Producing

Documentaries have been produced since 1922. They were always considered the educational part of moviemaking; not entertainment. That has all changed. We are in the Golden Age of Documentaries. Prominent directors are using the documentary format to tell their stories. My documentary "Homecoming: Veterans, Wives, Mothers" joined the ranks for consideration for the “Outstanding Short Form Non-Fiction” Daytime Emmy Award in 2021. I need to say this format is one I use when I think a topic merits...

None of us live in a bubble. Neither does the creative process. In movies, the development of the story is usually the longest part of the process. It makes sense. Getting the plot and characters developed must happen before a single word is typed into your favorite scriptwriting software. Index cards may litter your floor or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who can see the entire story in your head – you are rare. At this stage, there is the fewest number of people involved as well and...

I’ve seen a few narratives about “making it” and the feelings that will presumably accompany the magic moment when we have crossed over into the elusive place that we have been striving towards for so long. I truly don’t mean that as a belittlement or to say that we should not work hard towards it or have goals. On the contrary, we should absolutely work towards our goals. But in recent years, I’ve come to realize the importance of the condition that my heart is in during that journey. “How”...

Happy Tuesday, Stage 32-ers! For the 8th year, we are thrilled to be joining forces with one of the few Oscar-qualifying short film festivals in the land, Hollyshorts Film Festival. This year, as we have for the past 7 years, we are honored to present the hardworking and talented filmmakers that won this year's Stage 32 Short Film Contest during a special Hollyshorts screening on August 10th. Stage 32 has an exciting week of events lined up at the HollyShorts Film Festival beginning August 1...

My fellow filmmakers, my name is Tim Ogletree and I’ve been chasing this thing since January 2009, just on the heels of the last WGA strike. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a Radio-TV-Film degree, I made the official move out to LA with a pretty killer short film and a truck full of clothes, books, and DVDs. The short caught some eyes, landed my writing partner and me a manager, and catapulted us into meetings and pitches that led to our first feature script. Two wee...

Hi, Stage 32ers! While you may have missed out on getting to attend Cannes in person, you certainly won’t miss out on the incredible insights that were shared there! At this year’s Cannes 2023, Stage 32 hosted an insightful expert panel about finding the right material, putting together the right package, finding financing, and navigating a film’s release. With the Great Content Gold Rush that has occurred from streamers vying for original content, a producer’s job has become increasingly...

Hi, Stage 32-ers!   Over the last few months, we’ve welcomed tens of thousands of new members and, of course, welcomed our 1 millionth member which was featured in Variety. Every day, I hear from creatives and executives who are through with broad-based social media platforms. They’re tired of the negativity, the toxicity, and the toll it’s taking on their mental health. They want to be surrounded by positive, like-minded people who share similar interests and goals. I know you can relate...

When I wrote my first book, it was an adventure. Not only was it my first major project, it was the moment I realized just how little I knew about the craft of writing. I was two years into my professional writing career when I shifted from short stories to my first book. Sure, I’d written “books” before. But trust me, those will NEVER see the light of day. That already made this one different. I was not writing it for fun or because writing is my passion (though both of those statements are...

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, award-winning director Mark Bone gives his filmmaking tips that "no one tells you." These tips are just the tip of the iceberg though. If you're ready to take control of your career and looking to make your own projects as a director or producer, take a look at our education here on Stage 32. T...

Immersive has been a new buzzword on the last recent years. Its applications surely come in many forms, but in this article, I will focus on digital immersive experiences, since physical immersive is a whole different subject. There is no question that a lot of the public space has been equipped with some type of screens, and 5G internet has been the catalyst to change how we interact with digital content, at least in certain countries where it’s a reality. But to clearly communicate here, le...