Inspirational

By now you've read dozens of articles on the passing of Stan Lee. Me too. But there's one that caught my eye that was written by Stan Lee in 1947 titled: There's Money In Comics! The publication sold for a mere 25 cents, but the information he shared is priceless.   Lee wrote the article for Writer's Digest when he was in his mid-20's. To serve his memory and offer a piece of writing history that can still teach writers something today, Writer's Digest republished the article that shares...

Happy Sunday to all.  Hope you're enjoying your weekend.  How about some coffee and complimentary content? First up, for a screenwriter, handling exposition can be a bitch.  In this new video essay from the good people at Fandor, we'll take a look at how some very talented screenwriters managed this very difficult task with cool, calm and creativity. Next, a look at one of my favorite directors, David Fincher, and, namely, how he hijacks your eyes.  Short and sweet, fantastic stuff from the...

Happy Sunday, everyone. This is going to have to be a quick one. As the official film networking and educational partner of the conference, it's been wall to wall for the Stage 32 team at the American Film Market (AFM), and this morning I am leading a talk on independent film financing with the CEO's of Hyde Park Entertainment, Bold Film, Cold Iron and the President of Millennium Entertainment. So, in short, time has been limited. But you know I wouldn't leave you hanging with just your coff...

How does a screenwriter keep his or her momentum after they've completed a script? What do they do next as they wait to hear from potential investors or executives? RB answered this very question for Nicholas, a Stage 32 member and semifinalist in the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Contest. Nicholas garnered attention after his win, and wanted to know what he should do with the handful of inquiries and read requests he got as a result. RB gives it to him straight. And his response is true...

If you're reading this post, you're in business for yourself. Most indie creatives are. You are an entrepreneur and you work for you. Therefore, you are responsible for just about every aspect of your business. I am a screenwriter, actor, and ghostwriter (with a small job on the side at a bookstore). As an entrepreneur, I have to manage my books, track my mileage, invoice my clients, and market myself. Really, that's just a fraction of what I do. I also have to establish boundaries with my c...

If I told you that I have interviewed award-winning screenwriters, producers, managers, and other industry professionals who have worked on projects like the Jurassic Park franchise and with studios such as BBC, Marvel, and Disney without leaving the comfort of my own home, would you believe me? And what would you say if I told you that you could do it too? In fact, let’s go a step further and say you don’t even need to get off the couch to do so. In this post, I'm going to share how I’ve be...

A few months back I published a post looking for blog contributors. I'll be doing that from time to time because, quite frankly, the Stage 32 Blog wouldn’t exist without any of you. So many of you answered the call. You told us your stories. You shared your experiences. Your expertise.Your wins, your losses, and your even better wins that come after the losses. We want to hear from you again.Our posts from you educate and inspire. And with over 500,000 Stage 32 members (and growing), ther...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army.  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend and taking advantage of participating in Introduce Yourself Weekend here on Stage 32.  Let's get to the content. First up, as we all know, there's no one tried and true approach to writing a screenplay.  But, by hearing from those who have been successful and keeping an open mind, we might just pick up a tip or two that could lead to better habits.  To that end, here's Jay Duplass speaking to his screenwriting process. Next...

Nearly five years ago I started the journey to becoming a filmmaker. At the time I had a great job with benefits, three weeks of vacation, a decent salary, and great co-workers… ...but I was miserable. I wasn’t doing the one thing that burned with an unquenchable fire within me. All I wanted to do was make movies. Now mind you, I am a father of three awesome children and husband to an amazing wife. I have a mortgage, a car payment, and of course your standard American credit card debt. But...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army. Let's close out the weekend with another strong cup of java and an equally potent edition of Coffee & Content. First up this week, I've been noticing many threads in the Screenwriting Lounge lately regarding the basics and the merits of writing within a 3 act structure.  One such thread reminded me of a video from Click Imagination I viewed a couple of years back.  I decided to dig it up and present it hear for consumption and discussion.  Next Up, another good...