Producing

It’s true that the writing sample is the most important part of any query letter. However, you need to spend some time making sure that the query letter is solid as well. First impressions matter, and you can rub agents the wrong way if your query letter isn’t up to snuff. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes screenwriters make when querying. 1. Using A Generic Greeting If you are submitting a query letter, address the agent properly by name in your greeting. It’s unprofessional to use a...

My name is James Kicklighter, and I am a Stage 32 Thought Leader and a multi-award-winning Film Director and Producer. I have been fortunate to direct documentaries (The Sound of Identity), narrative films (Angel of Anywhere), and advertising across the country and around the world.   For the first time in my career, I am now working with representation! I'm managed by RAIN through a connection that I made at a Stage 32 in-person meetup, and my latest film, The American Question, is represente...

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 a fantastic expert panel exploring the importance of representation, equity, and inclusion in film and television production. As well as, the impact of diverse storytelling on audiences, industry trends, and the business of filmmaking. Moderated by Martin I. Petrov (Festival Direc...

When I go out and do speaking engagements, one of the popular talks that I give ends with me asking the audience the rhetorical question, “If not you then who?” To use a term that I like to employ regularly, I’m challenging them to do a self-audit. It’s rather ironic that I’m a publicist and yet the point I’m making to the attendees of these various events is that if they don’t promote what they’re doing, who is going to do it for them? Yes, of course, they can hire someone like me, but you ge...

Many times, when writing a script or a novel, you might consider the task of creating strong secondary characters for granted. That is, you have created a unique and interesting Sci-Fi world or main character that drives the action in your novel or screenplay. This drives the main character to overcome major obstacles and emotional challenges in order to achieve their goal by the end of the movie or novel. Their “Need” or “Desire” to achieve their goal is paramount to achieving a satisfactory...

Hi, Stage 32ers! While you may have missed out on getting to attend the Cannes Film Festival in person, you certainly won’t miss out on the incredible insights that were shared there! Stage 32 was proud to present 6 panels at the Cannes Marche du Film, which we will be sharing with you on the Stage 32 blog in the coming weeks. At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, I had the distinct honor of joining Sami Apra, CEO of Largo Film (Switzerland) and Christopher Morrison, Founder of Reality + fo...

In this era of Zoom pitches, writers sometimes question why they need a written pitch bible for a television project at all. Can’t you just pitch your show in a Stage 32 pitch session or to a contact in a meeting, send over a pilot script, and sell your show? Can’t the rest of the details be worked out later? Who would read your pitch anyway?  Actually, writing a pitch bible may be the most important step you take toward selling your show. Here are five reasons: Concept Does Not Equal Sustai...

No matter what role you play in the entertainment industry (actor/writer/producer/etc), rejection is part of the process. We all hear “no” constantly, but what do you do after? I will guide you through easy steps on how to handle a "no", and how to take new chances. First, let me introduce myself. I am a young Danish girl, who wants to be a screenwriter. At the moment I am not writing anything new, I’m simply rewriting my finished scripts. Other than that, I'm an active member and moderato...

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...

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...