Screenwriting

So you think you can dance write comedy?TM Then great! Find out if you really can. Especially if the only people who've told you "you're funny" are small children. Because let's be real, they'll laugh at anything. Just any silly face. Any bad impression. Slinkies. Sure, they're great self-esteem boosters, buy they're terrible gauges for top-notch comedy content. Stop trusting this--> And enter Stage 32's 4th Annual Comedy Writing Contest. Now open for submissions! Whether you’re writing...

The dream of a writer is to get his or her script in front of the right people. To pitch it with perfection to the very network that we know would swoon over our story. But how do we writer's get into those rooms? How do we find our way to the table to share our brilliant story? Richard "RB" Botto, our fearless leader and CEO at Stage 32, dives into three ways we can get in front of managers and agents. Here's a hint: 1) Only enter contests that get you into rooms.2) Go to events as often as...

There is no one way to break into writing for TV. Or feature films. We know this. What we don't know, are the unique stories behind the writer's who have made it to Hollywood. Each writer's path is different. But one thing is for sure; They didn't get there without a strong desire for their work and a willingness to bust their butts.   Ben Cory Jones is the Showrunner and Executive Producer of the upcoming BET comedy series, Boomerang. Rebecca Norris, a Stage 32 member, producer, and scr...

“Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” --The Pursuit of Happyness   Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness   For many of us, the excitement surrounding the possibility of being in film, or making a film, ends up being tempered by the waiting, the repeated “traction” that falls through (and the ensuing...

Happy Sunday to all.  Let's hit the ground running today with some strong coffee and even stronger content. First up this time around, from our friends at Variety, some of the hottest screenwriters in the business offer their advice on how to break in and stay in the industry. Next, acclaimed New York acting coach, John Windsor-Cunningham, offers his advice on how to grab the auditioner's or audience's attention with the very first line you say. As always, I ask that you take a moment to s...

In the spirit of having fun, I thought I would pull out an oldie but a goodie blog post from the vault of my own archives. I wrote it after I had a conversation with another writer about the different things people say to us or ask us when we tell them what we do. (He's a screenwriter as well.) I mean, this is a normal question, right? You start yapping with someone and sooner or later they ask, "So what do you do for a living?" When I tell people I'm an actor and writer, they're not sure...

Let me start with a disclaimer. Any advice I give is worth just what you pay for it. What do I know? I drive a 15-year old pickup and my last royalty check was twelve dollars. But during a tumultuous advertising career I won more than 200 awards. I have enough chrome and lucite to make a couple of Buicks, some of which were even meaningful. Like the one for a literacy campaign. That award got me a presidential citation. (Maybe Carter or Lyndon or one of those.) I wasn't big on politics. Nor am...

Happy Sunday, everyone.  Welcome to December. Let's get warm with a steaming cup of java and some red hot content. First up today, something a little different.  As many of you know, and some may not, having a qualified script supervisor on set is a must.  There are just some things that can't be saved in post and if you don't have the coverage or continuity, you're screwed.  Here, courtesy of Vanity Fair, Martin Scorsese's long-time script supervisor, Martha Pinson, lays down the knowledge...

Everyday we learn about new streaming platforms that offer viewers more options. Less than 48 hours ago, Variety published an article highlighting the WarnerMedia Streaming Platform as the next streaming service to rear it's head. If all goes well, the virtual doors will be open by the end of 2019. After AT&T acquired Time Warner, it took on the company's hefty debt as well. A large portion of that debt will need to paid down, first. We're sharing the full Variety article below. But for...

Award-winning filmmaker James Kicklighter has been featured in the Hollywood Reporter, The Times of India, Ain't it Cool News and more and has been directing narrative films for the the past 12 years. His films have screened at the Cannes Film Festival and more! He has spoken all over the world on filmmaking. Kicklighter offers tips for aspiring directors, suggesting they start with two important things before diving in. Kicklighter suggests directors start with two important things before div...