Filmmaking

I wrote this blog to give writers some encouragement on something I've noticed when working with clients, who don't seem to understand the feedback responses from producers after they have submitted their scripts for consideration. It's happened quite a few times now, where people have entered their scripts to The Writers' Room, also to producers outside of Stage 32 and they have come back to me saying they've had feedback and that the producer they sent their work to hates the script. I hav...

If you’ve been pursuing your Hollywood dreams longer than 60 seconds, then you probably know all about rejection. It’s part of the path. It’s something completely unavoidable as long as you’re taking risks and putting yourself out there. Some rejections aren’t so bad. Others totally suck. When a rejection hits deep, it’s common to retreat and hold yourself back from trying again. Whether you get dropped by an agent, your script is rejected from every festival, or you haven’t booked a job i...

In an industry where gatekeepers run the show, finding creative ways to get your work out there is not only a necessity, but a glorious way to take control of your career. No matter what hat(s) you were in the entertainment industry, launching your own YouTube channel is a fantastic way to flex your creative muscles - without needing permission from anyone. Sick of waiting to get cast in your dream role? Launch your own YouTube channel where you perform monologues weekly. Tired of not g...

We flock to the entertainment industry for feelings. Whether we're creating it or consuming it, emotions drive us there. We are full of creativity and expression - and I love it. Feelings are our fuel. Call it passion, a need to inspire others, a desire to uplift, a yearning to connect, or even to receive validation. We are following or looking for a feeling when we act, write, direct, or go to the movies. And we rely heavily on our gut. It can dictate how to react in a scene, which word to w...

Isn´t it funny how executives and studios are so quick to shoot you down unless you've got talent attached? Yet, it's the talent that are sometimes the ones that are holding you up? I graduated from a pretty intensive practical filmmaker course in 2008 at the Met Film School, which still ran rings around my University experience in Screenwriting & Cinematography barely 5 years later. Unfortunately, both never opened the door to a job for me despite my best efforts. I only ever wanted to wri...

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, the folks over at StudioBinder recently shared an in depth video about the cinematography of HBO's Euphoria. This video covers how Euphoria cinematographer Marcell Rev uses lighting, camera movement, and long takes to capture the shows stylized "emotional realism".  Next up, Luc Forsyth shares a helpful video sharing six filmma...

Since my appointment as delegate of the Mexican National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) for the State of Quintana Roo, also known as the Mexican Caribbean, I have become familiar with the phenomenon screen tourism. In fact, screen tourism is becoming one of the key elements in policy making for the audiovisual industry in Quintana Roo, which includes what nowadays can be considered Mexico’s most important beach tourist areas. In this article I will explain what screen tourism is, h...

As actors there are certain things that are completely out of our control period. We've been told, time and time again, that our successes and fate in film or TV are a heavy dose of talent, timing, effort, connections and further luck. Some of those ingredients in our success pie are out of our control; however, some are in our control and we can do on a daily basis to ensure our careers moving forward. These are five tips that I do daily to ensure my success as an actress and as a human;...

When I wrote my first book, it was an adventure. Not only was it my first major project, it was the moment I realized just how little I knew about the craft of writing. I was two years into my professional writing career when I shifted from short stories to my first book. Sure, I’d written “books” before. But trust me, those will NEVER see the light of day. That already made this one different. I was not writing it for fun or because writing is my passion (though both of those statements are...

Most of you will know me from previous blogs on this site, and most of the time those blogs tend towards contentious subject matter. If this is your first time reading me, welcome. My name is Tennyson E. Stead and I’m a writer and director who has worked in disciplines ranging from film finance to gaffing and grip. As a screenwriter, script doctor, and ghostwriter, I’ve written more than 50 screenplays and I’ve been paid for a sizable percentage of those. My directing and editing have won awa...