Advice

When I wrote my first screenplay, I was 17, outspoken, and very confident in my writing abilities, so when the teacher told us we were having a stage playwriting contest, I nearly jumped out of my chair with excitement. I spent the whole day writing and planning out my screenplay. The next day, I gave copies to almost everyone in my class to see what they thought. One student said it was terrible and tossed it in the garbage. I even had a close friend tell me to stop sending her stories, and we...

William Goldman was pretty spot on with this astute observation of Hollywood. "Nobody knows anything."  Like any industry that requires human capital — or to be more dramatic since we are talking storytelling — like any industry that feeds on metaphorical blood, sweat, and tears, the spec screenwriting business has been through booms and busts. Ups and downs. Just google “Shane Black 1990s’’ to get some specific historical context for what the spec business has looked like over the years. As...

Now that you are deep into your journey in the tv and film business, you can find yourself in a web of the constant need to go, go, go, do, do, and prove, prove, prove. Take a pause. Big success is bound to follow if you never lose your passion and drive for which you started with. By doing so, it’s ok to pause and acknowledge the smaller accomplishments. The truth is the pursuit of the big picture can come with a load of stress. It’s important to find the balance in creating by celebrating. T...

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. We talk a lot in the lounges about art versus the business of film and television, and there is a balance to it. If you caught my recent AMA, I talked about the importance of keeping up with the news in the trades, but also the importance of honing your craft. In the first video, Film Courage interviews...

Like many, I’m reasonably new to screenwriting. I taught college courses in writing and Goth Lit for 15 years, and when I made the switch to screenwriting, I thought, “It’s writing. How hard could it be? Look at all the stuff that gets made.” I embarked on a journey to learn all I could about writing scripts, something I’d dreamed of doing for nigh-on 30 years. I wrote a couple of sitcoms I thought were awesome and sent them to some managers who accepted unsolicited scripts. I was turned dow...

A common question aspiring screenwriters crafting big blockbuster scripts ask is: "How can I sell my script to the studios?" The truth, while not impossible,  the chances of this happening for an "unknown" screenwriter (meaning you haven't sold anything before) is very slim. So, let's try and broaden the odds for you and look at Indie Film Production. Stage32 has a plethora of Producers in this community, so let me suggest you start by forming relationships with them and seeing where that l...

The demand for adapting IP into film and television projects isn't ending anytime soon. Whether you're looking to adapt a book you've already written or a piece of material written by someone else, it's important to have a way a process to help you craft your adaptation into a screenplay. So, how do you do it? A little background. I have written five books and adapted them into feature-length screenplays. Two have been made into feature films and my latest novel/screenplay will be filmed nex...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community!   Since 2011, the Stage 32 team has been working tirelessly to help you stay connected, creative, motivated, and informed. As always, we are committed to bringing you networking opportunities, education and mentoring from top-level industry executives and professionals, and access to decision-makers around the globe all from the comfort of your own home. Recently, our fearless leader and CEO Richard "RB" Botto hosted an "Ask Me Anything": State of the Indus...

I can work on any given day on multiple projects and activities. I'm not sure if it is because I love variety or because, deep down, I am a masochist. Or a control freak. From buying films on behalf of our theatrical distributor clients, selling and marketing those films, developing content for film and television, and representing personalities, influencers, or media companies, I do it all. I also consult for Wall Street and do story development consultations.My phone should be surgically attac...

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, we have a great video from Film Courage on making a short film, and h...