Producing

A few years ago, I and a producer chum were sitting in a cafe in London, observing the interesting customers it attracted. It wasn't just any cafe: it was a Poetry Cafe with a downstairs space for concerts, open mic nights, and so on. The people we saw coming in, sitting in corners, hiding under their hats, reading, or discoursing at length about whether or not there was quinoa in this or that dish .... it got us scurrying into our notebooks and exchanging anecdotes of various cafe experiences....

Artificial Intelligence has been getting a lot of attention recently, especially in the film and animation industries. In some circles, there is excitement over the possibilities artificial intelligence presents, on the other side of the fence, there is anxiety and major concern. The truth is everyone should be concerned, whether you are an actor, director, cinematographer, writer, musician, or editor, and the buck doesn’t stop there. It affects all roles in the pipeline. However, the concern ma...

It is an honor and a privilege to bring you the worldwide premiere of the 5th Annual Stage 32 Short Film Program! Below you will find seven amazing short films to watch that were carefully curated by Stage 32's panel of leading industry executives. Our esteemed panel of judges is made up of top producers, managers, development executives, and Oscar-winning filmmakers. These films are only available for viewing Monday 1/23/23 - Friday 1/27/23 Plus, join the filmmakers for a live Q&A this Frida...

I’ve made a lot of movies. I started off as a Runner and worked my way up. I worked on 13 movies as a 1st AC & 2nd AC and Director of Photography before I became an award-winning Director & Writer in my own right. Having gone from runner to director, I have experienced the whole gauntlet of filmmaking, from the biggest shoots to tiny micro-budget one-man crew shoots. I have seen many ways to do things effectively and simply. There are 6 main areas of filmmaking for the indie filmmaker: Develop...

In 2003, I walked past a former monastery in a Dutch city several times a week, and there were the following words above the portal: 'I was sick and you visited me.' (Bible - free quoted from Matthew). I imagined that a house could be 'sick' and be visited by people who had just died and would find out there that they were dead. Whereby the house could 'cleanse' itself. I knew I had a story. Three years later, I published this suspense story in a collection with other horror authors in the Ne...

For many filmmakers, the film festival acceptance is one of their biggest dreams realized – even now, as more people share and stream content from their homes than ever before, the allure of the festival hasn’t dampened. Not for me, at least, and I imagine many of you too. The feeling of going up to the theatre, seeing your name and your film in the program, and most of all – seeing your work play in front of a real live audience. Not to mention networking with your fellow filmmakers and maybe e...

Stage 32 is proud to present the Palm Springs Women in Film & Television & Stage 32 Short Script Competition! Your Short Screenplay PRODUCED for a GUARANTEED budget of $10,000! Enter Today!   Getting your Short Script produced is the quickest way into the industry. Many famous writer/directors have started with short films like Damien Chazelle with WHIPLASH, Wes Anderson with BOTTLE ROCKET, Taika Waititi with TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT, Christopher Nolan with DOODLEBUG and Martin Scorsese wi...

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're looking at A.I. and its impact on filmmaking in a video from Film Riot. While many fear this new technology, there are some great benefits as well. This video looks at how A.I. can assist with the actual filmmaking process. However, the positives don't exist only during production but bef...

Last time on “Six Degrees of Stage 32”, we discussed the relationships either initiated or rekindled online through the Stage 32 platform. Speaking from experience, my creative partner and I recently wrapped up our most challenging proof-of-concept short film yet - “Sanctuary,” the Short Film. Where did some of our top talent come from? Relationships cultivated through Stage 32! Click here to read more about how we met in Part 2 of “Six Degrees of Stage 32”. While not everyone is so fortunate...

If you’re a first-time documentary filmmaker, as I was when I started making my “Land of the Free” films, you may not be aware of some of the expenses and challenges you are going to face in producing, polishing, and distributing your film. After years of trials, tribulations, and successes, here are the top lessons I wish I'd known (or at least thought to ask)... 1. The Script Everything in movie and stage production lives or dies by its script. What’s the story you want to tell? What i...