Networking

A high school visit with my mother to Spelman College, a Historically Black College (HBCU) and part of the Atlanta University Center (AUC), was what brought me to Atlanta, Georgia, for the first time. We flew in from my hometown of Philadelphia, aka the “City of Brotherly Love,” and immediately realized we had left the old world behind. Is that a SUBWAY… in the AIRPORT? Are you kidding me?? This is awesome! I felt like an extra on Battlestar Galactica or Logan’s Run (look it up.) The campus was...

There is no shortage of "success stories" here on Stage 32. And today, we've got a great one for our fearless leader and Stage 32 CEO, Richard "RB" Botto, who has been nominated for Shaker of the Year 2022, as part of the Movers & Shaker Awards at FOCUS in London, UK. RB is nominated for his contribution to the long-lasting impact on the global entertainment industry. RB joins fellow forward-thinking nominees Leo Anna Thomas (6ft from the Spotlight); Co. Production Team, Factor 42, EE, Supergl...

Stage 32’s nearly million members are worldwide, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that Stage 32 is now the Official Education Partner of the UK’s international trade event, FOCUS. FOCUS is the only UK trade event where nearly 3,000 attendees can meet with content makers and facilitators from over 100 countries, attracting thousands of production professionals from across the creative screen industries – including film, TV, advertising, animation, and gaming. FOCUS offers filming...

Happy Thanksgiving, Creative Army! On behalf of the entire Stage 32 team, I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. This year, we have welcomed hundreds of thousands of new members to our growing, creative community, and we are beyond honored to provide each and every one of you a safe haven to connect, be inspired, and come together to make art. We are all extremely grateful for the members of this community and for the incredible relationships and friendships that have bloo...

I started to work in the independent film business in 2007. I have since, as an employee, consultant, representative, and executive producer worked for and with global service providers, production companies, individual filmmakers, sales agents, and others in this industry. And although knowledge, expertise, and affinity with the industry are certainly and undeniably important elements as well, I have learned that nothing has been of more importance to my career than building and managing my bus...

WOW! Five days of intensive wandering, going up one elevator and down another. Pitching my TV series and three screenplays, meeting old friends, and making new ones. That’s what the American Film Market is all about. This was my second visit in ten years to Santa Monica and the AFM, and I was not disappointed. I was on a mission, and Stage 32 prepared me to meet the challenges all creatives are confronted with. What do I do, what do I say, and how do I say it? First, I was given the opportun...

One of the best ways to help build a successful screenwriting career is by building a successful network. Thanks to Stage 32, networking doesn’t need to be intimidating or boring. But before we start cold-calling up the A-list, there’s a much easier group of people to contact first - our fellow screenwriters! If you’re still of the mindset that other screenwriters are your competition, let me disabuse you of that notion right now. Your fellow writers ARE your lateral network! Lateral netwo...

Have you ever fallen in creative love? Perhaps you idly chat about your favorite director, only to discover that you both love their most obscure film best. Over your first coffee date, you playfully square off about who has the worst set stories, but you share a laugh over the resiliency it takes to keep going. Now you're about to start a project, and your new creative ally is firmly entrenched in your corner. 'How in the world did I get so fortunate?' you wonder. If luck favors the prepared, t...

What keeps you from writing a new screenplay, TV pilot, or pitch? Or finishing the one you started last year? Or composing those dreaded query letters? You might be waiting to find the time to write. Have a million reasons to procrastinate. Feel intimidated by the words FADE IN. Or find writing alone uninspiring and, well, lonely. I was experiencing most of the above in January 2021, when I discovered Amy McGuire's "Friday Study Hall" and Louisa Burton's "Sunday Writers' Cafe" Zo...

I’m lucky. I like to pitch. My father was a traveling salesman and used to talk about his work at the dinner table. I understand the art of the sale. Because of this and what my sister calls our familial blind confidence, I have no fear of getting up in front of people to talk. I like sales. And I write screenplays. That’s how I came to land at Stage 32 Script Services where they offer opportunities to speak with industry executives. You pay for time and expertise, essentially. Would you like...