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To have or not to have production insurance- the most important question. Short answer? YES. Always, yes. Production insurance is a necessary part of the production process that many independent creators love to avoid, whether to “save” money or avoid all the paperwork. However, much like car, health, and any other business insurance, it is a MUST! What does production insurance do? It covers rentals, liability, injuries while on set, vehicles operated on set, and even copyright claims. If p...

Happy Friday, Stage 32 Community! There’s a lot of mystery surrounding the word “development.” It’s one of those industry terms that gets tossed around constantly, but when you ask five different people what it means, you’ll probably get five different answers. That’s why this week, inspired by a recent conversation in the Writer’s Room Lounge, I want to pull back the curtain a bit. In honor of July Filmmakers Club, we’re getting real about what filmmaking actually looks like, the good, the...

Bending the rules of physics is acceptable in fiction, as long as writers apply the logic consistently. As audiences, we suspend our disbelief all the time, immersing ourselves in imagined worlds. But we can only go so far before the narrative becomes implausible. While creative license is often employed, staying close to realistic science can be a way to keep your audience grounded and engaged. Nothing kills a story for me faster than something so wildly unrealistic it yanks me right out of the...

Before we do anything else, let’s get the trite, buzz-wordy - and largely inaccurate - piece of non-advice out of the way first: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” It’s pithy and sounds so wise. And you’ve heard it so often that it basically just folds into any conversation you ever have about how to build your network. It’s also one of those nothing phrases that people say without really digging into it deeper. The first major problem with it is that it’s not who you know, but i...

Happy Tuesday, Creative Army! If you weren’t able to make it to Cannes this year, don’t worry—we’re still bringing Cannes to you. As I mentioned last week, Stage 32 celebrated our 10th year partnering with the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival this May. Our panels were packed with powerhouse insights and practical strategies from the most respected minds in film and television. And the best part? We’re sharing every one of them with you, right here on the Stage 32 blog. Today, I’m...

Welcome to July Filmmakers Club, Stage 32 Community! If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know: July Filmmakers Club is your month-long creative accelerator, designed to help you connect with fellow filmmakers, set clear intentions, and move your projects forward with purpose, in partnership with Blackmagic Design. Every week, we'll be sharing a new July Filmmakers Club blog packed with inspiration, resources, and a new creative challenge to keep you motivated and making progress...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. This week’s featured video comes from FilmSpeak: Ryan Coogler’s SINNERS Just Changed Filmmaking Forever. Coogler’s Sinners is already being called a landmark achievement in cinema and a genre-defining horror mast...

Small feature films are roads to much bigger projects. A positive, proactive attitude will propel your work. Here is what you need to give your film a fighting chance against the competition. 1. Aim For Attention Successful projects happen when you adopt a realistic approach to their completion. Don’t think too big too soon. Storytelling as a filmmaker is a lifelong learning curve but a positive attitude is everything. A feature film carries the kudos and longevity that short-form content doe...

If you have visited my profile, you have presumably noticed where I live. So I want to give you a very Swedish piece of advice. Here in Sweden, we are sometimes reminded of Swedes who are popular in Hollywood. You may know about Greta Garbo, Alexander Skarsgård, Ingrid Bergman, Dolph Lundgren, and Alicia Vikander. Or heard about other Swedes in Hollywood. So, how do you become popular? You may at first find it odd that we Swedes can be popular abroad. I have myself encountered the opinion "y...

A word to the wise. What I’m proposing in this article is based on my aspirations and intentions. Some may want to point out that I may fail. Sad to say, there are always people like that in this industry, and the best thing to do with them is to keep them at a distance. We don’t need their negative energy, so we shouldn’t allow them to undermine our confidence. As we know, there are no guarantees for what we are doing, but we have to face any opportunity with confidence and not doubt. Why wou...