Producing

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 have a fantastic video from CinemaStix looking at how the John Wick franchise was able to get made while being made by "no names." Now, were Chad Stahelski and David Leitch really no-name creators? Absolutely not. These were two stunt performers who pushed back against the idea that as perfo...

Are you dreaming of becoming a filmmaker? Do you have an idea for a film that you're ready to bring to life? If so, you're in the right place. While you might be thinking about those days on set, it's what comes after them that can make or break your project. Editing is a crucial part of the filmmaking process, and it can be one of the most rewarding. Let's go through what you need to make it happen... Beginning the Editing Process Before you start editing your film, you need to make sure you...

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 do...

Hello Stage 32ers! My name is James J. Papa. I met veteran film writer/director/producer, Julia Verdin of Rough Diamond Management through a consult call on Stage 32. As a result, I ended up co-writing the socially conscious project No Address with her. It is about the homeless in California. This is my story! How Julia & I Connected We connected through Stage 32’s one-hour script consults. I strongly recommend this to any writer who feels their script is ready, and polished, and wants to t...

Let’s go back to basics! If you are thinking or overthinking about producing your first short film, you are not alone. These are the 8 things that were around my head when deciding to go for it. 1. Is making a short worthwhile? I hate to reply to this with another question, but you have to ask yourself first: Why do I want to do it? Maybe you want to be an actor and it can be a way to get material for your reel, get credits and exposure. Same with a director or DP. If you are a screenwrite...

Several years ago I decided that I wanted to get a degree in film and television from the highly competitive film school at New York University. There was one major obstacle though... I was a high school dropout. What are the odds of my being accepted into this school and program? Not very good, but I decided (call it naivety, blind faith, insanity, or whatnot) it was not only possible, but it was going to be my reality. I put one foot in front of the other, busted my butt as if it were life or...

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, I often see as we're having fun debating films in the lounges the ide...

Audio dramas are a fun way to bring your project to life without the cost of television production. Think War of the Worlds. When radio was the only medium available to digest content from, dramatic shows gained popularity but fell to the wayside with the introduction of visual media. However, with the introduction of podcasting and its resulting popularity, audio dramas are making a comeback. I published my first novel, Day After Disaster, in 2014. It became book one in a series of novels ti...

Last year, Stage 32 was kind enough to publish several blog posts, in which I described my career path, going from an unknown writer in a small country to now being able to have a career in filmmaking. And Stage 32 did what it does best - it sparked connections. A producer based in LA noticed a few of my blog posts, and then noticed my insight on a topic. He decided to get in touch via Stage 32, asking what I was working on. And then, magic happened. Within a month, I had a meeting with...

Indian Cinema, often loosely defined as ‘Bollywood,’ has much more to it than meets the eye. The films in India are produced in over 20 languages and an equal number of dialects. However, the mainstream cinema of Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu languages is generally considered financially viable and offers great opportunities. This millennium has seen Indian Feature Films and even web series reaching foreign shores. We began this experiment when we took Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Devdas and its st...