Advice

Hello, Stage 32 Members! We are excited to bring back Brian Patacca, a professional working actor, host, and the Founder of ActorSalon New York & LA. Below, are a few clips from his Actor Real Talk series that are sure to inspire and direct you to growth, wherever you are in your career! The constant grind of the business of acting can be exhausting and soul-sucking and at times feel fruitless. At any given moment, there is a list of things you can be doing: taking improv classes, hitting up a...

I want to start this, my very first blog ever, on a positive note. Just two days ago I finally opened a Facebook account and I must say, my phobias about it have subsided little by little. I’ve received over a dozen requests and 'likes' and I've come across lots of co-workers from my years at TWA, who I simply lost track of once the company closed down in 2002. Discovering Facebook brought joy into my sort of lonely life, but the most exciting part is seeing and keeping in touch with my Florida...

When I was in college, I wrote a farce for the stage. It was weak, at best, because I couldn’t come up with a decent ending. I don’t want to destroy my reputation here, but the first ending had an alien kidnapping the protagonist during Christmas Eve dinner. (Please don’t delete me from your network. I was only 21 and likely under the influence.) Knowing it was a bullshit ending, I threw my stage play in a box with some other scribblings where it sat for 15 years. In that time I worked as a te...

The art of filmmaking is one of the most collaborative projects that exists. So many roles play a part in the making of a film. Communication, camaraderie, and collective skills all play a part in making just one scene on the set. It is amazing that a creative thought that pops into a writer’s head turns into a whole story. Then that story turns out to be a brilliant idea. Now, the story that was in the writer’s head, is being acted out and created by cast members and a production crew. After...

One of the great joys for a playwright or screenwriter is seeing and hearing our stories come to life. While a full production of your screenplay might not be in the immediate future, a table read is a simple and accessible way to hear and evaluate your work. I recently organized a table read of my new screenplay 'The Manny'. The screenplay had already received coverage, been submitted and placed in several contests, but I felt I now needed to hear the completed work read in order to hone the...

Today, we have something extra special for all our Stage 32 members! Below is the uncut interview that our CEO, RB did with Ron Dawson from the podcast, Radio Film School. They cover such topics as ethics, film history, provocative filmmaking, Tarantino, social media, whether or not Citizen Kane holds up, fan filmmaking, and much more. It's over an hour of filmmaking inspiration! You can listen to the podcast below, or click here to download the MP3. If you like what you hear, be sure to sub...

Hello, my fellow creatives! We're just a little over a week into the Stage 32 Content Challenge and already over 5,000 pieces of content (articles, photos, videos, etc) have been shared. This has led to some incredible networking as well as terrific conversations and debate. I have more information about what's gone on so far as well as where the community can still use your help in this video... Here is the link to the Medium article I wrote and that I referenced in the video:https://med...

I believe that no matter whether a piece of work is a full length epic novel, a screenplay or short article, if you're planning to present your work to a publisher, producer or any other form of media, your work should be presented at the highest standard possible.     I get asked by a lot of writers, "does presentation really matter, as long as the content is great?" YES, it does matter, because if someone is reading your work and all they can see are glaring spelling, grammatical or...

The bug for cinema and filmmaking hit me hard in the summer of 1970. On that hot July day I sneaked through the back door of the local theatre and ensconced myself into a rickety folding seat not more than 15 yards from the screen. The purpose of my stealthy activity was two-fold: first, I wanted to escape the oppressive heat outside and the theatre was an iceberg in the midst of a desert; second, and perhaps of greater importance, I could not just but a ticket and walk in as the show on offer w...

Hello, Stage 32 Members! We are excited to introduce you all to Brian Patacca, a professional working actor, host, and the Founder of ActorSalon New York & LA. Below, are a few clips from his Actor Real Talk series that are sure to inspire and direct you to growth, wherever you are in your career. Though Brian primarily coaches actors much of his wisdom can be applied across creative positions.  In this batch of short clips, Brian tackles the issue of waiting around for something to happen in...