Filmmaking

Happy Saturday Stage 32! As many of you may know, I host an Instagram LIVE every week on @stage32 highlighting some amazing Stage 32 members from all over the world. We cover everything from how to sell a TV movie, how to ace self-tape auditions, how to research your way to the top of the entertainment industry and more. Recently, I had the supreme pleasure of chatting with two powerhouse Stage 32 members that have been working hard to make magic happen in their entertainment careers in 2021 -...

Every rejection you get to a pitch, a question, audition or anything you have put your all into, can often stifle your creative energy when pursuing a career in entertainment. It’s like getting up all happy and unsuspectedly stepping on lego’s. Another time you bump your head on an open kitchen cabinet and after enough bruises you start to wonder if it's worth putting yourself through it all. Maybe you should just give up. Maybe the no-sayers were right. Well me and Angela beg to differ. Who’s A...

I’m a mother and a tv writer who recently returned to the entertainment industry after a long hiatus. When asked how I made my way back, the simplest answer is, “will work for free.” What that means is, I’ve been asked by writers and producers to do everything from typing screenplays for them to punching up pilots. I even called in sick to a job in order to be a part of a small writer’s room for a couple of days. I have worked for pizza, muffins and lovely emails expressing appreciation for...

I wrote a feature screenplay in 24 hours. I know, it isn’t an amazing feat but it is something that has taught me a great deal of things. Now, I will warn you, this isn’t a post about the crafts of writing. There is a ton of great screenwriting content out there. This post will touch on lessons that will not only help you personally, but creatively. So, let’s talk about it.     Lesson 1. Get It On The Page Writing a screenplay is hard. It's not just working the plot or finding the them...

Around the world, Horror, Thrillers, Mystery, and Suspense features continue to be some of the most sought after scripts in the market. Many of the most anticipated films of 2021 have been genre films, including A QUIET PLACE 2 which just released, as well as the CANDY MAN reboot from Jordan Peele from MGM, and latest films in THE PURGE and THE CONJURING franchises. And Sci-Fi Thrillers like Sony's 65 from the writers of A QUIET PLACE with Adam Driver has been the subject of much excited and spe...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, Netflix UK & Ireland has a great series where they break down scripts from popular Netflix movies and shows. In this video, they break down the feature-length script for The Dig written for the screen by Moira Buffini and starring Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, and Lily James. Screenwriter Moira Buffini talks about the process of...

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! It seems an odd sentiment, doesn’t it? Perhaps it would be more fitting to say, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay for Mental Health Awareness Month”. Our individual experiences with isolation may vary, but one thing remains the same - our mental health decays with prolonged isolation. Socializing, networking, casual chit chat, meaningful exchanges, it all starts with reaching out to your tribe. Where better to find your tribe than in a supportive community? Don’t w...

So you’re working on your first action packed short, feature or pilot with martial arts, bullet hits, and smashed walls? Or maybe it’s a horror with gory falls and feints? Or it’s a car crash in a serious drama? Or maybe even is simply just pushed by a passing pedestrian and stumbles to the ground? For my last project, “I Miss Us,” I entered the domain of stunts and I was equally excited and terrified. My previous productions had mostly been room drama’s, sci-fi’s, or projects heavily dealing...

My father tells me a story of when he realised I was “creative”. When I was a toddler one day I decided the neighbours freshly planted new flower bed was in the wrong spot and I needed to replant them elsewhere. I can only imagine my father’s conversation with the neighbours. One; letting them know what I had done and two; trying to explain to them how I did it so quickly, probably covering up how he wasn’t paying attention in the process. I tell my father I knew exactly where those flowers need...

When I was first starting out as a writer, I spent most of my prewriting time on plotting. I initially approached planning out my fiction like we’re all taught to approach essay writing: it’s all about the outline. So that’s where I’d always start: with plot. Please don’t misunderstand me. Story structure is vitally important, and I’ll advocate for taking the time to craft an airtight plot all day long. But, as we know from our Aristotle, character is the engine of plot. (If Aristotle’s Poetic...