Composing

Happy Tuesday, Creative Army!   Well, we did it. We made it to the end of 2020. I believe you will welcome me in saying, hasta la vista to this wild year. 2020 has been a challenge, to say the least, but it has not been without a silver lining or two (or twenty...if we're being optimistic).  To wit:   The Stage 32 community has exploded and we have welcomed over 100,000 new members from across the globe in our last nine months alone. Activity, network requests, and postings are at an all tim...

Hello Stage 32 Community! Wow. Believe it or not, you made it through a harrowing year. I want you to use this moment to very quickly reflect - and take stock - on all that you have personally dealt with - and overcome - in 2020. The world kicked off the “roaring” 2020’s with an inauspicious start. And then, we had a pretty rough middle of the year. And now, it seems we are in for an anxiety-inducing Finale. But, we are enthusiastic. We are hopeful. We are empowered. We are Stage 32. Amidst th...

Merry Happy, Stage32-ers! Yes, you read that correctly. There is a way to wish someone well without wishing anything at all. As we slip away from Autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere at least), and into the "holiday season", I wish you all the very merriest! Happy, that is. Not Kate Nash's "Merry Happy", although it is a "Kate" inspiring this preamble. As I listen to Kate Winslet sharing her acting secrets (THANK YOU, RB for this Sunday's Coffee & Content Blog!), I am reminded of the intricate b...

Happy Thanksgiving, Creative Army! On behalf of the entire Stage 32 team, I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. This year, with many of us stuck at home, the activity and energy on Stage 32 has been palpable. We have welcomed over 100,000 new members since March, and we are beyond honored to provide each and every one of you with a safe place to connect and stay inspired online. We are all extremely grateful for the members of this community and for the incredible relatio...

Happy Saturday Stage 32! As many of you may know, I host an Instagram LIVE every week on @stage32online highlighting some amazing Stage 32 members from all over the world. We cover everything from how to shoot a short film 100% remotely to how to kick-start an acting career in Atlanta and everything in between. Recently, I had the supreme pleasure of chatting with two amazing international Stage 32 members and film composers.  First up, I had the supreme pleasure of chatting with Italian-bor...

Forward momentum may well be the most coveted yet elusive commodity in the film and television industry. How do you get traction? How do you get noticed? How do you "work with what you've got"? Our heads can swirl with so much seemingly unknown. What can be worse is when that worry meets doubt, fear, and despair. Luckily, at Stage 32, we're not about the worry. We're all about the work! If you can't find what you're looking for in one of our blogs, one of our upcoming or past webinars, or the...

In my first Stage 32 blog I talked about having the right attitude and why it is more important than skills acquisition, the importance of listening and ways of finding jobs. In part 2, we will now look at other ways of marketing yourself as a Composer in the worlds of Film, Animation, Mobile Applications and Animation. We will also look at ways to pass on what you have learnt to other upcoming Composers. Keep in mind that these are not quick fixes – none of the following points in this blog...

Did anyone else sing “Network While You Work” to the tune of “Whistle While You Work”? Only film geeks, amiright? Or maybe it’s only Disney geeks? With less than three months left in 2020, it is so gratifying to hear so many projects are moving into production (utilizing COVID compliance safety precautions, of course). Major films and shows, local businesses, and of course the intrepid independent sets as well, all finding a way to move steadily forward. With more jobs, it also means it is tim...

You often read “how to deal with rejections” for actors and writers, but, when it comes to Composers for Film and Television, it looks like there is less literature, so I thought I’d give it a go myself. If you are pursuing a career in film scoring, no matter how long ago you started, I am sure you have experienced rejections. Why is that? Well, the first logical reason is… There are Many, Many Fish in the Sea By choosing to be a composer, you’ve chosen a very competitive field. Every tim...

Even if you're not in Hollywood, you can get a sense of the "business" by what professionals are talking about. What have Stage 32 members been talking about lately? The work. What work their doing, how to do the work, and getting back to the nitty gritty. It's exciting, but it's also a great time to show how much value you bring. Taking a few minutes to answer another's questions could be a great advantage to them and show what a fantastic asset you are!   It's true, the lounges are a great p...