Producing

You look down at the DELETE key, sensing its magnet power drawing you in. You sigh, asking why keep going? You hear the echoes in your brain - "This is crap, get rid of it, you’ve been at this for years, give it up…" You move towards the Delete key…asking yourself - "Why do you do this writing lark…?" I have been a member of Stage 32 since 2015. I’m not much for social media, and initially would tell my friends I’ve joined "Facebook for the Industry." I am in a quite unique situation as a sc...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, 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 every corner of 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. Now, grab some fresh coffee and let's dive in to this week's fres...

Producers face many challenges during the creation and exploitation of an audiovisual project. Complying with contractual obligations towards multiple parties is one of such challenges. One of the contractual obligations is payment of a share of the revenues. This includes payment to investors, co-producers, talent, and others. In this article, we will focus on management of the revenues and how Collection Account Management can be beneficial to producers. What is Collection Account Manage...

Because I’ve been knee deep in projects of my own and tied up with more script doctor work than I’ve even had the chance to reflect on, it’s been longer than usual since my last blog for Stage 32… so before I start telling everybody how to do their jobs, let me say this: I hope you’re keeping yourself healthy. I hope you’re keeping yourself sane. No matter what happens with our nation’s politics, I want you to know that your stories matter. Telling rich, powerful stories - and telling them wel...

I honestly believe the path to success is driven simply by action. It doesn’t matter how amazing/terrible you might be at something, without action, you won't experience any growth and you won't progress towards your goals. Your dreams will never be realized and you’ll go through life always wondering what could’ve been. It’s not enough to want something in this life. Nobody is going to give you anything, you have to be willing to fight for it and you have to do so through action. Ideas are a...

Although I wear many hats (literally) as a Creative, I am first and foremost an actor. A performer and storyteller in the oldest of traditions, interacting with crowds and using a loose script and structure that allows ample room for improvisation and a broad emotional spectrum. Almost two years ago, in my article on audition prep, I told the story of auditioning for a producer in full pirate regalia in a kitchen in Ohio. Little did we know that performing in kitchens, living rooms, and thr...

You can absolutely do this. And convincing you of that fact is my main goal in writing this blog. I don't want to drag this down with too much personal information. Just know that I've lived in Pittsburgh my entire life, and when I started writing, I had no formal training, no industry contacts, and no idea how to even format a screenplay properly. If you can in any way relate to my original situation, please know that it's absolutely possible to succeed. Full disclosure: you're hearing this f...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and let's get into it.  First up, Behind the Curtain interviews some of the best screenwriters in Hollywood about how to master the art of the outline. In this video, you will hear from Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women), Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Pulp Fiction, Ingl...

Happy Saturday Stage 32! As many of you may know, I host an Instagram LIVE every week on @stage32online highlighting some amazing Stage 32 members from all over the world. We cover everything from how to shoot a short film 100% remotely to how to kick-start an acting career in Atlanta and everything in between. Recently, I had the supreme pleasure of chatting with two amazing international Stage 32 members and film composers.  First up, I had the supreme pleasure of chatting with Italian-bor...

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. Today, David is sharing some fascinating information about the world of film production in Italy and Spain in his exclusive Stage 32 vlog. You will learn about:  How projects are financed in Spain and Italy How to work with internat...