Filmmaking

Have you ever worked on a stage play? One of the first things you do in rehearsal is figure out where everyone is supposed to stand. Nobody remembers their lines as everyone is holding scripts. They walk from this mark to another mark, trying to make the actions interesting and motivated. That’s called blocking. According to Wikipedia, "blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera".     In filmmaking, that can be done in th...

The Thoughts Abyss Negative thoughts are an extremely addictive thing. Whether triggered by an actual event, situation, or anticipation of events, it’s very easy to fall prey to their bleakness. They kind of suck you into them and it’s like a never-ending abyss that you keep falling into. There is something inside you that sees the darkness as a familiar territory and keeps pulling you there. It’s an indicator of the fact that you have resided in this space for far too long or your mind is c...

Howdy, Stage 32ers! My name is Keith Strausbaugh and my partner and sometimes-friend is Anthony Guidubaldi. Together, we write, produce, direct, and edit under the banner of Hot Tub Mimosas, a loveless marriage of comedy filmmaking. But we began as writers. In 2017, we won Stage 32’s 2nd Annual Comedy Screenplay Contest with a script called, Shore Break. It’s basically Caddyshack with Jet Skis. Or Dodgeball with Jet Skis. Or Out Cold with Jet Skis. Growing up, I worked at my uncle’s ramsha...

“Are you on Stage 32 too?” Where We Met Years ago, it was 2014 or six (6) years before the global pandemic, I was asked, along with Kevin Shand, the former Colorado Film Commissioner to speak with a group of 35 visiting film directors from the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN). During my presentation at the Colorado Film School, I mentioned Stage 32 as an important platform that the attendees should be aware of. One of the benefits I explained was the ease with which Stage 32 facilitates do...

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, Film Independent has a quick video full of great tips on how to rewrite your feature screenplay. As you know, writing is rewriting - and rewrites can be brutal. They cover everything from why you should step away before diving into your second draft to why focusing on the "macro" in your first draft is wise so you can dial in on...

I remember seeing the van speeding toward my vehicle. When it struck, the impact sent a shudder through my nerves. Fortunately, I had enough sense to lean away from the window, so my head didn’t smash through the glass but only slammed into it with a mild “thud”. I was left with a bump on my head instead of a concussion, or worse. The car, sadly, did not fare as well: it was a write-off. Later, I learned that a piece of the engine had been propelled through the bodywork and had missed me by i...

I’ve made a lot of movies. I started off as a Runner and worked my way up. I worked on 13 movies as a 1st AC & 2nd AC and Director of Photography before I became an award-winning Director & Writer in my own right. Having gone from Runner to director I have experienced the whole gauntlet of film making from the biggest shoots (Harry Potter and James Bond) to tiny micro-budget one-man crew shoots. I have seen many ways to do things effectively and simply. There are 6 main areas of filmmaking for...

Welcome back, dear readers of Stage 32! By now, most of you know me pretty well. Because I’m eager to dig into the meat and matter of this article, I’m going to skip the part where I try to sell you on myself as an authority in the field of film development. If anyone needs a breakdown on my achievements and status within the industry, there’s a little bio at the bottom of the article which nobody ever reads. In her wisdom and foresight, Taylor the Stage 32 Content Queen had me write up that...

January, 1st 2021 Sitting on my parents couch, with stale Christmas cookie crumbles on the coffee table, I turn on the TV to see that Netflix has dropped its New Year's Day documentary: Less Is Now… Produced by me. I had dreamed of this moment for years: the moment when I would make a movie that millions of people actually saw. Coming up in the industry as a young 20s kid from south Philly, I would try to convince myself and others that this dream was possible. I shared my vision with fellow...

In May, I offered free screenplay coverage on Stage 32. I received dozens of screenplays, and to this day I still have a lot to read. I am now halfway through and wanted to share a few lessons learned along the way to help you polish your own story — whether it’s a screenplay or not.     On Working for Free I’m not a supporter of free work, and I won’t tell you to offer your services for free because, in my opinion, it’s the worst harm you can do to your practice, whatever it is. For...