Screenwriting

Hey, Stage 32-ers! Autumn is here, productions (COVID-safe, of course) are picking up steam, and we are all trying to regain a sense of time. How best to spend your free time, how much energy to put into work time, and why social time is still so essential. I am reminded of an inspirational quote, “bloom where you are planted”. The question is, where do you see yourself blooming? Do you require a small group or a big class? What are your next steps to seeing your project to fruition? Can you d...

Prewriting and rewriting are my two favorite parts of the writing process. Prewriting sets you up for success so that when you spill everything out on the page in your first draft, it gives you something solid to work with. But rewriting is where you get to take that material and make it truly reflect the best of what you have to give to the world. Even if you strive to create a first draft that’s as close to the final form as possible—which is my own personal writing objective—there is alway...

I had been thinking like me; I needed to think like them... I became a member of Stage 32 in 2015. Having come from launching a successful ad agency in the Midwest and working with corporate giants like Borden, Chase Banks, and Wendy's International, along with writing my own column for the city business newspaper, hosting a radio show, and producing/writing three on-air network affiliate shows, including one for the local ABC affiliate, Fox affiliate, and another in the hopper over at the NBC...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! Here's hoping you had a happy, healthy, and creative week. I've got some fresh coffee in hand and some amazing content coming in hot. Let's dive in, shall we? First up, the folks over at Studio Binder have put together a video about how to perfect the art of writing a "meet cute". A classic trope of the romantic comedy, a "meet cute" is how two characters meet for the first time. Our network of executives is actively searching for the next best RomCom script - and...

Even if you're not in Hollywood, you can get a sense of the "business" by what professionals are talking about. What have Stage 32 members been talking about lately? The work. What work their doing, how to do the work, and getting back to the nitty gritty. It's exciting, but it's also a great time to show how much value you bring. Taking a few minutes to answer another's questions could be a great advantage to them and show what a fantastic asset you are!   It's true, the lounges are a great p...

Happy Friday Creative Army! As you all know, Stage 32 Screenings was born in March in the wake of the cancellation of SXSW. Our initiative has been covered by Deadline, Variety, CNN, and dozens more. We are currently screening over 150 features, shorts, and episodic pilots from SXSW, Tribeca, SeriesFest, Vail Film Festival, BFI: Flare London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, and Telluride Mountainfilm Documentary Festival to our network of over 6,000 invited sales agents, distributors, managers, agents,...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32!   Back in July, we launched a Vlog Series featuring long-time animation industry veteran, Frank Gladstone. Frank has worked for some of the biggest names in animation (Disney, Warner Bros, and DreamWorks, to name a few!) in his 45+ years in the industry. Frank is also currently the Executive Director for The International Animated Film Society (ASIFA - Hollywood) which hosts the world-famous Annie Awards honoring animators from all over the world. Last month, he answe...

Here’s the thing about podcasts: literally anyone with a computer can make one. And so many people do. I’m going to go out on a limb here and bet that most of you reading this are, at the very least, considering starting your own podcast. And you should! It’s a great way to reach an audience, build your brand, and/or sell a product. But here’s the other thing about podcasts: most of them suck. The vast majority of podcasts don’t get more than 136 downloads per episode in 30 days, according...

Authors, it's time to take your book to screen. With critical and commercial successes of television series including "Game of Thrones", "The Handmaid's Tale", "Big Little Lies", and "The Witcher", and feature film franchises such as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Jurassic Park, the entertainment industry is in constant search for the next great piece of Intellectual Property that is ready for adaptation. This IP can be in the form of a book, novel, novella, graphic novel, short story, non-...

Happy Saturday Stage 32! As many of you may know, I host an Instagram LIVE every week on @stage32online highlighting some amazing Stage 32 members from all over the world. Recently, I have had the distinct pleasure of speaking with two of our members that have successfully filmed (COVID-free!) during the pandemic.  First up - cinematographer, director, and screenwriter Emily Skye shot her proof-of-concept short film River back in May 2020 in North Carolina. The short has already been accepte...