Filmmaking

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. We talk a lot in the lounges about art versus the business of film and television, and there is a balance to it. If you caught my recent AMA, I talked about the importance of keeping up with the news in the trades, but also the importance of honing your craft. In the first video, Film Courage interviews...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community!   Since 2011, the Stage 32 team has been working tirelessly to help you stay connected, creative, motivated, and informed. As always, we are committed to bringing you networking opportunities, education and mentoring from top-level industry executives and professionals, and access to decision-makers around the globe all from the comfort of your own home. Recently, our fearless leader and CEO Richard "RB" Botto hosted an "Ask Me Anything": State of the Indus...

You've made a short film. You've put in your time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, and perhaps even some serious money into your project. Your goal isn't only to get your film seen but to get it seen around the world and by people who can make a difference in your career. Would being screened by an Oscar-qualifying film festival matter? How about having it screened for over 1,000 executives including managers, agents, producers, film financiers, and more? Look no further. The most prestigious sho...

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, we have a great video from Film Courage on making a short film, and h...

I am a Distributor turned Filmmaker. I have a finance degree and a law degree and I spent the first 22 years of my film career in Distribution. Then I got the bug to become creative. I have since made and successfully self-distributed 7 feature films, 3 of which are presently airing on Netflix worldwide. I help hundreds of indie filmmakers and the initial conversation usually goes like this: Jeff to Filmmaker: “You need to think about distribution BEFORE you make your movie because it could...

About twenty years ago, the Zoie Films Festival launched one of the first online film festivals to showcase films, animations, and documentaries from around the world. The films were streamed online and soon after, Zoie Films was streaming films and animations via cell phones. Pssst.. this was before smartphones and flip phones were the choice of most consumers. Naturally, the streaming was wonky. The future is here and it’s all about VOICE, as in “hands-free, voice-activated, and data-driven”...

Hey Stage 32ers! We have a fantastic industry creative here, Ryan Little, to share with you the top three things you need to land financing for your film. As always, we want to make sure that our ever-growing Stage 32 community has access to as many valuable resources as possible through the blog, and that's just what Ryan has brought us today! Ryan Little is a director, producer, and cinematographer with over 20 years of experience in the industry. His first feature, SAINTS AND SOLDIERS,...

Romantic Comedies are officially back! Rom Coms are quickly becoming the hottest genre on streaming, and bouncing back in the theaters. Netflix and Hulu have been capitalizing on the rom com fever with hit projects like TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVE BEFORE, YOUR PLACE OR MINE and WEDDING SEASON. TICKET TO PARADISE hit theaters earlier this year to resounding success. Television has quickly followed suit with shows like EMILY IN PARIS and SEX EDUCATION blowing up on social media. Stage 32 won't let y...

Documentaries have been produced since 1922. They were always considered the educational part of moviemaking; not entertainment. That has all changed. We are in the Golden Age of Documentaries. Prominent directors are using the documentary format to tell their stories. My documentary Homecoming: Veterans, Wives, Mothers was up for a Daytime Emmy in 2021. I need to say this format is one I use when I think a topic merits the documentary style. Most of my work is producing and directing Emmy-nom...

Hello Creative Army! Read any of the trades right now and our industry is in a rapid state of change. The entire Stage 32 team is on the phone every day to keep their fingers on the pulse of what's happening. It's an exciting time for you as a content creator - whether you work in film, television, or digital - and it's equally exciting for content makers because the world has opened wide to international voices traveling beyond borders. We are seeing more and more diverse and international...