Inspirational

“When you’re writing, you’re conjuring. It’s a ritual, and you need to be brave and respectful and sometimes get out of the way of whatever it is that you’re inviting into the room.”-Tom Waits As is often the case with major life changes, my pursuit of screenwriting came quite suddenly. On July 14, 2018, I sat in a Starbucks and considered my career. You see, I had worked in higher education for eight years, and while there was certainly joy to be found there, I wanted more. It was in this mom...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community!   I hope this blog finds you safe, happy, healthy, and creative. You'll remember, I promised you free education during these challenging times to keep you entertained and to provide up-to-date, no BS information regarding how the industry is handling business during quarantine. I believe we've delivered some compelling and thoughtful panels, roundtables and even a live, online table read. And now we're ready to do it again by bringing you another free, live...

What's up, Stage 32 Creative Army? All over the world, we are all navigating the "new normal" that these uncertain times have thrust upon us. Between quarantine, social distancing, set closures and more, the future of the entertainment industry is uncertain at best... but there is a lot of good that is happening right now. Last week, I had the chance to sit down with my brother from another mother, Alex Ferrari at Indie Film Hustle for what I think is my 7,643rd podcast appearance. As always,...

Good morning Stage 32 Creative Crew! Welcome back to another week of creativity and productivity! We’re kicking off the week with a big dose of motivation to get you fired up for the week. But before we dive into this week’s story, did you hear what producer Bradley Gallo of Amasia Entertainment predicted during last week’s Executive Hour exclusively in the Writers' Room? He said that he is reading and developing more than ever because there are rumblings in the industry that productions coul...

The Evolution of the Creative process "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes; Art is knowing which ones to keep." -Scott Adams We’ve all heard or referenced the Heraclitus quote, “The only constant in life is change.” I have long held the belief that creativity, like so much in life, changes as well. Writing, I’ve concluded is an evolutionary process. It was a fascinating observation once I realized this was true. I would love to say this was a “road to Damascus” revelation of my...

Hello hello hello to all of you beautiful humans in the Stage 32 Hive! You might be reading this and wondering, “Which voice in my head is doing the talking?” I can assure you it’s all eight of them. But do not worry, they are social distancing. Everyone is FINE. I am honored and privileged to be writing you during this uncertain time, but I am certain of this: The platform for creative thought is open and thriving. Like many of you, all of my projects entering production were suspended inde...

I chose to work from home over twenty years ago, for a number of reasons. I’m not only a writer; I’m also a licensed acupuncturist. The busy and crowded waiting room and space I couldn’t make comfortable for my patients just didn’t ring my bell. The hectic pace didn’t work for me either. Most of my patients were better served by a calm and relaxed environment. They liked the sanctuary and quiet space for an hour that could be part of their treatment. So I continued working at home. The commut...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32 Creative Army! As you may recall back in February, long-time Stage 32 member, blog contributor, webinar teacher, and international film & distribution aficionado, David Zannoni began a series of blogs and vlogs to keep you up-to-date on the business of film across the globe. Originally, David was going to be reporting live from Film Festivals and Markets all over the world throughout the year - but alas, COVID-19 has put us all in the same stay at home boat. So today...

Good morning Stage 32 Creatives! Believe it or not, it’s time to kick off another week of creative endeavors. There is no better way to start than to highlight a member of our community who took the bull by the horns, financed and produced his own film and who just signed a shopping agreement with a producer after getting feedback on his pitch deck through a Stage 32 Mentoring Session! Stage 32 member, Antoine Allen is a screenwriter, director and producer. Antoine began his career in the mus...

My name is Matthew Godbey and I’ve been an actor and producer in Hollywood for almost twenty-five years. Over the course of my career, I have had to deal with a multitude of personalities – some bad, most good, but no one in all my years was ever nicer than Henry Winkler. A few years ago, I was on the CBS Studio lot working on a sit-com. While taking a break from rehearsal, standing outside the stage just looking down at my feet, lost in thought, a man approached and said hello. I looked up to...