Producing

Hey, Creative Army! Our fearless leader, RB Botto, and I have just recently returned from our whirlwind adventure at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival. We had an incredible time representing Stage 32 at the festival, meeting so many members both new and old, and celebrating so many exciting new projects and achievements. As some of you already know, I was honored to be featured as a panelist in the 2-Part Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women Through Film panel alongside key executi...

The idea of a pitch book never occurred to me until I saw Stage 32's promotion of such a couple of years ago. I had what I thought was a solid screenplay but no agent or manager. I had been fortunate to place in several nationally acclaimed contests with my story but no serious callers/producers, although I came close with CAA and Anna Sophia Robb (Bridge to Teribithia) as a possible attachment. I needed another tool. At first, this was something I thought maybe I could do on my own. I studied...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! 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, some of the best effects are the simplest. In this video from Film Riot, we'...

Want Success? Stop Listening to the Hollywood Narrative! Is it just me, or does it feel like Hollywood is set up to make you fail? Obstacle, after obstacle… Rejection, after rejection… It’s *almost* not even worth trying. And I can say ‘almost’ because those of us who still believe in the magic of our dreams, have a passion so strong that we are going to go for it, despite all of the hardships we hear about. If you are one of those people, like me, I want you to really listen to what...

Networking is too often associated with adjectives such as uncomfortable, artificial, or intimidating. However, there are concrete ways to change your mindset and navigate these situations effectively so it goes back to what it was originally intended for: creating and solidifying meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships, in your industry and beyond. 1) Think About Your Purpose As a film producer, I have always wanted to work with people from all over the world to make authentic fi...

Small feature films are roads to much bigger projects. A positive, proactive attitude will propel your work. Here is what you need to give your film a fighting chance against the competition. 1. Aim For Attention Successful projects happen when you adopt a realistic approach to their completion. Don’t think too big too soon. Storytelling as a filmmaker is a lifelong learning curve but a positive attitude is everything. A feature film carries the kudos and longevity that short-form content doe...

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 coffee, and let's dive in. First up, we love giving writers advice on their craft and career straight from the pros (and if you're a member of the Writers' Room, you see this regularly with our Wednesday Webcasts), so this week, I wanted to share this video from the Writers' Guild Foundation. The Foundation interviews showrunner A...

Public relations is a mystical profession. It’s difficult to describe. It is impossible to guarantee and there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to strategy. It’s a profession that is not for the faint of heart. You need a strong resolve and a titanium shield to shed the slings and arrows that may come your way – from both the public and your clients. Who is it for? Public relations is for any individual, organization, or brand. What Is Public Relations? The task of public relation...

Welcome to our next installment of The Filmmaker Files. My name is James Kicklighter, director of The Sound of Identity, Angel of Anywhere and the 2024 film The American Question. In this series, we’re tackling the relationship between directors and members of our filmmaking team, in the hopes of helping first-time directors have a better experience as they begin their journey.   Our guest today is editor Davide Fiore, who has worked on numerous projects, including Unzipped: An Autopsy of Amer...

Stage 32–the global entertainment industry’s leading social network and educational platform with over 1 Million Members and over 3,000 hours of film and television webinars and classes–and Catalyst Studios–a groundbreaking U.S. production company supporting female-fronted projects–are partnering to launch a first-of-its kind screenwriting contest for feature films with a focus on social impact! The contest is open to feature film scripts by women and non-binary filmmakers of any and all genre...