Filmmaking

We want strangers to care. Maybe not when we're out picking up milk or driving to work on any given day, no. We tend to be too wrapped up in our own selves during those times to care about what others are pondering. But when we're writing about milk or driving, we want complete strangers to be emotionally invested in our story. We want them to understand every move our characters make.     Erik Bork, best known for his work on HBO's Band of Brothers, is also a Stage 32 member and bl...

With more streaming services emerging and nontraditional content showing up at festivals and on various platforms on the Internet, filmmakers want to know the skinny on where things are going with digital media. Ka Wai Ho, a former studio manager at Studio Crackle and Lionsgate, caught up with Stage 32 at the Hollyshorts Film Festival to offer advice on how one can begin creating content for a digital platform.   Click Here For Ka Wai's Advice!       Remember, if you haven't subscrib...

Ever feel like giving up?   Like this guy here…   Of course you do. If you’re a writer, an actor, a filmmaker or an artist of any kind, you probably felt like giving up at least four times in the last month. Maybe you’re thinking about it RIGHT NOW. Apart from the fact that if you’re anything like me, giving up never really sticks because eventually that urge, that unscratchable itch to create something, comes crawling back with its tail between its legs and a puppy-eyed expression on...

Good day, Creative Army! Let's get after it... First up today, from the good people at Indy Mogul, we have Advanced Screenplay Formatting Tips. If there's one thing we see knock down a screenplay time and time again, it's poor formatting. Let's take it to the next level, shall we? The second video today is by request. Many of you have written in over the last few months asking for some information on shooting documentaries. Ask and you shall receive. Our second video is 7 Fundamental Steps t...

The dream of a writer is to get his or her script in front of the right people. To pitch it with perfection to the very network that we know would swoon over our story. But how do we writer's get into those rooms? How do we find our way to the table to share our brilliant story? Richard "RB" Botto, our fearless leader and CEO at Stage 32, dives into three ways we can get in front of managers and agents. Here's a hint: 1) Only enter contests that get you into rooms.2) Go to events as often as...

There is no one way to break into writing for TV. Or feature films. We know this. What we don't know, are the unique stories behind the writer's who have made it to Hollywood. Each writer's path is different. But one thing is for sure; They didn't get there without a strong desire for their work and a willingness to bust their butts.   Ben Cory Jones is the Showrunner and Executive Producer of the upcoming BET comedy series, Boomerang. Rebecca Norris, a Stage 32 member, producer, and scr...

“Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” --The Pursuit of Happyness   Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness   For many of us, the excitement surrounding the possibility of being in film, or making a film, ends up being tempered by the waiting, the repeated “traction” that falls through (and the ensuing...

You need greenbacks.Cash.Money. Just a bit more to help you get your production off the ground. Our friends at No Film School compiled a list of grants you just may qualify for. Most of them are for documentaries, but keep digging. You just might find what you need. For the Full List Click Here: A Massive List of Winter 2019 Grants All Filmmakers Should Know About   Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media...

I am honored to present to you the worldwide premiere of the 3rd Annual Stage 32 Short Film Program. This program was curated by Stage 32 and the incredible industry executives (including Oscar winners, producers, managers and development executives) who judged our Short Film Contest. We are featuring 7 amazing filmmakers (from 4 countries) all with bright futures ahead. This is the same program that played at the 2018 Hollyshorts Film Festival and the 2018 Raindance Film Festival. The films and...

Let me start with a disclaimer. Any advice I give is worth just what you pay for it. What do I know? I drive a 15-year old pickup and my last royalty check was twelve dollars. But during a tumultuous advertising career I won more than 200 awards. I have enough chrome and lucite to make a couple of Buicks, some of which were even meaningful. Like the one for a literacy campaign. That award got me a presidential citation. (Maybe Carter or Lyndon or one of those.) I wasn't big on politics. Nor am...