Coffee & Content

Good morning, Creative Army. Welcome to March and another edition of Coffee & Content. First up this week, a very inspiring video from Mr. Upbeat himself, Will Smith. It's 5 jammed packed minutes of acting advice designed to push you through your doubts and have you fired up. We all know that there is nothing worse, and budget busting, than trying to fix bad audio in post production. In our second video today, our good friends at DSLRGuide present a variety of tips to assure that you capture...

Good morning, Creative Army.  Happy Oscar Sunday. In honor of the little, naked gold dude, I have a very special Coffee & Content for you this week.  You'll want to brew an especially large pot for this one. I've hunted down the 10 nominated screenplays in both the original and adapted screenplay categories.  You can see them all below. Now, this is a treasure trove of goodness, so please, do me a favor would ya and share the content with your fellow creative friends and peers through your...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army.  Fired up this week to bring you another edition of Coffee & Content. Let's get right after it. Every week, without exception, I receive a few dozen direct messages here on Stage 32 as well as on my Twitter & Instagram accounts from creatives looking for social media advice. Many of the curious identify themselves as introverts.  Also, without exception, I receive dozens of DM's from creatives who have no relationship with me (and many times, not even following m...

Happy Sunday, everyone. Back from the cold of Sundance and into the rain of L.A. Not complaining, mind you, just stating fact. A huge congratulations to all the Stage 32 educators and members who not only had films at Sundance, but were involved in some of the biggest sales up there this year. We'll be updating you on what went on with the Stage 32 family soon. For now, let's warm up with another edition of Coffee & Content. First up, it's on YouTube, but it's just audio. It's also 13 minute...

Greetings from Sundance. It's cold up here! Time to keep warm and informed with a Sundance special version of Coffee & Content. Today, I have two videos from our friends at ScreenPrism. First up, a slew of screenwriters who have had their work screen at Sundance offer their advice on writing, festivals and navigating the business. Next, we turn our attention to directors who have had their films play at Sundance and their advice on techniques, tips and tricks when directing an indiefilm....

Happy Sunday to all. Also. hope you're enjoying and participating in the first Introduce Yourself Weekend of 2019.  Lay the groundwork toward connections that matter! Let's get to the coffee and content... Storytelling, either on the page or in the room, is an art. What makes a good story? Can it be distilled down in a manageable and comprehensive way? Story Greenlight gave it a run and the result is our first video for today, 3 Easy Tips for GREAT Storytelling. Next, I had the pleasure of...

Welcome to the weekend, everyone. Let's jump right into another edition of Coffee & Content, shall we? First up, this one is a couple of years old, but filled with timeless information. From Variety, it's 7 Tips From Screenwriters. Next up, from the good people at Quandary Productions, here are 10 tips designed to help you improve all aspects of your cinematography. As always, I ask you to take the time to share this content with those you think could benefit from viewing. Embrace your s...

Happy New Year, Creative Army. Time for our first Coffee & Content of 2019. Going with a little Colombian dark roast to kick the year off. First up, a heavy dose of inspiration from Casey Neistat (with over 2 million views, no less). Whatever you're looking to take on in 2019, you need to watch this video. No excuses, no stopping. Let's get it done. Next, Christian Bale has received his share of praise and criticism through the years. The praise has come from the way he's fully immerses hi...

Good morning, Creative Army. Welcome to the last Coffee & Content of 2018. We've had some fun, haven't we? Hopefully we've learned a bit along the way. Let's finish strong, shall we? Brian Helgeland has written some remarkable screenplays including L.A. Confidential (one of my personal favorites). In another phenomenal entry of the BAFTA Guru Series, Helgeland discusses the craft, the business, and how to navigate the highs and lows as writer. Next up from This Guy Edits, a look at the e...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army. Hope you're all doing well and enjoying the holiday season. Let's get into the holiday spirit with the gift of giving...Here's some more Coffee & Content. First, from our friends at This Guy Edits, it's 3 Filmmaking Mistakes to Avoid. As usual, this one is comprehensive and insightful. Next up, writer, director, and producer Ryan Coogler talks film school and much more in this chill conversation with the Hollywood Reporter. Hope you enjoy the content and will...