Filmmaking

Hey Stage 32ers! We love connecting our community to industry executives to help keep everyone up-to-date on what's happening in the industry and the fantastic opportunities available to help you bring your projects to life. So we talked to Stage 32 Thought Leader and Glass House Distribution President Tom Malloy about his experience making his upcoming film ASK ME TO DANCE, premiering October 7th, 2022, in theaters. One phrase that sums up Tom's process on this film and his whole career, it...

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. Today, we're looking at the impact sound design has on a film. Everything you hear in a film adds to its ability to draw in the audience and keep them invested in what happens. And yet, sound design is also an area where many filmmakers don't invest as much as others, creating a missed opportunity to elev...

The landscape of the film industry is changing and at its forefront is the innovative, Blockchain technology and Web 3.0. In the last decade or so, we have witnessed a major shift in all sectors of film including the studios, streaming companies, and the independent film industry. Back in 2009, I was teaching at a major university and researching the causes and events of the recent housing financial collapse. It was also around that time; I became aware of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Blockchai...

The film industry is a unique business. Writers, producers, directors, and performers can truly focus and dedicate their time and resources to their passion. However, at the same time, filmmakers often experience frustration, stress, anxiety, anger, failure, overwhelm, burnout, and resentment as they deal with the daily challenges and complexities that characterize filmmaking. The film industry, for most people, is a high-demanding, labor-intensive, financially unstable, prestige-driven, and h...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, 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 every corner of 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. This week's Sunday dose of inspiration is all about Lighting. Wh...

There has been a lot of negative news whirling around about the animation industry lately. Whether it’s about layoffs at Netflix or unreleased projects from Warner Bros. and HBO MAX or unmet box office expectations by even the likes of PIXAR, there seems to a ton of turbulence surrounding the world of animation. I have worked in the animation industry for over 20 years, and I have survived its ebbs and flows. Times like these are nothing new, and to be honest, we’ve survived times that have been...

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, we're checking out cinematographer and filmmaker Luc Forsyth's breakdown of the five most essential tools that every documentary filmmaker needs. The information isn't just helpful for documentarians, but for anyone who wants to make content and isn't sure where to invest early for the best product. Continuing the theme of docu...

It’s a familiar story: you have the ingredients, a completed screenplay, comparable films, a target audience, a finance plan, a marketing strategy, a ‘wish list’ of talent, location ideas, bundles of enthusiasm... But there’s one vital missing component: funding. As a ‘balanced producer,’ you try to be patient. You wait for emails and calls, make pitches, submit to competitions, consider mentoring schemes and courses, and throw everything at it. But the months and years roll on, and still noth...

In the wild jungle that is the film industry, this is the motto that I try to live by: Make your film no matter what.  Two years ago, in 2020, I finished and released my first film, a 20-minute-long romantic comedy titled Titus & Mirabella. Great timing, I know. And I mean this both in a sarcastic and a not sarcastic way. It was great timing because my film was dealing with the topic of germophobia, so I think it resonated with a lot of people, given the fact that we were going through a pande...

“Why don’t we just make it ourselves?” This was the question posed to me in January 2021 by producer Michael Alfieri of Miantri Films regarding my script, The Throwback. The start of every new year gives us a newfound boldness and optimism. “I will lose fifty pounds.” “I will read 20 books per month.” “I will learn Tuvan throat singing.” That’s me. So when Mike posed that question, my response was an enthusiastic “YES!” Why not? Never mind that my annual new year’s optimism routinely vanishes by...