Networking

My name is James Kicklighter, and I am a Stage 32 Thought Leader and a multi-award-winning Film Director and Producer. I have been fortunate to direct documentaries (The Sound of Identity), narrative films (Angel of Anywhere), and advertising across the country and around the world.   For the first time in my career, I am now working with representation! I'm managed by RAIN through a connection that I made at a Stage 32 in-person meetup, and my latest film, The American Question, is represente...

Hi, Stage 32ers! As many of you know, we had a massive celebration this year at Cannes, where we announced our 1 Million Member Milestone at our party in partnership with Variety! This is a milestone that means the world to me, Amanda, and the rest of our team here at Stage 32. When I started on the journey of creating Stage 32 12 years ago, I never could have imagined how this community would grow and become not just a network and support system for creatives all over the world, but for...

No matter what role you play in the entertainment industry (actor/writer/producer/etc), rejection is part of the process. We all hear “no” constantly, but what do you do after? I will guide you through easy steps on how to handle a "no", and how to take new chances. First, let me introduce myself. I am a young Danish girl, who wants to be a screenwriter. At the moment I am not writing anything new, I’m simply rewriting my finished scripts. Other than that, I'm an active member and moderato...

Hi, Stage 32 Community! This June has been a busy and exciting time as our Stage 32 Team worked diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community! At Stage 32 you have direct access to industry professionals who’ve written, acted, developed, produced, distributed, directed, composed, and represented acclaimed projects like IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, RENO 911, THE DROPOUT, THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE, THE SHRINK NEX...

Hi, Stage 32ers! This year marked a monumental milestone for Stage 32, our 10th year on La Croisette! In many ways, it was our most successful year yet. During our first-ever Stage 32 Cannes meetup, we had a close-knit group of 17 people in attendance. This year, we grew to 1500 attendees at our Stage 32 party in partnership with Variety! It was amazing to see so many people from our global community show up to celebrate, network, and support each other. We had Stage 32 members screening th...

You’ve heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”? I’m going to start with something controversial, I hate that quote. This quote has been preached to me on many occasions throughout my career and I can imagine it will continue for the rest of my years. Why this quote? Because my creativity is hard to grasp, I do many things and can do many things well. Does this sound like you? Your creativity doesn’t fit in the societal norms of occupation, the idea that we decide to be or do one...

As an independent producer, I'm always planning my next project. With a stack of screenplays (many of which are my own), and no Mr. Moneytree waiting to spread his love, it can be challenging. This is why I've taken the Robert Rodriguez approach when it comes to filmmaking. For those of you unfamiliar, Robert Rodriguez's first feature film, El Mariachi, had no crew. And almost no budget. At a meager 7k, he was the writer, director, cinematographer, location scout, sound, and editor. With inflati...

I was a Stage 32 "virgin" when it happened. Truth be told, I think it was my third time, my third 8-minute Pitch Session with a Stage 32 Exec. Being an "ugly red-headed stepchild" of the entertainment world, meaning even though I have a successful career as an Entertainment Marketing Creative, I had to find a way for executives to see me in a new light. A multi-award winning Creative Director, writing, producing, and directing trailers, etcetera needed executives to now take me seriously as a...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from around the globe. Whether you are a long-time member or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up, we're looking at A24. What makes the look of an A24 film? Can you rep...

Hello everyone! I know this must sound like a promotional blog, a congratulatory blog, or a persuasive blog! Actually, it is none of these! It is just an account of what Stage 32 has done for me at this moment in time. So, please give me a moment for some backstory... My name is Selma Karayalçın and I’m a fifty-year-old woman going on twenty-one who lives on the island of Aphrodite which is called Cyprus. If you don’t know where that is, it is a tiny dot on the map in the eastern Mediterra...