Advice

Back in 2017 I pitched a reality TV project to the VP of Development of a prominent and well-established production company specializing in reality programming. Spoiler alert: the show didn’t get picked up, but not everyone gets the benefit of a serious conversation with a VP of Development, so it was a learning experience if nothing else – an experience I’d like to share with all of you aspiring screenwriters and/or producers. Especially if you’re at a point where you’re willing to put in the e...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Summer's here, the coffee's on, and we've got some great content to go with it. So let's stir it up, shall we? First up, for those focusing on documentaries or a single subject, a strong reminder of the importance of the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds divides the frame into a 3X3 grid, with each intersecting point offering an ideal place to frame your subject. This, and five other video composition techniques are covered in our first video from B&H Photo Vide...

As writer's we continually search for fresh perspectives and angles when we put pen to paper. It goes without saying that "everything" has been written about, but what makes a serial drama worth watching is a unique angle with colorful characters who are willing to go places that we haven't been to in a long time, if at all. Like death. Some would argue that Dead to Me an Russian Doll do just that. On a personal note, I think Dead to Me speaks to death in a way that we haven't seen before...

What "stage" are you as a writer? It's a perfectly legitimate question. And the answer could be what pushes you to the next level. Screenwriter Lucy V. Hay of Bang2Write sheds light on the different stages of writing, and what it takes to move up - or sideways - or whichever way serves you - to the next level.| So where are you??   Read More: This Is How You Create Your Writing Career   Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below! Got an idea for a post? Or have you coll...

I entered 2019 completely broke. I live for free in a guest house with my fiancé, so my expenses equated to my insurance and groceries. I couldn’t afford them the following month. That’s how broke I was. I never thought I’d be that person. Why was I broke? it wasn't long before I realized my lack of cash was anchored in the false argument of ART VS. COMMERCE. How did I get in this position? I had a movie that was premiering on SHOWTIME in two weeks, DVDs were in Walmart, eight projects produc...

During his free 'Ask Me Anything' webinar, Stage 32 CEO Richard "RB" Botto fielded a question regarding micro budget films. Is there room for a micro budget film under $500 thousand dollars in today's marketplace? The answer is yes, but there are some things a writer needs to know before moving forward with his or her script. To learn what those things are, listen to the video below.     Click Here For RB's Advice!       Remember, if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube page, make s...

Being a performer in the 21st Century is hard. In the 20th Century, we were taught to learn & think like soldiers & factory workers, not like innovative, self-determined entrepreneurial entertainment professionals. You can thank the 19th Century Prussian educational model for that. Shows like A Chorus Line taught us that us if we’re not a star, we’re a loser.This is simply not true. To make things even harder, the barrier for entry to the entertainment industry is lower than ever. As a...

Hi Stage 32ers! I hope the following story will help to inspire you, as so many of us are struggling to break into the movie and TV industry with our creative endeavors. I’m a Finnish citizen and native, living about as far away from Hollywood as you can imagine – in Finland, north-eastern Scandinavia. I’ve always been a huge movie fan, which led to me becoming a film journalist in my early 20’s, in the late 1980’s. During those years, I befriended some truly amazing people in the industry, a...

Happy Sunday to all.  Hope you're all having a fulfilling and creative weekend. Coffee is brewed and piping hot...Let's get to the content. First up today, many great screenwriters and playwrights - David Mamet is one who comes to mind immediately - speak about the need for writers to create conflict in every scene.  Our first video today dives deep on conflict, citing examples from a plethora of revered films to drive the point home. Second, a video no filmmaker or producer is going to wa...

Learning the ins and outs of a writers room can be fun, especially for those of us yearning to take a seat at the table. A few weeks back we shared The Unknown Lingo of TV Writers Rooms. Today we're following Craig Tomashoff's article in the Hollywood Reporter where he takes us behind the scenes of shows like Killing Eve, Barry, and Better Call Saul to discover the little things that help create the big thing: An episode. Give the link below a click to discover how writer's move around bl...