Inspirational

If I ever told my mother that I was homeless when I stayed in Savannah, GA for film school, she would have killed me.  I remember the day I graduated from Virginia State University and thinking to myself… 'What the hell am I going to do now that I graduated school?' I just received my bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, but I knew that was not what I wanted to do. My heart wasn’t in it at all. I knew what I wanted to do, what I wanted to be, but I just didn’t have the balls to do it -...

Are you familiar with the 80/20 rule? It’s originally known as the Pareto Principle and it basically says that 20% of the input creates 80% of the result. In other words, only 20% of you will do whatever it takes to become published, produced, or put on display in the world of writing. Only 20% of you will ever see the project you started come to fruition. Only 20% of you are willing to be criticized, crucified and ridiculed in order to become part of the 80% result. The question is th...

Hey there, my Stage 32 fam! I have some very exciting news for you all today. You know, I say this all the time, but we are so lucky to have this incredible platform. I know for many of us, it has jumpstarted our careers and totally transformed our lives. We have immediate access to a world of opportunities at our fingertips, as well as this amazingly supportive community to keep us going forward. Not to mention, the incredibly affordable educational resources. WE know how incredible this plat...

Hello, Stage 32 Members! We are excited to bring back Brian Patacca, a professional working actor, host, and the Founder of ActorSalon New York & LA. Below, are a few clips from his Actor Real Talk series that are sure to inspire and direct you to growth, wherever you are in your career! The constant grind of the business of acting can be exhausting and soul-sucking and at times feel fruitless. At any given moment, there is a list of things you can be doing: taking improv classes, hitting up a...

I want to start this, my very first blog ever, on a positive note. Just two days ago I finally opened a Facebook account and I must say, my phobias about it have subsided little by little. I’ve received over a dozen requests and 'likes' and I've come across lots of co-workers from my years at TWA, who I simply lost track of once the company closed down in 2002. Discovering Facebook brought joy into my sort of lonely life, but the most exciting part is seeing and keeping in touch with my Florida...

So we have reached the end of the April Content Challenge! The results and a further challenge to all who participated in the video below!     Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media buttons at the top of the blog. Or post to your personal blog and anywhere else you feel appropriate. Thank you. As always, we welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the Comments section below...  

When I was in college, I wrote a farce for the stage. It was weak, at best, because I couldn’t come up with a decent ending. I don’t want to destroy my reputation here, but the first ending had an alien kidnapping the protagonist during Christmas Eve dinner. (Please don’t delete me from your network. I was only 21 and likely under the influence.) Knowing it was a bullshit ending, I threw my stage play in a box with some other scribblings where it sat for 15 years. In that time I worked as a te...

The art of filmmaking is one of the most collaborative projects that exists. So many roles play a part in the making of a film. Communication, camaraderie, and collective skills all play a part in making just one scene on the set. It is amazing that a creative thought that pops into a writer’s head turns into a whole story. Then that story turns out to be a brilliant idea. Now, the story that was in the writer’s head, is being acted out and created by cast members and a production crew. After...

The Panamanian film will be screening at the Cannes Marché The audience at the Panama Film Festival is very engaged, interested and enthusiastic. The questions during the Q&A are unique. Not once did I hear that old chestnut, ”What was the budget of the film?” They care about the subject, the characters and the filmmakers themselves and often add to-the-point personal comments rather than simply ask questions. The multiplex Cineopolis is in the largest, most upscale mall I have ever seen. Th...

One of the great joys for a playwright or screenwriter is seeing and hearing our stories come to life. While a full production of your screenplay might not be in the immediate future, a table read is a simple and accessible way to hear and evaluate your work. I recently organized a table read of my new screenplay 'The Manny'. The screenplay had already received coverage, been submitted and placed in several contests, but I felt I now needed to hear the completed work read in order to hone the...