Advice

  *Inhales* Ah yes, the smell of ammonia mixed with a hint of latex. It’s time for your regular doctor’s visit. Don’t worry, no one is going to ask you to turn your head and cough. Instead, we’re going to examine one of the major setbacks in the writing process. Often times, this drawback will be accompanied by those all too familiar warning signs: Symptoms Irritability/Mood swings Sobbing uncontrollably into your coffee mug Lack of focus An insatiable hunger only chocolate can fix...

You slogged. You toiled. You loaded up your latest draft of your script, took a soul searching breath then hit Send. With your precious cargo now in the hands of a script reader, you wait. And fret. “Is it funny enough?” “Does the B story work?” “Did I mess up my homophones!?” Then the day finally arrives: the script coverage you spent a pretty penny on appears in your inbox. Three words - pass, consider, recommend - could be the difference between having a kick-ass or suck-ass day. You skip rig...

This is a true story. I was waiting to audition for a commercial. The door to the room opens, and the casting person has his arm around the guy who was auditioning before me. The actor was a big, bald guy, all muscle. The casting person was patting him on the back, telling him how great he was, and making sure they had his contact info. When I was called, I wanted to say, “Look, if you love that guy so much, I don’t even have to read for you.” Despite that feeling, in I go. The casting pe...

Adam Finer, one of New York Film Academy’s professors at the Los Angeles Campus, is a much-sought after speaker in the film industry. A former literary manager and film producer, Adam spent over a decade as a marketing executive at Universal Studios. Stage 32 caught up with him at Film Con Hollywood where offered advice on the one thing creatives need to do to get their work seen.   Click Here For Adam's Advice!       Remember, if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube page, make sur...

Happy Sunday, everyone. Back from the cold of Sundance and into the rain of L.A. Not complaining, mind you, just stating fact. A huge congratulations to all the Stage 32 educators and members who not only had films at Sundance, but were involved in some of the biggest sales up there this year. We'll be updating you on what went on with the Stage 32 family soon. For now, let's warm up with another edition of Coffee & Content. First up, it's on YouTube, but it's just audio. It's also 13 minute...

If you think not writing a TV bible for your series is okay, think again. Studio and indie producers are asking for them, and there are a million reasons why having one can serve you. Okay, maybe not a million. But enough. Here are a few: 1) A bible can help you, the writer, understand your characters and your world better than you thought.2) A bible can give the producer faith that you know your world and are prepared to discuss the series with confidence.3) Creating a bible can help you...

Imagine being invited to be part of a writing team for a European television show. Or having a producer ask you to rewrite an old script.Also imagine a different producer ask you to tackle a script to bring their story vision to life.Or having a television star and his manager ask you to shape their thin story idea into a feature script. Just imagine.Now imagine doing this without being paid upfront.These are all ventures that I’ve put my sweat, blood, and creativity into with varying degrees...

As any actor can attest, perseverance and determination are the keys to a successful acting career. Over the past five and a half years, I have used these two traits to navigate my journey through this crazy life we call show business. Case in point, I was recently cast in a project through a Stage 32 connection. The casting was a direct result of establishing a relationship with the project’s creator, discussing general information as well as their current project, and then following up to see...

As actors, how we are viewed online by potential casting directors or producers is crucial. We want our persona to match what they're looking for. So if we're seeking a role in an action film or looking to take a deep dive into a dramatic part, will having a comedic talk show or channel online derail that?   During RB's free webinar "Ask Me Anything," he dove into this question. Click the link below to hear RB's take on how we show up as actors online:   Click Here For RB's Advice!    ...

When it comes to formatting, modeling your favorite show, or creating a TV script that you're confident matches what executives are looking for, referring to an already successful show scripts can be helpful. That's why we're sharing this incredible post from Indie Film Hustle. Not only did they pull together 10 incredible scripts, they included powerful interviews with some of the creators. So bookmark this one. It's perfect for a rainy day. (Note: The Breaking Bad script is not longer d...