Advice

Let’s go back to basics! If you are thinking or overthinking about producing your first short film, you are not alone. These are the 8 things that were around my head when deciding to go for it. 1. Is Making a Short Worthwhile? I hate to reply to this with another question, but you have to ask yourself first: Why do I want to do it? Maybe you want to be an actor and it can be a way to get material for your reel, get credits and exposure. Same with a director or DP. If you are a screenwrite...

I’ve certainly had an interesting career in regards to my writing. Began some thirty years ago and can’t seem to give it up, no matter what my sanity wishes at the time. I’ve written fiction, theatre and, of course, for film. All writers should try their hand at various formats; you never know when an opportunity might arise challenging your particular set of skills… I’ve had the ups and the downs… mostly downs. I’ve had at least four instances where my material was ready for production only...

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 have a great video covering the three types of satire every storyteller should know. In this video, they break down the three types of satire: Juvenalian, Horatian, and Menippean. You will see examples from Jojo Rabbit, Borat, The Dictator, American Beauty, Tropic...

Begin with the end in mind. Know your audience. Work with what you’ve got. We all know the adages, and swat them away to return to the creative deep dive in order to produce compelling characters, unique worlds, and relevant themes. Focusing on our role in order to complete our tasks is part of the creative process, but what if we’re missing part of the collaborative equation? What if the end isn’t just film or television? What if the audience you are trying to reach would enjoy your characters...

Welcome back to part two of "How to Cure Writers Block with Active Structure". If you are just joining me here for part two, please read part one here first. Now, on to part two! PREPARING TO WRITE Now that we have an outline, there are two more steps we need to undertake before we’re ready to start actually writing the movie. Remember, we’re taking that big, huge action that defines the story’s arc as a whole, and we’re breaking it down into pieces that are small enough to wrap our heads aro...

Have you ever worked on a stage play? One of the first things you do in rehearsal is figure out where everyone is supposed to stand. Nobody remembers their lines as everyone is holding scripts. They walk from this mark to another mark, trying to make the actions interesting and motivated. That’s called blocking. According to Wikipedia, "blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera".     In filmmaking, that can be done in th...

The Thoughts Abyss Negative thoughts are an extremely addictive thing. Whether triggered by an actual event, situation, or anticipation of events, it’s very easy to fall prey to their bleakness. They kind of suck you into them and it’s like a never-ending abyss that you keep falling into. There is something inside you that sees the darkness as a familiar territory and keeps pulling you there. It’s an indicator of the fact that you have resided in this space for far too long or your mind is c...

Howdy, Stage 32ers! My name is Keith Strausbaugh and my partner and sometimes-friend is Anthony Guidubaldi. Together, we write, produce, direct, and edit under the banner of Hot Tub Mimosas, a loveless marriage of comedy filmmaking. But we began as writers. In 2017, we won Stage 32’s 2nd Annual Comedy Screenplay Contest with a script called, Shore Break. It’s basically Caddyshack with Jet Skis. Or Dodgeball with Jet Skis. Or Out Cold with Jet Skis. Growing up, I worked at my uncle’s ramsha...

“Are you on Stage 32 too?” Where We Met Years ago, it was 2014 or six (6) years before the global pandemic, I was asked, along with Kevin Shand, the former Colorado Film Commissioner to speak with a group of 35 visiting film directors from the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN). During my presentation at the Colorado Film School, I mentioned Stage 32 as an important platform that the attendees should be aware of. One of the benefits I explained was the ease with which Stage 32 facilitates do...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, Film Independent has a quick video full of great tips on how to rewrite your feature screenplay. As you know, writing is rewriting - and rewrites can be brutal. They cover everything from why you should step away before diving into your second draft to why focusing on the "macro" in your first draft is wise so you can dial in on...