Producing

The film industry is a unique business. Writers, producers, directors, and performers can truly focus and dedicate their time and resources to their passion. However, at the same time, filmmakers often experience frustration, stress, anxiety, anger, failure, overwhelm, burnout, and resentment as they deal with the daily challenges and complexities that characterize filmmaking. The film industry, for most people, is a high-demanding, labor-intensive, financially unstable, prestige-driven, and h...

There are two types of value, intrinsic and perceived. The Black Audience is intrinsically valuable. But the Industry’s perception is still lagging. When I started out a few decades ago, folks would ask me, "What's your major?" When I would answer, "Radio, TV & Film," the retort would invariably be, "Oh, you're going to learn how to fix TVs." "I'm going to make TV programs and produce films," I protested. There would be a blank look on the person's face. "Can you make money doing that?"...

We are entering the last quarter of 2022. It's never too late to take stock of what has been accomplished and amplify all the right actions or course adjustments to finish the year with a bang. I believe in growth on both a personal and professional level. Next-level greatness is only accessible if we know how to do a regular check-in ourselves and take inventory of where and how our energy is spent. As Aristotle has said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit."...

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. This week's Sunday dose of inspiration is all about Lighting. Wh...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, we're checking out cinematographer and filmmaker Luc Forsyth's breakdown of the five most essential tools that every documentary filmmaker needs. The information isn't just helpful for documentarians, but for anyone who wants to make content and isn't sure where to invest early for the best product. Continuing the theme of docu...

It’s a familiar story: you have the ingredients, a completed screenplay, comparable films, a target audience, a finance plan, a marketing strategy, a ‘wish list’ of talent, location ideas, bundles of enthusiasm... But there’s one vital missing component: funding. As a ‘balanced producer,’ you try to be patient. You wait for emails and calls, make pitches, submit to competitions, consider mentoring schemes and courses, and throw everything at it. But the months and years roll on, and still noth...

Hey, Stage 32! Welcome to the Stage 32 blog, I’m your host and Stage 32 Blog Editor, Emily J. Stage 32 and its community have expanded to nearly 1 million members, constantly evolving with the industry, and setting an incredible new bar for what a community in the digital age can be. Now, our blog is ready to grow and evolve with you. The blog has always been a place to educate and inspire. Now, let’s take it up a notch. Since taking on the role of Blog Editor, I’ve got three main goals in min...

In the wild jungle that is the film industry, this is the motto that I try to live by: Make your film no matter what.  Two years ago, in 2020, I finished and released my first film, a 20-minute-long romantic comedy titled Titus & Mirabella. Great timing, I know. And I mean this both in a sarcastic and a not sarcastic way. It was great timing because my film was dealing with the topic of germophobia, so I think it resonated with a lot of people, given the fact that we were going through a pande...

“Why don’t we just make it ourselves?” This was the question posed to me in January 2021 by producer Michael Alfieri of Miantri Films regarding my script, The Throwback. The start of every new year gives us a newfound boldness and optimism. “I will lose fifty pounds.” “I will read 20 books per month.” “I will learn Tuvan throat singing.” That’s me. So when Mike posed that question, my response was an enthusiastic “YES!” Why not? Never mind that my annual new year’s optimism routinely vanishes by...

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, the folks over at StudioBinder share a fascinating look inside the cinematography of Better Call Saul. The critically acclaimed spin-off of Breaking Bad recently wrapped its final episode after six fantastic seasons. Specifically, this video looks at how the series' visuals matched the story's d...