Advice

In the film industry, you'll need a solid business plan for the projects you take on. A business plan is a document which clearly identifies your understanding of where your project fits into the film industry and the market it is targeted to. It should state the financial requirements of the venture; what is required from the investors; how they are to be repaid; what compensation they will receive and when and from where. Other areas within the document will include the experience of the manag...

Hey Guys! I am very excited to continue our tradition of bringing you the best education in the industry by working with legendary author and story authority, Robert McKee on a very special and exclusive one day only LIVE event here on Stage 32! For our Masters of Craft Series, Mr. McKee will be teaching you how to write believable, engaging & impactful dialogue. Here's a video from me with more information!   Since 1984, more than 100,000 students have taken McKee’s courses in various cit...

When approaching the industry strategically, many writers consider not only what they enjoy writing or what format speaks to them, but also where they might have greater odds for building a tangible, sustainable, screenwriting career. Judging by the numbers, there are more opportunities in television than there are in film. In 2014, over 4,000 WGA members claimed income generated from working in the television sector; by contrast, only 1,800 WGA scribes made their money in the feature film secto...

Often when people find out I work as a radio DJ, they put a fist in my face as if they were holding a microphone and ask me to do my 'radio voice.' Truth is, my 'radio voice' in real life doesn't even remotely sound like my voice on the radio. This is because there is so much processing and filters going on between the voice and the actual broadcast that what is poured on one side doesn't sound the same as the output. It's almost like making a soup, you might have a nice piece of chicken but all...

Here are five pieces of advice I wish I'd known when I was starting out as a media composer. Firstly as my disclaimer; these are by no means hard and fast rules. Think of the following as food for thought and NOT a recipe for success, but it may help you avoid cooking up a few dodgy meals. 1. Be a 'Jack of All' or a 'Master of One'  I think there is a primary decision to be made that lays the foundation of any composer's career: to be a 'jack of all', or a 'master of one'. I think it's so...

This article focuses on the issues that can arise and the pitfalls to beware of with respect to collaborations between and among creators of books, screenplays, stories, theatrical plays and television show scripts. Under the US copyright law, although ideas alone are not protectable, an author or creator owns a copyright in his or her work the moment the author’s expression of the idea is 'fixed in a tangible medium.' (i.e., when the expression of an idea is written down or recorded in some m...

I remember being at work, in addition to being a filmmaker I'm a full-time bus driver for one of the largest transportation companies in the country. So I'm driving and out of nowhere a thought popped into my head. Why aren't there any award shows for indie filmmakers in Philadelphia? The talent is here, so why nothing to acknowledge that? Then a second thought popped in there, why don't you create one? And that started a year and a half long journey that culminated with the Philadelphia Indepen...

There is incredible power as a performer when you make the choice to create and produce your own projects. By creating my own pieces and producing my own work, I have been reviewed by the New York Times, received four and five stars for my performance at the Edinburgh Fringe, nominated for an Amnesty International Award, received significant film exposure at several film festivals and have dramatically strengthened my resume and network. Oh and I kind of had fun doing it and gained a lot of ener...

2016 has been a very interesting year so far. We are just over half way through and we're bound to have some more tidbits coming our way. So what things might you have missed? Nikon? Well, it appears that Nikon is getting out of the professional video arena blog They ended up pulling out of NAB at the last minute. Financial troubles abound for Nikon and we may even see reductions in other areas. Many may argue that they have never had a very large presence in the first place, but they we...

What time is it? I bet you already guessed it! Time for the July 2016 edition of On Stage with RB! of course! This month it'll be taking place on MONDAY, August 1st at 1PM PDT! Yes, August for July! As you may know, every month our Founder & CEO, RB, brings on special guests who work in the industry, such as filmmakers and executives to offer advice to our community in an online webinar. Plus, he discusses the best way to use Stage 32 to help your career. Check out RB's message for this mont...