History Month celebration with our recent International Women’s Day Panel here! Leading u...

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is scheduled to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 27. Below I have collected all of the original and adapted screenplays that have been nominated this year. What are the similarities in the nominations from previous nominations this year? The differences? What are your favorite scripts? Be sure to comment below!   Stage 32 Writers' Room Members already have early acces...

Less Woo and More Do: The Four P’s Four Practical Habits to Help Creatives Stay Grounded and Achieve Consistent Results. "It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward." - Chinese proverb As actors, we all have huge dreams and aspirations: one day winning an Oscar, being on a Broadway stage, getting into Marvel-ready shape, or getting that top-tier agent. For better or worse, we think big and relentlessly pursue o...