Financing

The world is changing quickly and the phrase “new normal” is being bandied about with abandon. Even though filming is limited (at best), development continues to move forward and that means producers are busier than ever. In the entertainment industry, scripts continue to be optioned, projects continue to get developed, talent continues to find representation, and production is slowly starting to resume in LA and more so all over the world. So what does producing look like in this "new normal"?...

Dr. ScreenLaw: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Law As a screenwriter turned attorney I’ve learned how a screenplay is not just a story: it’s a minefield of intellectual property that could affect the project’s style, budget, sponsorships, and even its distribution. Through this article, you will learn my perspective on how decisions made during the writing phase of an audiovisual project can positively, or negatively impact the legal and financial aspects of a project. It will also...

THE EYE OF OWOU is based on the West African tale of how death entered the world. The logline is “A desperate mother uses ancient African magic to resurrect her daughter, then realizes the price for keeping her daughter alive entails taking the lives of others.” The logline won a logline contest in 2014 which led me to believe the idea, at least, had potential. I’ve always enjoyed reading mythology. Most horror films are based on Eurocentric myths. I decided to take a different route and explo...

One of the most uncomfortable experiences that anyone can have is pitching something that they have written to those who will either accept it or reject it. Just like delivering a speech for the first time, pitching a screenplay can be quite nerve-wracking especially the first time that you do it. All too often, a good screenplay does not get produced because the pitch was not delivered in the right manner. Why We Get Nervous? Why does anyone get nervous when they are presenting their wor...

I did not actually mean to write a pilot based on my book, which is a very real thing that will be out in the world on August 25. As in, you will be able to buy it from your bookstore or request it from your library, and you will be able to read about all of the terrible sex I’ve had and the time I bid on a chandelier on Ambien. I will need to put at least three states between me and my parents on August 25.     But the state of discomfort reading it pales in comparison to possibly wa...

Happy Friday Creative Army! As you know, back in March, we announced and launched Stage 32 Screenings to help filmmakers who were impacted by the cancellation of their live screenings at film festivals all over the world. Stage 32 Screenings is a unique platform that allows filmmakers to get their films seen to a concentrated audience including thousands of distributors, sales agents, producers, financiers, development execs, and more decision-makers here on Stage 32. We are currently screenin...

We’ve all heard the myth about the starving artist. This is the myth that artists need to suffer for their art if they want respect as an artist. This crazy myth has been around for over 150 years and unfortunately many artists today still believe it. The myth started in 19th century Paris with a group of artists who lived passionately for their art, but also lived in poverty. The artists were nicknamed “the water drinkers” because they couldn’t afford to drink wine. Writer Henry Murger wrote...

‘Before the Dawn’ is a dramatic feature film about a young high school teacher who falls for a troubled student and then struggles with the choice of either giving in to her desires or doing the right thing. The film has won a number of awards on the festival circuit and was awarded the ReFrame Stamp by Women in Film and the Sundance Institute for its gender parity both in front of and behind the camera. It is now available on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Roku, YouTube Movies, and Google Play.    ...

There are probably thousands of film festivals held every year. The number of actual film markets is a lot less. Under the current COVID-19 crisis, many of these film festivals and markets have introduced online editions, to either (temporarily) replace the physical versions or to run alongside the physical versions of these may happen after all if and when the COVID-19 crisis is over or at least significantly reduced. What is the difference between a film festival and a film market? And what...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32 Community! Last week, our fearless leader Richard "RB" Botto hosted one of his signature "Ask Me Anything" webinars focusing on the "new normal" that is the entertainment industry during COVID-19. We were beyond jazzed to virtually host thousands of Stage 32 members tuning in from every corner of the world, culminating in an invigorating two hours of inspirational and no-bs shop talk from RB.   In this Ask Me Anything, RB answered questions from Stage 32 members, bot...