Advice

I had a recent experience that we all more or less long for, regardless of which facet of the entertainment business we’re in. We all want an opportunity to knock at our door, right? And that “door,” so to speak, can be a text message, a phone call, an email, a social media direct message – heck, someone walking up to our table in a restaurant or (wow, I’m dating myself) standing on the WELCOME mat and ringing the doorbell. The bottom line is somebody has work for us, and we need to listen bec...

We’ve talked about activating, listening, and preserving our Voice as a path to personal success. But what exactly is our ‘Voice,’ and how do we work with it in more detail? Your Voice is Not a Muse or a Brand Wiki-how says, “Muses were goddesses to whom poets prayed for the gift of divine inspiration.” No point in praying to your Voice. You’d just be praying to yourself. I’d suggest that great works of art are not our Voice either. Art is a gift from our Voice, the product of our Voic...

Welcome to Stage 32, a community of creatives, the biggest of its kind on the globe. We are here to help you develop your career, regardless of the number of successes you’ve had or if you are totally new to this and think that screenwriting is where you want your future to be. Many come to the site and ask, "How can I sell a script?" "How can I break into the industry?" Or "I'm a new writer; how can I find an agent to help me with following a career in screenwriting?" We understand why the...

For many writers, the written word comes much easier than the spoken one. It could be nerves and that speaking about your work places you in a position of vulnerability... What will they think of my script? Will they understand what I'm trying to convey with it? Can they share my vision for my script? Or a writer may feel doubt about their ability to talk about their script. Is my voice clear and inviting enough? Can I show enough excitement and passion so that an executive will believe in my sc...

As a person working in the entertainment industry, I have found there are amazing opportunities and learning experiences for those aspiring to land a position as a TV writer. Many paths lead to the writers' room by working your way, but first, you'll need to develop the skills required to thrive in that environment. A frequent starting path for people looking to break into the industry is to work as a production assistant (also known as a PA). There are different types of PAs in production: th...

Next week, I’m headed to Park City for my tenth Sundance Film Festival. As I think about how to prepare for this year’s edition, especially since the last two have taken place on my couch, I’m particularly excited about seeing folks in person. As the Executive Director of the Film Festival Alliance, I’ll be focused on seeing our members and hearing from them about their plans for the upcoming year. I’ll also try to squeeze in as many films as I can (the most I’ve ever seen is 25 in a week!). W...

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, we're looking at A.I. and its impact on filmmaking in a video from Film Riot. While many fear this new technology, there are some great benefits as well. This video looks at how A.I. can assist with the actual filmmaking process. However, the positives don't exist only during production but bef...

I remember the first play I submitted to a theatre in Toronto. The dramaturge called me in to “talk.” He was merciless and heartless, and yet that meeting was a gift. It made me face the truth, and it awakened my Voice. “Predictable,” “one dimensional,” “hackneyed,” “cliché upon cliché,” and “worse and worse”, were just some of the comments the dramaturge wrote in the margins of my beloved script. He savaged my labor of love, attacking not only my work but my dreams. He would politely stop an...

Last time on “Six Degrees of Stage 32”, we discussed the relationships either initiated or rekindled online through the Stage 32 platform. Speaking from experience, my creative partner and I recently wrapped up our most challenging proof-of-concept short film yet - “Sanctuary,” the Short Film. Where did some of our top talent come from? Relationships cultivated through Stage 32! Click here to read more about how we met in Part 2 of “Six Degrees of Stage 32”. While not everyone is so fortunate...

What I’m most proud about working for Stage 32 is the strength of our Community. At any time of the day (or night!) I can go online into our Lounges and see our members supporting each other. Whether it’s helping to finesse a logline, answering questions on a camera, or offering advice on a pitch deck - our members build each other up for success. It’s my highest hope everyone feels that Stage 32 magic and benefits positively from their experiences on our site. Let’s start the new year off wi...