Filmmaking

It’s true that the writing sample is the most important part of any query letter. However, you need to spend some time making sure that the query letter is solid as well. First impressions matter, and you can rub agents the wrong way if your query letter isn’t up to snuff. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes screenwriters make when querying. 1. Using A Generic Greeting If you are submitting a query letter, address the agent properly by name in your greeting. It’s unprofessional to use a...

My name is James Kicklighter, and I am a Stage 32 Thought Leader and a multi-award-winning Film Director and Producer. I have been fortunate to direct documentaries (The Sound of Identity), narrative films (Angel of Anywhere), and advertising across the country and around the world.   For the first time in my career, I am now working with representation! I'm managed by RAIN through a connection that I made at a Stage 32 in-person meetup, and my latest film, The American Question, is represente...

Hi, Stage 32ers! While you may have missed out on getting to attend Cannes in person, you certainly won’t miss out on the incredible insights that were shared there! At this year’s Cannes 2023, Stage 32 hosted a fantastic expert panel exploring the importance of representation, equity, and inclusion in film and television production. As well as, the impact of diverse storytelling on audiences, industry trends, and the business of filmmaking. Moderated by Martin I. Petrov (Festival Direc...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, we're looking at conversations on screen. These are some of the most challenging scenes to write, shoot, and edit in a way that's interesting. In this video from Cutting Concepts, they take a look at one of the best conversations in cinema with the opening scene of THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and how e...

I got my first internship in the animation business in 1998 and was hired full time as a production assistant for Walt Disney Feature Animation in 1999. I have worked relatively steadily in the animation industry ever since. One question I am often asked is, “How can I break into the animation industry?” Well, I’m not going to sugar coat it and say, “Just follow these simple steps, and you too can be living the dream in the magical world of animation!” The truth is, just like any endeavor, there...

Hi, Stage 32ers! While you may have missed out on getting to attend the Cannes Film Festival in person, you certainly won’t miss out on the incredible insights that were shared there! Stage 32 was proud to present 6 panels at the Cannes Marche du Film, which we will be sharing with you on the Stage 32 blog in the coming weeks. At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, I had the distinct honor of joining Sami Apra, CEO of Largo Film (Switzerland) and Christopher Morrison, Founder of Reality + fo...

I honestly believe the path to success is driven simply by action. It doesn’t matter how amazing/terrible you might be at something, without action, you won't experience any growth and you won't progress towards your goals. Your dreams will never be realized and you’ll go through life always wondering what could’ve been. It’s not enough to want something in this life. Nobody is going to give you anything, you have to be willing to fight for it and you have to do so through action. Ideas are a...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, I'm so excited about INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY to finally be in theaters worldwide. I was lucky enough to see it in Cannes in May and had a blast with the Stage 32 crew while we were there. In honor of its release, I came across this video from CinemaStix looking back at RAIDERS OF...

Let’s go back to basics! If you are thinking or overthinking about producing your first short film, you are not alone. These are the 8 things that were around my head when deciding to go for it. 1. Is Making A Short Worthwhile? I hate to reply to this with another question, but you have to ask yourself first: Why do I want to do it? Maybe you want to be an actor and it can be a way to get material for your reel, get credits and exposure. Same with a Director or DP. If you are a screenwrite...

Hi, Stage 32 Community! This June has been a busy and exciting time as our Stage 32 Team worked diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community! At Stage 32 you have direct access to industry professionals who’ve written, acted, developed, produced, distributed, directed, composed, and represented acclaimed projects like IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, RENO 911, THE DROPOUT, THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE, THE SHRINK NEX...