Advice

Several years ago I decided that I wanted to get a degree in film and television from the highly competitive film school at New York University. There was one major obstacle though... I was a high school drop out. What are the odds of my being accepted into this school and program? Not very good, but I decided (call it naivety, blind faith, insanity or whatnot) it was not only possible, but it was going to be my reality. I put one foot in front of the other, busted my butt as if it were life or...

My very good friend, composer and sound designer / mixer Scott Szabo said there are three kinds of work: Art, Craft and Rent. He's absolutely right. Art is the stuff you are proud to have your name on, and you showcase on a website or reel, promoting shamelessly on social media! Craft might, or might not, be something to hold out as an example, but it will call upon your advanced skills and challenge you. Rent ... well, you show up, do a great job, make the client happy, cash the check and get o...

  In July of 2018, almost a year after my third and final brain surgery, I sat alone at my desk to start my memoir. I was excited to begin the process. I had a riveting story to tell, and no one was going to stop me. I planned to get up early every morning and write continuously for two hours. I had to be up each day before the sun, my tea hot, and fingers well lubricated between the joints. For weeks I kept this nonstop pace, some days writing for five-hour stretches, until one day, I ju...

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. First up, our friends over at StudioBinder put together a great video about all the scene transitions you can use in when cutting together your film. Specifically, this video shows nine types of edition transitions: fade, dissolve, match cut, iris, wipe, passing, whip pan, smash cut, and the J-cut. You wil...

Being a creative professional is more complicated than most people think. Whether you’re a writer, actor, or producer, your productivity levels are directly proportional to your organizational skills. Becoming an organized individual isn’t just about working in clean environments or managing time properly. It is also about organizing your thoughts, emotions, and actions in such a way that nothing and no one can stop you from reaching your objectives. In today’s post, I’m sharing 20 ideas tha...

Every great story has five basic elements. These elements allow novelists and screenwriters to grab their reader’s attention and create a worthwhile story. They are connected like building blocks and they carry their respective loads to keep your story balanced. In this post, we are going to share with you the main screenwriting theories that help writers systematize their goals, structure, and techniques when writing a script. Let’s get started! 5 Key Elements of a Great Story Every gr...

When I started I didn’t have directing and producing experience, never went to film school. The only time I came close to a film set as a filmmaker, had been as an extra in a short film once or twice and acted in 2 or 3 NGO short films as well, until I got a chance in 2016 to work as a line producer on a film set. That was about all the experience I had in filmmaking, except writing all the stories I wanted to one day do when I gain enough experience. When I started writing The White Line sto...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32! Since 2011, the Stage 32 team has been working tirelessly to help you stay connected, creative, motivated, and informed. As always, we are committed to bringing you networking opportunities, education and mentoring from top-level industry executives and professionals, and access to decision-makers around the globe all from the comfort of your own home. Recently our efforts have been noticed by the media in a big way. We are incredibly proud and honored that Stage 32...

I’ve loved movies since I was a kid but I’ve also loved books. When I decided to become a writer after an early career as a film publicist, I chose screenwriting, not novel writing. Why? Well, for starters, it seemed like a more possible and immediate way to make something happen, get a toehold in a new business, find some level of creative fulfillment and--maybe (big maybe)--make a living. I had some friends who worked in the TV world who recommended I start writing TV spec scripts and parla...

NETFLIX AND STAGE 32 INTRODUCE A NEW INITIATIVE TO HELP ASPIRING SERIES AND FILMMAKERS CREATE ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE Earlier this year, our two organizations teamed up for a workshop on Television Pitching that was attended by 100,000 aspiring creators in over 160 countries. We knew it would be a natural fit, but it was amazing to see the global impact of the workshop. That’s why we’ve decided to once again partner on the Creating Content for the Global Mark...