Filmmaking

You volunteered for service in the military and then decided it was time to pursue your dreams in La La Land. And guess what? Hollywood is recruiting you! They know you have a story to tell, and they can’t wait to hear it. I always knew I wanted a career in entertainment, and as an Officer in the Army, I was selected to be a principal actor in a theatrical commercial for the National Guard, directed by Antione Fuqua (Training Day). After this experience, I packed my bags and moved to LA to be...

I’ve talked about research before, offering some general tips on how to approach the process effectively. But when I asked in the Stage 32 lounges recently what writing problem you’d solve if you could wave a magic wand, one of the responses was “going down the rabbit hole” on research. I’d break this concern down into two parts: Letting research swallow up too much time in the creative process. Getting sidetracked into very interesting but potentially not very useful topics (which bring...

Howdy, my film familia! In today's blog, I offer you a DP survival guide where I will be sharing my experience and things to remember when shooting music festivals or concerts. Once upon a time, as a young strapping lad, I was taking various shooting assignments to further my operating skills. Shooting music events or music videos has its own rewards. It is fun and will challenge you in every way. I learned a helluva lot for sure. Shooting music events and music videos are totally different....

As an artist, you’re called to show up in the world. Whether it’s on stage, making a pitch, submitting your screenplay, putting on an art show, you make yourself vulnerable to others over and over again. Making art is a unique process. The initial stages of creating are deeply personal, but, eventually, you need the attention of your audience to bring your creative work to life. Though it began as something private, your art only achieves its purpose and full potential when it impacts someone...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from around the globe. Whether you are a long-time member or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up, the phenomenal series SUCCESSION is coming to a close. This series ha...

I’m always eager to find helpful insights for navigating life. Stoicism has been experiencing a resurgence of late, thanks in part to books like A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and to Ryan Holiday, whose books and Daily Stoic emails have made the ancient precepts relevant for contemporary thinkers. Stoicism is a philosophy about finding happiness in the “now” moment. It’s about controlling your emotions and the thoughts you think to maximize your life experience. It’s a...

Drawing the Boundary Between Actor and Character: Prioritizing the Actor’s Mental Health in the Portrayal of Human Suffering & Emotional Distress Stanislavski talks about the many inspirations an actor draws from to create a character from himself. From the power of observation and different art forms to the actors’ own experiences of life to imagination itself. The only stipulation Stanislavski states is that the actor must not lose their own identity in the process of becoming the character....

Imagine you have pitched a twenty-five-word book logline to a publisher that not only lands you a four-book contract but also attracts interest from nine movie production companies in one week. Let that sink in. How would you feel? On top of the world? Like all your dreams have come true? As if you’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust and all your worries are over? Well, it happened to me, and while I did feel those things, my central emotion was panic. Why? Because the cinematic catnip I’d us...

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 was inspired by this fantastic AMA we had in the Cinematography Lounge with cinematographer and director Gareth Tyler when I came across this fantastic video discussion on "The Paradox Of Good Cinematography." We often analyze great cinematography with a single frame or scene, but just like a...

Following up on my previous blogs, “Finding Your Creative Tribe” and “Building Safe Spaces”, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the very individual process a professional creative must go through in order to be present for their “tribe” or be strong enough to lead a team. Especially since doing the work for yourself, BY yourself is essential. It is the foundation of everything else we create. Consider for a moment when you visit a doctor. It is certainly their job to help analyze what ail...