Filmmaking

I’ve always considered myself unsuccessfully successful. On paper it all sounds pretty great. I started writing movies out of the angst of being a struggling actor. A casting director may not choose me. But I can. I choose me. The first movie I wrote had Chevy Chase and Burt Reynolds, Not Another Not Another Movie. My second, Scouts Honor, had Fred Willard and Chris Kattan. I then directed a passion project I wrote about a musician who gave away millions to live on a Native American Reserv...

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. Now, grab some fresh coffee and let's dive in to this week's pipi...

Growing up, the word "nice" was a four-letter word. You may be taken aback to hear this for those who know me professionally since my reputation tends towards nurturing and empowerment. Yet my position has not wavered over the years. In a work atmosphere, I'd rather respect come before affection and efficiency before comfort. Why? We delved into the heart of it in Part 1 of this series: trust. Without it, no amount of gifts or affirmations will make up for the loss. For those of you who are n...

I jumped head first into the world of screenwriting about a year ago after completing the one-year UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting (100% online which was convenient for me because I don’t live in LA!). With a decent draft of my first script in hand, I wondered: what next? Like most beginning screenwriters, I submitted it to the major screenwriting contests (Nicholl, PAGE, ScreenCraft etc. etc), hoping to get some traction. Which I did. And didn’t. And then I started doing some researc...

I recently gave some thought to what actions and strategies had made the most significant impacts in my success over the years.   I was surprised to realize how it really was not the things most of us expect. Not agents. Not union membership. Not publicity. Not awards or accolades. Not proactive networking.   The reality is far more subtle, nuanced and more powerful than any of those things. It took decades of perspective for me to recognize the indisputable patterns. When...

Happy Wednesday Creative Army! 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 efforts have been noticed by the media in a big way. We are incredibly proud and honored that Sta...

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...

Watching a Rom-Com is like drinking a mug of hot cocoa - soothing and sweet. If you’ve been working on a romantic comedy script, it’d be our treat to read it. Give us the pleasure of reading your work, and we’ll make sure others get to read it too! We’re looking for Romantic Comedies like recent hits TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, or THE BIG SICK to spread the joy this year. With 90’s nostalgia spreading through all of pop culture, it’s the perfect time for the next big...

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 Acting Career Center has an amazing video about how to start an acting career with zero experience. This video features Atlanta-based actor Kurt Yue, who started his acting career with no agent & no experience - he now has over 62 credits including major titles like Marvel's Black Widow, Netflix's Cobra Kai, CW's Dynasty, and...

It’s not uncommon to dream about becoming a screenwriter. You see your words and ideas come to life on TV and movie screens worldwide. That’s fascinating. Have fun with it and never let go! However, Hollywood has changed in the past years, so screenwriters have to know how to promote themselves. If you don’t have an agent or a manager to help you out, then it might be difficult to establish yourself as a successful professional. You’ll have to do everything on your own. Likely, the digitalized...