Advice

Making a film is a 'Big idea" that tends to overwhelm and can be an endless challenge to try and set sail. Where does one begin? This is your dream, after all, and here are a few methods that will help inspire your creative life. Understand That Writing Is Everything For as long as I can remember, if I wanted to create something, it would not be discovered without reading about it. In fact, reading is a prerequisite to writing. I think that what you read changes your thoughts and then your so...

My journey as a composer of music to picture has been a non-straightforward one. Whilst studying Applied Arts in France (graphic design, architecture, fine art, etc) I started off in my teens singing and playing guitar, writing songs, and fronting a live band. I then started producing other artists on the UK Soul scene in my twenties and thirties, and eventually began editing music and composing for TV shows, short films, and documentaries. I've worked on projects big and small, some very crea...

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, the director of SHAZAM! and its recently released sequel, David F. Sandberg digs into one of the biggest challenges every filmmaker faces: communicating their vision. You might see what you want on screen clear as day in your mind, but if you can't clearly communicate it to your actors and crew...

"When you’re writing, you’re conjuring. It’s a ritual, and you need to be brave and respectful and sometimes get out of the way of whatever it is that you’re inviting into the room.”-Tom Waits As is often the case with major life changes, my pursuit of screenwriting came quite suddenly. On July 14, 2018, I sat in a Starbucks and considered my career. You see, I had worked in higher education for eight years, and while there was certainly a joy to be found there, I wanted more. It was in this m...

We prep. We plan. We come up with moments before, inner dialogue, the character's back history and emotional ties. We’re off book, the pitch deck is set, and then…wait, what!? Plot twist. Something interesting happens the moment we step into the audition room, or the camera hits record. Any of our prep or scene work oftentimes goes out the window and fear sets in. Instead of letting anxiety get the best of the opportunity at hand, or what could happen in the future — which is the cause of anxi...

Hey, Stage 32ers! Hope you had a productive and connective Introduce Yourself Weekend and, for those in Los Angeles, you were able to join the in-person meet-up! This week the WGA overwhelmingly voted in support of a strike if necessary (just a reminder that this was not an announcement that they would strike). I've been asked a lot if fears of a strike would cause buyers to rush to grab projects that maybe aren't 100% in tip-top shape, giving up-and-coming writers a chance to break in. The tr...

A couple of steps are preached within the screenwriting sector that newbies need to follow before finding their feet in the industry. Many screenwriters have been frustrated out of their passion because they’ve done everything they are asked to do to no avail. They’ve followed the process verbatim and are yet to land anywhere or anything meaningful. This can be frustrating, mainly because it forces the screenwriter to think that their success and breakthrough in Hollywood aren’t in their hand...

Do you have a screenplay that didn’t get into a competition? A film without distribution? An idea that you just don’t know how to make a move on? I have been in all these positions and more than once. So how do we move forward as artists when the world seemingly continues to push back on us? This is the big question and I hope to provide some insight based on my real-world experience. How I work hard to "fail up" as a filmmaker. For anyone who has read my previous blog posts, you’ll know that...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from around the globe. Whether you are a long-time member or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up this week, we have a video from StudioBinder on writing subtext. I see...

Networking is too often associated with adjectives such as uncomfortable, artificial, or intimidating. However, there are concrete ways to change your mindset and navigate these situations effectively so it goes back to what it was originally intended for: creating and solidifying meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships, in your industry and beyond. 1. Think About Your Purpose As a film producer, I have always wanted to work with people from all over the world to make authentic...